Steve Harvey is a TV icon, but he credits this one person for helping him succeed
OPINION: When Harvey was given the TV Icon Award at theGrio Awards, he made sure to note that he wouldn't be anywhere without the support of his wife, Marjorie.
Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Steve Harvey, who was honored with the TV Icon Award, spent most of his speech at theGrio Awards giving a beautiful tribute to his wife, Marjorie. “That woman right there has been down with me like four flat tires,” he said. “That woman right there has been faithful to me, loyal to me. Eighty-five percent of what y’all up here talking to me about happened after I married that girl right there. We been 18 years strong.” He then described their relationship in Biblical terms like a preacher. “We Isaiah 54:17. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. We Isaiah 43:1 and 2. We can go through the rivers and fire and not be overcome.”
Harvey was given the TV Icon Award because he has been an extraordinary television presence for three decades. His first big job in TV came in 1993 when he started hosting “Showtime at the Apollo” at a time when that was a critical show in Black culture. That’s when Harvey began to be noticed as someone who was hysterical, personable and very much of the culture. We could tell even then what Harvey said in his speech at theGrioAwards: “I love Black people. I just do.”
After the Apollo, Harvey’s career exploded — of course, he’s a radio star with “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” and a film star thanks to the hysterical concert film, “The Original Kings of Comedy,” but damn this man’s TV career is legendary.
He’s been the host of “Family Feud” for over a decade, a show that gives him space to riff with regular folks. Harvey is great at pointing out how dumb people’s answers are without embarrassing them. “Family Feud” is a syndicated game show that’s been on forever — I watched it with my mom in the late ’70s — and it’s valuable to have a Black man hosting one of the most popular shows in TV.
Harvey is by far the most popular and successful host in “Family Feud’s” long history, and he’s a big part of spinoff shows like “Celebrity Family Feud” and “Family Feud Africa.” He’s also beloved for his show, “Judge Steve Harvey.” On all his shows, Harvey is approachable, relatable and funny. He’s got a down-home, everyman charm that speaks to growing up in West Virginia and Ohio. The way Harvey carries himself, it feels like he could be friends with anyone.
TheGrio Awards
Harvey’s TV career has garnered him seven Daytime Emmys and 14 NAACP Image Awards. He’s the head of a media empire that never seems to go off the air. You can listen to him on the radio in the morning, catch him on one of his TV shows in the afternoon, and in the evening read his iconic book, “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.”
In his theGrioAwards speech, Harvey said if he ever gets the big bag, he’s done. “If I get a billion dollars, I’m out,” he said. “Quit lookin’ for me. Ain’t gonna be no more ‘Family Feud.’ I’ma damn that judge show. I’m out.” It sure seems like with all the TV shows he’s got on the air and all the other projects he’s doing, he probably will get to a billy one day.
Watch TheGrio Awards 2023 on Feb. 9 starting at 8 p.m. ET. Download theGrio app now to watch on demand or check your local cable listings for TheGrio.
Touré is a host and Creative Director at theGrio. He is the host of Masters of the Game on theGrioTV. He is also the host and creator of the docuseries podcast “Being Black: The ’80s” and the animated show “Star Stories with Toure” which you can find at TheGrio.com/starstories. He is also the host of the podcast “Toure Show” and the podcast docuseries “Who Was Prince?” He is the author of eight books including the Prince biography Nothing Compares 2 U and the ebook The Ivy League Counterfeiter.
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