1963. Fifty-four years later “It’s a Madder, Madder, Madder World,” only not so funny.

Many say sports should stay out of politics. Others say politics should stay out of sports. The truth is there’s no separating anything from anything anymore.

So a former frightening basketball player is in North Korea to meet with one of the world’s most frightening leaders.

Rodman used to go ballistic on the basketball court. Kim Jong Un launches ballistic missile tests. There’s a symmetry in that.

Dennis Rodman was scary in sneakers, terribly unpredictable, a menace to opponents and occasionally to teammates. In this perverse world, maybe that’s exactly the type of crisis negotiator required to go one-on-one with Kim.

A few years ago, you’d say Rodman should go get another tattoo, smoke a joint and leave global politics to the professionals.

Now, what the heck, nobody else has had any luck dealing with Kim Jong Un, so why not give the Worm a shot?

Some of the savviest diplomats have failed to get through to the Kim regime. Dennis Rodman has had his ear during multiple visits to North Korea and just might be peace’s last chance.

Perhaps these two crazy kids speak the same language, something like Wormean or simply Basketballese.

Yes, this is meant to be facetious, but only partially in the context of the world as we know it.

Comedians Kathy Griffin and Bill Maher make reprehensible sociopolitical statements … London is a killing field … a congressman is shot on a baseball field.

Considering all that, why couldn’t the decidedly undiplomatic Dennis Rodman be the perfect diplomat to deal with North Korea.

In a “Madder, Madder, Madder World,” maybe nonsense really does make the most sense.

mimrem@dailyherald.com