Antonia Venezia

A tribute from the original article and interview published in ALIVE, March 2007, by Antonia Venezia.

Who would ever think of swimming the length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater handcuffed and shackled while towing a 1,000 pound boat? Who would swim the treacherous Golden Gate Channel, towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser while fighting the cold and swift currents?

There is only one person who comes to my mind and he is America’s Number 1 Energetic Fitness Expert and Guru, Jack L Lanne. His breathtaking feats, some of which were performed in the Bay Area, have made undisputed world records through the years. “On my 65th Birthday I towed 65 boats a mile and a half in Tokyo. On my 70th Birthday I towed 70 boats with 70 people in it with my feet and hands tied a mile and a half in Long Beach,” says LaLanne.

Jack LaLanne is best described as a pioneering fitness enthusiast who finds immense joy in educating millions of people to stay healthy, fit and trim. Often known as a top-quality mover, shaker and motivator, inspiring both the young and old, he’s been able to attain the fountain of youth. There are many fans who want to find out what his youthful secret is; it’s obvious that he’s doing something right. At 92, this nonagenarian is still going strong and his energy level is higher than some people who are in their forties. “I work out two hours every day. I eat no meat, just fish and egg whites. That’s where I get my protein. It isn’t what you do once in a while – it’s what you do all the time! The main thing is getting your 4-6 raw vegetables every day and 3 or 4 pieces of fresh fruit. All your grains have to be natural whole grains. Now is that asking too much? It’s eating all the junk between meals that’s terrible,” says LaLanne.

Jack LaLanne began his fascination for health and fitness, after attending pioneer nutritionist Paul Bragg’s health lecture at the Oakland City Women’s Club. At that time, LaLanne was a skinny fifteen year-old junk food junkie and sugarholic, soon to be convinced that if he exercised and maintained a proper diet, he could regain good health. He learned how to change his bad lifestyle and old eating habits from the advice of Braggs, which in turn became the catapult that set his healthy lifelong journey and quest in motion. While setting his sights on his new health-kick adventure, he finally attained the muscular body of his dreams, after discovering a set of weights at the Berkeley YMCA. He began experimenting and studying everything that had to do with Gray’s Anatomy – it was his bible. “I became a voracious reader and I absorbed everything that would help me to improve myself,” claims LaLanne.

Jack LaLanne soon became an American icon and role-model to many. In the fifties, LaLanne’s fitness craze spread like a burning wildfire throughout the country and today history obviously speaks for itself – he’s still moving mountains and muscles. “You have to take care of your 640 muscles and the #1 thing is exercise. You can eat perfectly, but if you don’t exercise, you cannot get by,” says LaLanne.

Jack LaLanne, hailing originally from San Francisco, opened the nation’s first modern health studio in 1936 on the third floor of an old office building in Oakland California. “I was forty years ahead of my time. I knew more about the workings of the muscles in my body than most doctors,” says LaLanne.

As Jack LaLanne’s new and exciting innovative ideas on health kept increasing, he landed a great opportunity to showcase his fitness knowledge on television reaching even more people with “The Jack LaLanne Show.” “It started in 1951. My show was on for 34 years. That was the first show ever in history to have a health and exercise show. Nobody came along until three or four years later”, mentions LaLanne. He reached out to millions of Americans with his uplifting gospel message – “Get out of your chair, work out and feel better.”

LaLanne set out to create some of the most impressive firsts in the world of physical fitness. He was the first to have athletes, women and the elderly working out with weights, the first to have a combination of Health Food Bar and Gym, the first to have a coed health club, and the first to combine weight training and nutrition. LaLanne was even the first to sell vitamins and exercise equipment on television. How impressive is that!?

As a creator of innovative fitness merchandise, he invented the first leg extension machine and the first pulley machines using cables, along with the first weight selectors. With these impressive accomplishments, no wonder he’s often called, “The Godfather of Fitness” and “The King of Fitness.” “I don’t care what they call me, just so they pronounce my name right”, adds LaLanne with a chuckle.

Jack LaLanne believes that you control everything within yourself; the thoughts you think, the words you utter, the foods you eat and the exercise you do. Vigorous, systematic exercise and proper diet are part of his daily regimen; working out every day is at the top of his list. “There’s no reason for anybody to be sick and tired, fat and out of shape – it’s ridiculous! This has got to be taught in the schools. It’s got to be taught in kindergarten. That’s when kids should first get the idea that the most important thing in your life is your health and your body. You can have all the education and you can have millions of dollars in the bank, but if you’ve got headaches every day, if you’re fat and you are out of shape – what good is your money? Your health account and your bank account, build them both up,” says LaLanne.

