In episode 176 of Earn Your Leisure we had an eye-opening thought-provoking conversation with the legendary comedian Steve Harvey. He spoke about his journey to become a media mogul, he described his ups and downs, he talked about his issues with the IRS, taking Family Feud to Africa, his business in the Middle East, life lessons, and more.
From a young age Steve Harvey knew that he wanted to be on TV. He held fast to his dream, against all odds for a stuttering African American boy in the 1960s. His unrelenting pursuit formed one of Harvey’s life philosophies: “You have to dream big and believe that you will succeed.”
Steve Harvey was born January 17, 1957, in Welch, West Virginia, as Broderick Stephen Harvey. He is the son of Jesse Harvey, a coal miner, and his wife, Eloise Vera Harvey, a Sunday school teacher. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and remains a Cleveland man at heart. Steve’s family didn’t have much, but their lives were full with their faith. Before Harvey achieved his stardom, he made a promise to God that if he made it, he would thank Him and spread the word. Harvey honors that promise by thanking God at the end of every show and by sharing his gratitude with the audience.
Harvey’s entry into comedy was a leap of faith. He was encouraged to perform at an open mic comedy night in 1985. Harvey brought down the house, and the next day he quit his job to pursue his dream. As Harvey says, “You have to jump and take a leap of faith in order to soar.”
The road to success was not an easy one. It left Harvey homeless, living in his car and traveling the country for performances. In 1990, he won a national comedy competition which led to his big break on Showtime at the Apollo. From that moment on, Harvey’s career took off.
Today Steve Harvey remains known as the busiest man in Hollywood. But in addition to his work on screen, radio, stage and print, Harvey is a dedicated mentor and an inspiring motivator to his fans.
Harvey began his career doing stand-up comedy in the mid-1980s.
In 1997, he toured as one of the Kings of Comedy alongside Cedric the Entertainer, the late Bernie Mac and D.L. Hughley. The tour’s immediate success led to the taping of one of the most successful comedy specials in history — The Original Kings of Comedy.
In 2006, Harvey released the popular DVD Don’t Trip…He Ain’t Through With Me Yet. Due to the overwhelming demand, he released another comedy special on DVD in 2008, entitled Steve Harvey: Still Trippin’, to critical acclaim.
On August 2, 2012, Harvey performed his final stand-up act at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, ending a 27-year career as a stand-up comedian. The two-hour performance was broadcast live on Pay-Per-View.
His stand-up success eventually led to an eight-year stint as host of It’s Showtime at the Apollo, as well as to various entertainment roles including acting, hosting, writing and producing. On TV, he starred in ABC’s Me and the Boys, The WB’s The Steve Harvey Show and Steve Harvey’s Big Time Challenge. Harvey hit the big screen in movies such as Love Don’t Cost a Thing, You Got Served, Johnson Family Vacation and Madea Goes to Jail.
From hosting Showtime at the Apollo, Harvey became a household name. In addition to Showtime at the Apollo, his hosting career includes The Steve Harvey Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, Steve, Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots: Forever Young, Steve Harvey’s Funderdome, Miss Universe, New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey, NFL Honors and numerous others. Harvey is one of the only hosts to appear on competing networks at the same time.
Harvey began hosting Family Feud in 2010. Under Harvey, the show achieved record-high ratings and became the first nationally syndicated TV series ever to increase its ratings for seven consecutive years. Harvey has surpassed original host Richard Dawson‘s tenure as the longest-serving host in Family Feud history.
In 2015, Harvey began hosting Miss Universe, which propelled his career internationally. In 2017, he also began hosting New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey live on Fox.
In 2019, Steve Harvey announced that he was moving his eponymous daytime talk show to Facebook Watch. Steve on Watch, launched in January 2020 and continues to entertain audiences across the Facebook platform.
In 2019, Harvey also announced taking Family Feud to Africa. The show is filmed in South Africa and welcomes families from South Africa to play. The show began airing in 2020, quickly achieving recognition as the number 1 show in South Africa, and today is one of the most popular shows airing in Africa.
In 2021, Harvey announced his new courtroom comedy series for ABC. Harvey will welcome real-life people into his courtroom to rule on conflicts ranging from family disputes and sour friendships to actual small claims. The new series is set to air the first quarter of 2022.
Harvey is one of the most recognizable and sought-after celebrities in the world. His relatable, honest and inspiring personality has made him one of the most trusted personalities in media. 178,000,000 US viewers welcome Steve Harvey into their homes on a yearly basis—that’s over 55% of the total U.S. population.
