Ted has been around for lot of years, and weathered many a storm that his contemporaries could not because of his take no prisoners, in your face, too stubborn to go away attitude. I've heard people moan and p*ss about his confrontational style, but he DOES get noticed, and at least gets people off their asses one way or the other.
He climbed up through the ranks at the time when the mantra was "sex, drugs, and rock and roll"...with his own personal mantra "sex, leave the drugs and alcohol the hell alone, send your arrow straight and true, and be a MAN" when being a MAN was a liability and not an asset.
Personal fave is "Stranglehold"...but "Stormtroopers" was about as prophetic a number as I can recall. Have seen him twelve times, and not ONCE have I done anything but enjoy it thoroughly. Great entertainer, knows how to work an audience (he ought to, he was the largest grossing touring act in the late seventies and early eighties) and made a whole generation of kids think about that the fact that if HE could have that much fun being "uncool", then they could too.
An embarrassment? Hardly. Man says what he thinks, and damn the consequences. And has suceeded in SPITE of it, not because of it.
Over the top? When he stops being over the top, I'll stop listening to him.
It's time for some over the top, non-compromise attitude. Too much pussyfooting around, too many concessions made already.
Uncle Ted is my pick by far.