This inspiring non-stop entrepreneur is always coming up with something new. “The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer” is selling like hot cakes world-wide. “This juicer is the most successful thing that’s ever been on television. We’re selling millions. I never once thought of making money. With my juicer you can put in a whole potato, squash and 6 raw vegetables. In 30 seconds it’s done,” claims LaLanne.

During our interview I asked Jack La Lanne about his lovely wife, Elaine LaLanne. With his heartfelt reply, he said: “Without her I’m a big nothing! She’s the power underneath my muscles. We are a team. We’re lovers, we’re business partners, we’re friends and we’re associates. We both believe one thing: Wanting to help people who help themselves.” Together, they do lectures on exercise and nutrition and appear on various television spots. Elaine LaLanne has written five books: Fitness After Fifty, Dynastride, Fitness After Fifty Workout, Total Juicing and Eating Right for a Whole New You. Jack LaLanne recently completed a cookbook called Cooking with Jack – Eat Right and You Can’t Go Wrong.

Jack LaLanne told me that in business you have to keep up with time, keep up to date, keep modern and keep up on your toes. Today, he’s still making headlines – and with a mix of fitness and fame, he even has his very own star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame. “Listen, life is wonderful…life is fantastic – work at it. You know, living is an athletic event – right? How does an athlete train? He eats right…he has goals and challenges…he works out every day hard. You know, I work out two hours every day seven days a week. I hate to work out, but I like the results. Ask a thousand athletes – ask them if they like to train. Everything in life that’s meaningful takes effort – takes vitality. You have to work at it. And God helps them who helps themselves…help you,” says La
Lanne.

Antonia Venezia: Hello! It’s lovely meeting you. You’re fantastic. Congratulations on your phenomenal achievements and all of your feats.

Jack LaLanne: You know what my phenomenal achievement is? It’s waking up in the morning.

AV: I’d like to start off by asking you about your “Jack La Lanne Power Juicer”.

JL: I started juicing when I was fifteen years old.

AV: Do you think your juicer is benefiting a lot people?

JL: Are you kidding!? This juicer is the most successful thing that’s ever been on television. We’re selling millions. I never once thought of making money. With my juicer you can put a whole potato, squash and 6 raw vegetables in it. In 30 seconds it’s done. You should read the mail – all the responses we get from this: “I never felt so energized”, “I’m losing weight”, “My aches and pains are gone”, “My skin is better”, “My hair is better”, “It’s incredible”…you’re helping people. People need help today.

AV: How do you stay so young?

JL: I work out two hours every day. If it tastes good, spit it out. All those cakes and pies and candy and ice cream – all that terrible fast food stuff! I just bought a new corvette sports car…would I put oil in the gas tank? Would I?

AV: No.

AV: So, you have a special diet?

JL: It’s simple. I eat 6 or 7 raw vegetables every day, 4 or 5 pieces of fresh fruit.
I eat egg whites each day. If I eat bread – it has to be whole wheat. I eat brown rice. I don’t eat between meals. I eat at 11 ‘0 Clock in the morning and 7 0’ Clock at night.

AV: Even your voice sounds young!

JL: If something saved your life, would you be enthusiastic about it?
When I was a young kid at fifteen I dropped out of school for 6 months, I was a troublemaker, I tried to commit suicide, couldn’t stand these blinding headaches every day, I was 30 pounds under weight – I was a skinny terrible kid. I attended a health lecture. I wanted to be born again, I wanted to be an athlete – I wanted the girls to like me and I wanted to be like everybody else. That way I was sick all the time. After that lecture, I went home that night and I went strict vegetarian – cut out all white flour, all white sugar products, joined the Berkeley California Y.M.C.A. and the rest is history, just like that.

AV: So, you don’t eat any meat?

JL: I eat no meat, just fish and egg whites. That’s where I get my protein. Turkey’s good, and chicken, if you take the skin off. It isn’t what you do once in a while – it’s what you do all the time! The main thing is getting your 4,5 or 6 raw vegetables every day and 3 or 4 pieces of fresh fruit. All your grains have to be natural whole grains. Now is that asking too much? It’s eating all the junk between meals that’s terrible.

AV: Are you still the Godfather of fitness?

