2024 MTV VMAs: Flavor Flav Crowns Jordan Chiles With This Honor After Medal Controversy
Jordan Chiles may not have an individual Olympic bronze medal anymore, but she does have a different precious keepsake, thanks to Flavor Flav.
"Jordan, I know they tried to take your medal away from you," the Public Enemy rapper told the gymnast at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards when they took the stage to present Best Collaboration, "but you know what, I got you something that they can't take away from you."
And with that...wait for it...he placed a huge bedazzled clock around her neck as she shook her head in disbelief.
"Wow," said Jordan, rolling with the off-the-cuff presentation. "I don't even know what to say here! Thank you so much." (See the full list of winners at the 2024 VMAs.)
As Flavor Flav doffed his ballcap and put on a 2024 Paris Olympics beanie and changed sunglasses, much to the audience's delight, she added, "He's stylish—stylish."
Back on the mic, he noted, "Yeah, as you all know I am an official sponsor for the United States Olympic women's water polo team. So that's why I wanted to turn this into an Olympic moment, Jordan, alright?"
But wait, there was more.
He leaned in, confidentially like, and added, "I got your prize money, too. I got that for you...I just wanted to surprise you with that. I didn't want to say nothin' to you backstage, but Jordan, you did your thing. Congratulations, you deserve everything."
Jordan could only reply, "What an honor, Flav."
She was pretty speechless otherwise, but luckily they had the first award of the night to hand out: Best Collaboration to Taylor Swift and Post Malone for "Fortnight."
After winning team gold with Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade McCrary and Hezly Rivera at the Paris Olympics, Jordan seemingly finished fifth in the floor exercise—only to be vaulted into bronze position thanks to a score inquiry by the U.S. team.
However, the Romanian team, on behalf of Ana Barbosu, the gymnast who tumbled out of medal position, disputed the decision and, upon closer investigation, it was ruled that the appeal came on Jordan's behalf seconds too late to stick.
And with that, she was no longer a bronze medalist.
"I have no words," Jordan wrote in a message shared to her Instagram Aug. 15. "This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey."
But she's still golden in Flavor Flav's eyes.
See more candid moments at the 2024 MTV VMAs: