“Filming My First Movie”: Dennis Rodman’s Desire to ‘Marry Himself’ in 1996 Involved $3000 Per Hour Makeup Artist

Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman really pushed the needle back in the 90s for what’s acceptable for NBA players to wear. Dennis the Menace’s bold wardrobe choices earned him the reputation of a freak among his peers, but that of a trailblazer to posterity. Back in 1996, in order to promote his book Bad As I Wanna Be, Rodman took the bold route of showing up in a horse-drawn carriage while wearing a flowing wedding dress. The five-time NBA Champion revealed in his second book, I Should Be Dead by Now, that he flew in a $3000 per hour makeup artist from London, especially for the occasion.

Rodman was an influential presence on the court despite his controversial antics off it. He served as a pivotal member in both his Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls stints, which secured him multiple rings. However, the Worm’s tumultuous experiences in his early life prompted him to express himself in ways that appeared wild and uncouth to the contemporary public.

Dennis Rodman flew in a $3000/hour make-up-artist for his famous wedding stunt

Rodman claimed in his second book I Should be Dead By Now, that it was his cameo in Jean-Claude Van Damme’s movie Double Team that gave him the unconventional idea of marrying himself. The logistics of the whole thing slowly fermented in his mind and manifested itself in 1996. Rodman eventually decided to do his New York book signing in a wedding dress.

While explaining how the idea came to him, Rodman revealed the exact cost of the make-up artist who prepared him for the occasion. Furthermore, the Bulls legend also claimed that he doesn’t remember how much the wedding dress cost but it was reported to be a whopping $10,000. Rodman wrote in his book:

“I first got the idea of marrying myself while I was in Europe filming my first movie, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Double Team. Why? Who the f*ck knows? I played around with the idea for a while, and then I thought, “I’m doing this New York book signing anyway, why not combine the two?” After that, the idea just kept growing and growing, and it was out of control by the time I made it to New York in late August of 1996. I flew in a $3,000-per-hour make-up artist from London and bought an expensive dress (I wasn’t writing the checks, so I don’t remember what it cost, but the New York Post reported it was $10,000).”

Needless to say, Rodman is till date the boldest player the NBA has ever seen. His spendthrift ways led to a range of controversial decisions that made his storied life a living novel.

Rodman compelled the NBA to ease tattoo and fashion regulations

The 80s and 90s NBA was infamous for having stringent rules on players’ appearances. This translated to strict guidelines about tattoos and clothing choices.

However, the trail blazing Dennis Rodman slowly compelled the NBA to change its rules with his wild antics. He claimed that following his arrival, the NBA quickly saw a change in culture. In time, even the “boring white guys” in the league were getting tattoos on their body.