Vegapunk is obviously designed to look like a cartoon version of Albert Einstein. (Tounge, Hair, Forhead, genious, contributing science to warfare)
The apple cap is most likely a reference to Newton as his axioms laid the foundation for modern physics.
So of course Oda made the main VP look whack. Just to surprise us all with the gravity of his descisions, the sadness of his story and the greatness of his future actions. Just like Senor Pink had us all saluting after we knew his background.
I bet the main body is only like his heart/character with shaka being his voice of reason. He propably split his brain up into the different VPs, hence the sawed-off head.