I actually like the guy too, but IMHO, it has always appeared that he was more interested in "Bad Ass frank" than anything else. while you say he plays up this notion for comedic value, there is an underlying belief to it. That maybe, laughing at himself is a preemptive measure against mockery?

but when you say "He doesn't actually believe his own hype" the only hype he has is of that he generated....

i mean like it's the star factory, not the monstar factory