JL: I don’t care what they call me, just so they pronounce my name right.
I was the first one in the world to have women working out with the weights and the first to have the old people and athletes working out on the weights. When I started, I had my first gym in 1933 in Oakland California.

AV: Are you from Oakland?

JL: I was born in San Francisco. I went to Berkeley High. I was Captain of the Football team. I had my first official gym in Oakland California in 1936. I had all the firemen and policemen, who couldn’t pass their physical, working out in my backyard.

AV: You’ve done a lot of feats. Tell me about some of them.

JL: The first thing I did when I was forty years old, I put handcuffs on and I jumped off Alcatraz prison and swam to San Francisco handcuffed. That made national publicity. Then, there were three or four years where I would do more difficult feats. Another birthday I towed a thousand pound boat across the Golden Gate. On my 65th Birthday I towed 65 boats a mile and a half in Tokyo. On my 70th Birthday I towed 70 boats with 70 people in it with my feet and hands tied a mile and a half in Long Beach.

AV: Do you still do that?

JL: My next Birthday I will be 93. I’m gonna tow my wife across the bathtub.

AV: Oh, how cute. I read about your wife, Elaine. How she used to eat junk food before she met you – hot dogs and doughnuts and she was smoking.

JL: Yes, she was smoking, she was underweight, skinny and boy, she just changed her whole life around.

AV: So, it sounds like you are a great match?

JL: Without her I’m a big nothing! She’s the power underneath my muscles. We are a team. We’re lovers, we’re business partners, we’re friends, we’re associates, you know. We both believe one thing: Wanting to help people who help themselves.

AV: It’s beautiful – it’s rare to have that.

JL: Billy Graham was for the here after. I am for the here now.
Forget about what you used to do. Don’t make those same mistakes again. Everybody says, “Oh the good old days” – the good old days are right this second! You know that song, (singing) “This is the moment I’ve waited for. Make me happy this moment”. This moment controls the next moment. The food you eat today and walking and talking tomorrow. You’ve got 80 trillion cells in your body, right? What nourishes those cells? The food you put in your body.

AV: Do you think living as long as you have is a combination of things?

JL: It’s a combination because I believe so strongly in what I do and I practice what I preach! My Dad died at fifty – do I have to die at fifty? My Dad ate all the junk food, he wouldn’t exercise – how can you tell your Dad anything? We know today about nutrition and we know about exercise. There’s no reason for anybody to be sick and tired, fat and out of shape – it’s ridiculous! This has got to be taught in the schools. It’s got to be taught in kindergarten. That’s when kids should first get the idea that the most important thing in your life is your health and your body. You can have all the education and you can have millions of dollars in the bank, but if you’ve got headaches every day, if you’re fat and you are out of shape – what good is your money? Your health account and your bank account, build them both up!

AV: Please tell me about your very first Jack La Lanne show. What year did that start? Do you own all the rights to your shows?

JL: It started in 1951. My show was on for 34 years. That was the first show ever in history to have a health and exercise show. Nobody came along until three or four years later. I own all those shows. Elaine and I never had a partner.

AV: Do you own the whole enterprise?

JL: Yes, one million percent! The only partner I have is God and Elaine. I do what I am supposed to do. You got to do what’s happening today in the world. You got to keep up with time. Keep up to date, keep modern – keep up on your toes!

AV: Tell me about the song you sang on with Connie Haines.

JI: I was going to be a singer. If I hadn’t been in my profession, I was going to be an Opera singer. That’s from a young kid. I had all these records from all those famous Opera singers. I wanted to be an Opera singer – that was my whole thing and physical fitness got in the way, Thank God.

AV: Did you study medicine?

JL: Yes, I started Pre-med. I was going to be a medical doctor. I got a degree in Chiropractic, but I never used it.

AV: Would you like to give a message to the public?

JL: I want to tell the public that anything in life is possible, if you make it happen. Who puts the food in your mouth? Who goes to the bathroom for ya? You do. You came on this earth alone and you are going to leave alone. Think about it. If anything happens to Jack La Lanne good or bad, I made it happen. If anything happens to you good or bad, you made it happen – right? I’m not going to blame my mother or father. You know what you inherited from your mother or father? Eating habits and they are bad habits – whatever they did, you did. Like I said, my Dad died at fifty – do I have to die at fifty? I changed my habits. I told you I went to that health lecture. I went home that night and I went strict vegetarian and started working out and I have been that ever since. The only important person on this earth – tell those people – it’s them – it’s you! Listen, life is wonderful…life is fantastic – work at it. You know, living is an athletic event – right? How does an athlete train? He eats right…he has goals and challenges….he works out every day hard. You know, I work out two hours every day seven days a week. I hate to work out, but I like the results. Ask a thousand athletes – ask them if they like to train. I hate to train, but I like the results. Everything in life that’s meaningful takes effort – takes vitality. You have to work at it. And God helps them who help themselves…help you.

