Steve Harvey has been a stand-up comic, actor, TV host, and author for decades. He has over 10 million followers on Instagram, but there’s also a significant number of people who just can’t stand him. Personally, I’ve always thought, “That guy isn’t even that funny.”
Asian Men
In a 2016 episode of his talk show, Steve made jokes about an obscure advice book called How to Date a White Woman: A Practical Guide for Asian Men. He laughed hysterically and then joked that it must be a very short book, saying, “It’s one page too: ‘Excuse me, do you like Asian men?’ ‘No, thank you.’”
Author Eddie Huang responded to Steve’s insensitive comments in an essay published by The New York Times. Eddie found the jokes upsetting and pointed out that the stereotype suggesting women don’t want Asian men is particularly painful. He shared his own experience, explaining that despite his success, he often felt unwanted, blaming this on the “structural emasculation of Asian men in all forms of media.” Steve did issue a public apology on Twitter, but the damage had already been done.
Relationship Advice
In 2009, someone suggested to Steve that he write a relationship advice book. Taking that advice, he released “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” which later got adapted into a film. Although the book spent 64 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, many people questioned Steve’s qualifications to give relationship advice, given that he had been married three times. In the book, Steve embraces the idea that men are players and that game-playing is key to a successful relationship, suggesting that romantic relationships only work when women conform to traditional gender roles.
Fellow comedian Tony Rock was one person who was particularly fed up with Steve being seen as the new relationship guru for Black people. Tony pointed out, “His third wife was a mistress to his second wife, yet black people have anointed him the Oracle when it comes to Black dating.”
Controversial Language
In 2018, Steve’s wife Marjorie posted a video of them in the kitchen, slicing up fruits and veggies while making juice. In the clip, Marjorie uses an outdated and offensive term for people with intellectual disabilities, saying, “Clearly, he thinks I’m [retarded].” The video sparked outrage on social media, with parents of special needs children asking Marjorie to educate herself on why the word is offensive. Instead of apologizing and learning from the mistake, Steve defended his wife in the comments, using the word several more times and claiming Marjorie was only using it toward herself, not anyone else. He accused people online of just looking for something to be mad about. Marjorie replied to his comment with laughing emojis, adding, “I tried to stop him, but y’all know he crazy and don’t play about me.”
Sure, please provide the text you’d like rewritten.
Kings of Comedy
In 2000, Steve and Bernie Mac made up one half of the original Kings of Comedy. Despite the highly successful stand-up tour and film, which included comedians D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer, Steve and Bernie had some major animosity. The tour made history and helped all four comedians’ careers rise to even greater heights, but the rumors that Bernie and Steve were not on friendly terms persisted. After Bernie suggested to GQ magazine in 2003 that Steve was envious of his success and tried to steal gigs from him, years later, during an appearance on Conversations with Ed Gordon, Steve said he was angry after reading the GQ article because Bernie’s allegations were false. Steve also acknowledged that he confronted Bernie about his statements, and Bernie reportedly said he never made those statements, so Steve decided to take his word for it. Cedric the Entertainer confirmed that Steve and Bernie’s beef was the real reason they never made a second Kings of Comedy. Cedric said, “They were the kind of guys that they both alpha males… but at the end of the day, they were able to get through it.” Bernie passed away in 2008. Steve said Bernie’s widow, Rhonda McCullough, helped him get beyond the feud. Steve said, “Rhonda, of all people, knows the truth. It was a cleansing moment for me because I was able to let go of a lot of stuff.”
Distaste for Rap Music
Steve never holds back and isn’t afraid to speak his mind, but some people think he has taken things a little too far when it comes to his distaste for rap music. “Oh, you like rap? Nah, that’s ’cause your ass is ignorant. Rappers make me sick. I don’t care nothing about no rappers. Don’t like none of them. They crazy. If you ain’t out here talking about nothing positive, you ain’t talking about uplifting and edification of our race, I don’t think you ought to be out here.”
During a 2021 interview with the Tony Vision YouTube channel, B-Real of the rap group Cypress Hill recalled that during his time working alongside Steve at Los Angeles radio station 92.3, Steve was constantly talking trash about hip-hop music, despite the station’s tagline being “Where Hip-Hop Lives.” B-Real couldn’t believe the bosses would bring in someone who had no love for the type of music that made the radio station so popular. “I’m here he is talking about something that saved our lives… something that saved a lot of black and brown lives, and that should be something that he celebrates.” B-Real stated that the station lost listeners to rival radio station Power 106 because the host over there embraced hip-hop and the culture more than Steve did.
In 2000, Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac were part of the original Kings of Comedy, alongside D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer. Despite the tour and film’s massive success, rumors of animosity between Steve and Bernie lingered. Bernie suggested in a 2003 GQ interview that Steve was envious of his success and tried to steal gigs, which angered Steve. During an appearance on Conversations with Ed Gordon, Steve denied the allegations and said he confronted Bernie, who reportedly denied making those statements. Cedric the Entertainer later confirmed that this feud was the reason there was never a second Kings of Comedy tour. Cedric described both men as alpha males who managed to work through their issues. Bernie passed away in 2008, and Steve credited Bernie’s widow, Rhonda McCullough, for helping him move past the feud, describing it as a cleansing moment.
