The Many Faces of Dementia: A Tribute to GLOW’s Michelle Duze

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You ever watch something and think, "Wait a minute, something feels...off?" That was me when the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling season 3 began, after I had started watching GLOW around the end of season 2. I had barely scratched the surface of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling universe—catching just a few late-season episodes and some clips from those old-school VHS tapes they sold back in the day. I wasn’t exactly a superfan…yet.

The first episode of season 3. Dementia made her eerie return, complete with that familiar makeup and over-the-top gimmick. But something was different—I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Was I imagining things? Was it just that a year had passed, or maybe my memory was playing tricks on me?
Spoiler alert: my hunch was spot on. It wasn’t just a slight shift—Dementia was completely different. That’s because the character had a whole new persona, played by someone else. And that revelation sent me down a rabbit hole to uncover the story of the original Dementia herself, Michelle Duze.

Michelle Duze wasn’t just any GLOW girl—she was the original Dementia, the unforgettable bad girl with an axe to grind (literally) and a uniquely childlike, brutal energy in the ring. After season 2 wrapped up, Michelle and a group of other wrestlers followed David McLane to Indianapolis. From there, they trained and hit the road under the banner of the Powerful Women of Wrestling (POWW).

By the time GLOW rolled into its third and fourth seasons, Michelle had already parted ways with the show. So, she never really got to know the newer cast members, including her own replacement, Nancy Daly, who stepped into the Dementia role after her departure. During her time with GLOW, Michelle’s versatility didn’t end with Dementia. She also played Sugar, the sweet Good Girl from New Orleans. And when she joined POWW, she leveled up by taking on even dual characters—becoming both the all-American patriot and Sasha, the fierce Russian competitor.

Here’s a fun behind-the-scenes twist: In GLOW at first, they tried to conceal Sugar’s true identity by giving her an enormous curly wig, hoping fans wouldn’t connect the dots. But eventually, they got more creative. A dramatic storyline involving the Heavy Metal Sisters burning Sugar’s face paved the way for her transformation into a masked character—a clever way to keep Michelle’s dual roles under wraps. Wrestling production wasn’t just about body slams—it was all about cost-effectiveness. They figured having one performer juggle two personas was easier than hiring another wrestler. Apparently, not not everyone fell for it, though. Hardcore fans could spot the similarities between Sugar’s and Dementia’s wrestling styles. While Sugar was more traditional, Dementia’s persona allowed Michelle to unleash a chaotic, almost childlike brutality in the ring.

Michelle was more than just a powerhouse in the ring—she was savvy behind the scenes, too. Rumors of shady dealings among GLOW’s producers and attorneys were no secret. Rather than signing her real name on contracts, Michelle pulled a genius move: she signed with aliases inspired by Disney characters. Talk about outsmarting the system!

Michelle also had some special connections with other GLOW stars. Ursula Hayden, who played Babe during season 3 and 4 and later on became the owner of GLOW, was a high school best friend of hers. Michelle actually introduced Ursula to GLOW during its second season. Also, Hollywood and Michelle had a shared history, working together at the Richard Simmons Anatomy Asylums in Glendale, CA. Hollywood’s boyfriend taught aerobics with Michelle. It was Hollywood who brought Michelle to the Riviera Hotel after the GLOW pilot was shot. Many girls share stories about their living conditions and roomates during their GLOW days. Michelle’s roommate during her Riviera days? None other than Matilda the Hun, played by Deanna Booher. Wrestling, as it turns out, was as much about friendships as it was about flying dropkicks.

Michelle wasn’t just handed the role of Dementia—she had to work hard to make it her own. The producers gave her a basic concept: a character inspired loosely by the tragic Lizzy Borden story. Beyond that, Michelle had the freedom to flesh out Dementia’s quirks and persona. Her entrance by being pushed out in a cage, the silence, the axe—those were all elements that evolved naturally as Michelle stepped into the character. GLOW had its fair share of challenges—there were creative disagreements, editing woes, and questionable management practices. But Michelle and her fellow wrestlers stuck together like a family, navigating the highs and lows of the wrestling world.

After leaving GLOW, Michelle joined David McLane’s new venture, a wrestling show, POWW which toured across the U.S. It was an exhilarating time, with the show following the WWF circuit during Hulk Hogan’s peak era. The only catch? GLOW owned the rights to its original characters, so everyone who joined McLane had to tweak their personas. Michelle left her wrestling career behind in the late 1980's but her legacy as the original Dementia remains unforgettable.

So there you have it—the fascinating, multi-layered story of Michelle Duze, the woman who first brought Dementia to life and left her mark on the wrestling world. Whether you remember her as the axe-wielding wild card or the sweet lady from New Orleans, Sugar, Michelle’s journey is a testament to the grit, creativity, and camaraderie that defined GLOW. What do you think of Michelle’s story? Did you know all these behind-the-scenes details, or did I just blow your mind? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts! And hey, if you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and want to support more stories like this, feel free to show some love in any way that feels right to you. Thanks for being part of this journey with me!


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