AV: Tell me about your lecturing and motivational speaking that you do.

JL: That’s my whole life. I have one thing in my mind. How can I get people to start taking care of themselves? That’s all I think about – “Get them up doing something”. They say, “my mother did this…my father did this…all that junk…everybody’s got an excuse. I can’t afford it. I am too old young or I’m too young”. It’s sick. You’re never too old. The medical doctors take people in their 80’s and 90’s and put them on a weight training program. They double their strength…they double their endurance in six to eight weeks. So forget the age. Nobody’s perfect…everybody has something wrong with them. You work through it. You do the best you can with what you have.

AV: Do you ever get joint pain?

JL: No, I don’t get anything. I feel good all the time.

AV: You sound like you are thirty-five years old.

JL: As I say…I got one thing on my mind. To get the people to get off their big fat butts to do something!

AV: Are you interested in speaking in the Bay Area?

JL: Absolutely! You know, I love the Bay Area, boy. I was born in San Francisco and spent a lot of time in Berkeley and Oakland. I lived in Alameda for many years on a house boat. That was a wonderful experience.

AV: Tell me about your dogs that appeared on your shows.

JL: Happy, Smiley, Walter and Chuckles. Those were my personal dogs. I sent them all to school – they were all trained. When Walter was born we had a big contest. Anybody that would submit a name that we would choose for the dog, we’d send to Las Vegas – two people all expenses paid for a weekend. This little girl from U.C.L.A. College sent in the name Walter (we all love to exercise regularly). Isn’t that cute?

AV: Do you have any dogs today?

JL: Yeah, I got two dogs. Dogs are wonderful.

AV: What’s the secret to owning all the rights to your Jack La Lanne Enterprise?

JL: When I started out. We were very poor. My Dad would say, “Kid, if you are going to buy something, pay with cash…never get into debt with anything”. I never forgot that. Anything that Elaine and I would do – we’d own it. No partners ever. I don’t think about wealth. I get one thing in my mind, “How can I help people…come on humans…do something, you know. Let’s wake up. Man alive…you’re half dead. Let’s do some living”.

AV: You do sound alive.

JL: I am alive. I enjoy life, you know. (Singing) “I love life and I want to live!”

AV: Out of all your achievements in your lifetime, which ones are you most proud of?

JL: Marrying my wife. No doubt about it! And the thing I am most proud of is all the years I spent on television – 34 years. We were on in every country in the world that had television.

AV: Is there anything that you would like to tell me?

JL: I got one thing on my mind. When you write an article, maybe we are going to help someone or save somebody’s life. Maybe we’ll get someone to eat right by reducing all the fat on their body. We’re motivated you know.

AV: The editor will be amazed when I tell him that we talked today.

JL: Listen, I’m very flattered with anyone who wants to talk to me.
(Singing) – “I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows. I believe that anything in life is possible”. That’s how I end my lectures singing, “I Believe”. I always get a standing ovation.

AV: Who should I talk to if you want to come speak up here?

JL: Have them call me. Anything you want to do. We’re at your disposal. I’m your brand new friend.

AV: One last question. Do you take vitamins every day?

JL: Absolutely. I take at least thirty or forty from A to Z. Everything natural…no synthetics. You’ve got to add extra vitamins and minerals. A lot of people say, “Well, Jack do you need that stuff?” I say yeah…just in case it works.

AV: If you’re 92 like you…it’s obviously working.
Well, I wish you a fantastic day. You made my day a whole lot better.

JL: You made mine…more than you’ll ever know. Anything you need, give us a jingle.

I was saddened by the news of exercise guru Jack LaLanne’s passing. In 2007 I had the privilege of interviewing him. He had great energy and pizzazz—it was if I were speaking with a 30 year old, not a man over 90. I was very impressed by Jack LaLanne’s upbeat, positive and excited outlook on life. He was truly a nice man. LaLanne was rightfully proud of his lifetime accomplishments as was eager to share his knowledge and passion for fitness with others. I am not only saddened by the passing of Mr. LaLanne, I am also saddened that we are approaching the end of an era. –Antonia Venezia