Ventura gets big ovation at St. OlafVentura stepped up attacks on Minnesota's current political leaders for supporting an expansion of gambling and the building of stadiums. "They can't solve the budget because they have no balls," he said.

Jesse VenturaJim McknightAssociated Press"All these religious Republicans don't have a problem with gambling to balance their budgets."

He also warned darkly about what he described as a serious erosion of First Amendment rights under the Bush administration. He told the students, "Speaking out about your government is healthy and wholesome. ... Don't go along to get along."

The Federal Communications Commission, he said, is rolling back free speech rights in "much the same way Nazi Germany did it."

With a black do-rag, or kerchief on his head, Ventura revealed that he did indeed get the idea for his recent "Pirates of the Caribbean"-type beard from the character Jack Sparrow played by actor Johnny Depp in the movie of that title.

Ventura always was a provocateur as governor, but his act since he left the governor's office has gotten ever more outrageous. At one point he told the students that it was hypocritical for people of his free-love generation to urge sexual abstinence. "Make all the love you want, just use a condom. ... If it feels good, do it; I did." His language has become considerably saltier.

Near the end of his speech, he joked that he was indeed a "sexual tyrannosaurus" and that "you could just ask the First Lady."

And he was as harsh as ever in criticizing the media. Pointing to reporters in the front row, he called them "Bozos" and reiterated his labeling of reporters as "pedophiles" because of stories written about his son's behavior at the governor's residence.