has flava flav always been a minstrel or did he just recently become one?

Few hip hop artists have rivalled the political lyricism of Public Enemy. But the most recent incarnations of Flava Flav (on VH-1's Jerry Springeresque Flavor of Love show) has made me wonder: What role did Flav really play as the hypeman to the otherwise serious and provocative PE? Did his presence in the group make PE a little less frightening to white people? Was he always a dancing minstrel and did we just overlook it as we nodded our heads and pumped our fists to "Fight the Power"?

The more troubling question to me is what does it mean for someone to have been a part of a Public Enemy and to have sunk to such a low ass level for a few dollars (probably more than a few, but you get the drift)? While I do partake in some bad tv, I am not a regular viewer of FOL. I actually cannot make it through an episode for the same reason that I can't watch Jerry Springer. It's just soooo damn stupid, I can't even veg out in front of it. And it's hard for me to wrap my brain around the scantily clothed and loud mouthed (mostly black) women who berate each other and embarass themselves for the camera. Where do they find these women? Really? And are we supposed to believe they are fighting over Flav!? Come on!