(Headline USA) There may still be more than two months to go until the Paris Olympics, but already the games are threatening to be an insufferably woke display of election-year virtue-signaling—and you can bet that if presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump remains the frontrunner in July, much of the vitriol will be directed his way.
Although the 2021 Tokyo games included some uplifting moments, such as the patriotic display by gold-medal-winning wrestler Tamyra Mensah–Stock, the quadrennial event (rescheduled due to COVID—and probably Trump) largely offered an ominous sneak preview of what lay ahead for the next several years in Joe Biden’s America: a society devoid of its sense of national identity and, largely, of its sense of focus and purpose.
Apart from the participation of transgender competitors, the most emblematic of moments was the much ballyhooed decision by gymnastics star Simone Biles to quit mid-competition for “mental health” reasons. Some have reported that she may not have been allowed to take her ADHD medication because it was banned in Japan.
Thankfully, one athlete who will not be participating in the upcoming games is Gwen Berry, the controversial hammer-thrower and activist who turned her back last time on the U.S. flag during the national anthem. Berry is currently serving a 16-month suspension for a doping violation.
But at least one overtly political figure will be there to take her place—and it won’t even be an athlete.
William “Flava Flav” Drayton—the Public Enemy performer made famous for his signature fashion statement, an alarm clock around his neck—has stepped forward as the official mascot of the women’s water polo team.
He answered the call following an Instagram post by player Maggie Steffens seeking financial sponsorships as the team goes for an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal.
View this post on Instagram
He is now finalizing a deal that will make him a USA Water Polo sponsor and the official hype man for a program seeking a bigger spotlight.
The 65-year-old Flav, a founding member and hype man with Public Enemy, was previously kicked out of the group by frontman Chuck D in March 2020, allegedly for refusing to support socialist candidate Bernie Sanders—although the group members have since reconciled.
And .@MrChuckD,,,i didn't sue you on Friday,,,i asked the @berniesanders campaign to correct misleading marketing,,,that's all it was,,,I'm not your employee,,,i'm your partner,,,you can't fire me,,,there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav,,,so let's get it right Chuck,,,
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) March 2, 2020
Not long after, Joe Biden won the Super Tuesday races and Sanders quickly conceded.
Flava Flav made clear that he had nothing against Sanders and that there was only one candidate with whom he actively took issue.
“I think they’re all good people,” he told The Guardian. “Except Trump. Some people tried to say I did this because I’m a Trump supporter and that’s not true. F**k Trump!”
Away from his politically charged bandmates though, the ex-reality television star seems to have softened his image considerably.
He already has jumped headfirst into his new hype-man duties, highlighting some of the team’s best players on social media. He also is making plans to watch the women’s team play in Paris.
Meet the Women’s Olympic Water Polo Team.
This is ASHLEIGH JOHNSON, goal keeper and 2X Olympic Medalist. #KnowTheirNames #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/StxK0JoQ3i
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) May 8, 2024
“When I come out and I watch this water polo team … ‘USA! USA!’ Yo, I’m going to be the biggest hype man that they ever had in their life,” he told the AP on Friday. “I’m going to be bigger than any cheerleader that they had in their life. I’m going to cheer this team on, and I’m going to cheer this team into winning a gold medal.”
Steffens said it was “very surreal” when Flav reached out.
“My whole family was like ‘Is this real? Flav is part of the water polo world now?’” Steffens said. “I was like ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to wear a clock right now, and that’s how I’m feeling.’”
Steffens and the U.S. team also have another high-profile woke supporter in Taylor Swift. They attended the musician’s Eras Tour concert on Friday night at La Défense Arena — the venue for the women’s water polo final on Aug. 10.
Women’s national team manager Ally Beck reached out to Swift’s camp and surprised the team with the tickets.
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Flav said he also contacted Swift’s team, but the tickets had already been approved.
Flav, who is working on another tour with Public Enemy that could begin later this year, then held up a T-shirt with his picture that read “KING SWIFTIE.”
“I’m proud to support Taylor. … Flavor Flav is a Swiftie, the king of all the Swifties,” he said.
That’s another connection Flav has with his new favorite team.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
