Flavor Flav: An Unlikely Fan of Women’s Water Polo
As the members of the U.S. women’s water polo team donned their robes and formed a single file at the pool’s edge before their highly anticipated match against Italy at the Paris Olympics, an unexpected figure stood directly across from them: the rapper Flavor Flav. With a spirited clap, he cheered them on while the announcer at the Aquatics Centre in St.-Denis, France, proudly called out each American player’s name. Flav expressed his enthusiasm by making a heart gesture with his hands, embodying a unique blend of showmanship and support.
Throughout the match, Flavor Flav remained on his feet, rarely taking a moment to sit down. Adorned in a personalized water polo cap and jersey, he sported a dessert-plate-sized clock hanging from a chain around his neck, all in a vibrant palette of red, white, and blue. As America’s newest (and arguably most surprising) water polo fan, he leaned excitedly against a glass barrier, shouting encouragement to the athletes. Each time the United States scored, he raised his wrists, both featuring large-faced watches, and erupted into gleeful cheers. Flavor Flav expressed that he didn’t mind if the players couldn’t hear him; he preferred they focus entirely on their game strategy instead.
“They know deep down in their hearts, and they know way in the back of their minds that Flav is right there for us,” he shared in an interview at a hospitality venue in Paris after the game. In an Olympics where Snoop Dogg has become a familiar presence, a women’s rugby player has enlisted the support of an N.F.L. superfan, and Parisian fans have been swept up in the excitement, the connection between a team of dedicated women water polo players and a 65-year-old rapper from Long Island stands out as a particularly intriguing partnership. Yet, Flavor Flav is eager to emphasize his genuine commitment to this sport.
The United States triumphed over Italy with a decisive score of 10-3 in their group match on Wednesday. Following that victory, the team went on to defeat France 17-5, wrapping up pool play with an impressive record of 3-1.
