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Entertainment & Media
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Beyond Kayfabe: The Time Wrestler Goldust Pitched Getting Real Breast Implants
In the boundary-pushing 'Attitude Era' of 1990s wrestling, performer Dustin Rhodes was so committed to his androgynous Goldust character that he pitched getting actual breast implants to his boss, Vince McMahon. The idea, meant to elevate his character's shock value, was immediately rejected.
The Golden Age of Shock
The landscape of professional wrestling in the mid-to-late 1990s was a battlefield of ratings and rebellion. Known as the 'Attitude Era,' WWE (then WWF) was locked in a bitter war with its rival, WCW. To win, the company shed its family-friendly image for something edgier, more provocative, and often, more shocking. In this chaotic crucible of creativity, few characters were as brilliantly bizarre or pushed the boundaries of audience comfort quite like Goldust.
Portrayed by Dustin Rhodes, son of the legendary 'American Dream' Dusty Rhodes, Goldust was a masterpiece of psychological warfare. He was an androgynous, gold-painted enigma obsessed with Hollywood, who unnerved his opponents with sexually suggestive mannerisms and unsettling mind games. He wasn't just a wrestler; he was a piece of performance art designed to be unforgettable, and Rhodes was willing to do almost anything to protect and elevate that art.
Raising the Stakes
As the Attitude Era escalated, so did the need for characters to innovate. Goldust's act evolved, becoming even more audacious. He was joined by his then-wife Terri Runnels, who played the cigar-smoking, sultry director Marlena. The duo's provocative vignettes and ringside antics kept them in the spotlight. Yet, in a world of beer-swilling anti-heroes and corporate villains, Dustin Rhodes felt Goldust needed another jolt—a permanent, physical transformation that would shatter the fourth wall and cement the character in history.
The Pitch That Stopped McMahon
Sometime in 1997 or 1998, Dustin Rhodes walked into Vince McMahon's office with an idea so extreme, it has since become the stuff of wrestling legend. He wanted to take Goldust's androgyny to its most logical, physical conclusion. He pitched getting actual, surgical breast implants.
In his autobiography, "Cross Rhodes: Goldust, Out of the Darkness," Rhodes detailed the conversation. He was fully committed to the idea, believing it would generate unprecedented buzz and make his character the most talked-about figure in the industry. As he explained in a later interview:
"I went to Vince and I said, 'I'm a big fan of the show Cops... I want to get breast implants.' And I went into this whole big deal about it, and it was going to be some good television. It was going to be compelling, and people would be talking about it for years to come."
Vince McMahon, the man who had greenlit storylines involving everything from kidnappings to embalmings, was stunned. This wasn't a scripted stunt; it was a performer offering to permanently alter his body for a character. McMahon's response was immediate and firm: he rejected it. His primary concern was not for the brand or potential backlash, but for Dustin's health and well-being. It was a rare moment where the promoter put the person before the performance, drawing a line that even the anything-goes Attitude Era couldn't cross.
A Legacy of Commitment
While the surgery never happened, the story of the pitch endures as a powerful symbol of artistic dedication. It reveals the lengths some performers are willing to go to fully inhabit a role and create something truly memorable. In an industry built on illusion, Dustin Rhodes's willingness to make a permanent, physical sacrifice for his character was the ultimate commitment to his craft. The Goldust character remains one of wrestling's most iconic creations, not just for what happened on screen, but for the unbelievable stories of the man behind the paint.