Distaste for Rap Music
Steve Harvey is known for speaking his mind, and his disdain for rap music is no exception. He has made strong statements against the genre, saying, “Oh, you like rap? Nah, that’s ’cause your ass is ignorant. Rappers make me sick. I don’t care nothing about no rappers. Don’t like none of them. They crazy. If you ain’t out here talking about nothing positive, you ain’t talking about uplifting and edification of our race, I don’t think you ought to be out here.”
In a 2021 interview with the Tony Vision YouTube channel, B-Real of Cypress Hill recounted his time working with Steve at Los Angeles radio station 92.3. Despite the station’s hip-hop focus, Steve frequently disparaged the genre. B-Real was baffled that management would hire someone who disrespected the music that defined the station. He noted that Steve’s attitude likely drove listeners to rival station Power 106, which embraced hip-hop culture.
Back in 2000, Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac were two of the standout stars in the original Kings of Comedy lineup, which also featured D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer. The tour and film were wildly successful, but behind the scenes, there was some serious tension between Steve and Bernie. In a 2003 interview with GQ, Bernie hinted that Steve was jealous of his success and had tried to steal gigs from him. This claim infuriated Steve, who later discussed it on Conversations with Ed Gordon, denying the allegations and saying Bernie had assured him he never made those comments. Cedric the Entertainer later confirmed that the real reason there was no second Kings of Comedy tour was because of the rift between Steve and Bernie. He described them as two alpha males who eventually managed to work through their issues. Bernie passed away in 2008, and Steve has since credited Bernie’s widow, Rhonda McCullough, for helping him move past their feud, calling it a cleansing moment for him.
Distaste for Rap Music
Steve Harvey never shies away from speaking his mind, and his views on rap music are no different. He has been vocal about his dislike for the genre, once saying, “Oh, you like rap? Nah, that’s ’cause your ass is ignorant. Rappers make me sick. I don’t care nothing about no rappers. Don’t like none of them. They crazy. If you ain’t out here talking about nothing positive, you ain’t talking about uplifting and edification of our race, I don’t think you ought to be out here.”
In a 2021 interview with the Tony Vision YouTube channel, B-Real from Cypress Hill recalled working with Steve at Los Angeles radio station 92.3. Despite the station’s hip-hop branding, Steve often criticized the genre. B-Real was stunned that the station would hire someone who didn’t appreciate the music that was its backbone. He noted that Steve’s attitude likely drove listeners away to rival station Power 106, where the host embraced and celebrated hip-hop culture.
Flint Water Crisis
In March 2016, Steve Harvey dedicated an hour of his talk show to the Flint, Michigan Water Crisis. But a year later, he made a comment that sparked national outrage. During a June 2017 episode of his radio show, Steve took a call from a Flint resident who criticized Cleveland after the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. As a Cleveland native and Cavaliers fan, Steve was offended and shot back, “Enjoy your nice brown glass of water.” Even though his co-host apologized on his behalf, Flint’s then-Mayor Karen Weaver demanded a public apology from Steve for making light of a serious issue. Instead, Steve doubled down, saying he and the caller were just engaging in typical sports trash talk. He ended by saying, “Any attempts to craft this into anything more serves no one.”
The Memo
In 2017, a memo from Steve to his daytime talk show staff in Chicago was leaked. In the memo, he instructed his staff to stay away from his dressing room unless invited, not to approach him while he was in the makeup chair unless spoken to, and not to take offense to his new rules. The public backlash was swift. Steve explained to Entertainment Tonight that the memo was necessary because he was constantly interrupted while walking from his dressing room to the stage or during lunch. He added that staff members were bringing their friends on set for photos and autographs, which led him to enforce stricter boundaries. Despite his explanations, many saw the memo as insensitive, suggesting it showed a lack of respect for the hardworking people who helped make his show successful.
Meeting with Trump
Just days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2017, Steve was invited to Trump Tower to meet with then-president-elect Donald Trump and discuss urban development. Despite his wife Marjorie’s advice against it, Steve decided to go. He later described it as a transition meeting between Obama’s team and Trump’s team. Trump connected him with Ben Carson, the head of Housing and Urban Development. “We’ve got to team up and see if we can bring about some positive change in the inner cities, which I felt was my only agenda. He agreed and seemed really sincere about it,” Steve said.
Steve left the meeting feeling optimistic, calling Trump a great man. “I want to encourage you to stay here in this country. Donald Trump is not going to be that bad,” he said. However, due to Trump’s perceived insults against the black community, including allegations of racism and xenophobia, and his controversial remarks about African Americans who chose not to vote, Steve was labeled a sellout and an Uncle Tom.
While TV personality Stephen A. Smith praised Steve for attempting to bridge the gap and foster change, rapper T.I. criticized him harshly. T.I. posted numerous Instagram videos condemning Steve’s actions. In one video, T.I. warned: “To all you celebrities, black minorities, athletes, I love you. There’s a strategic plan that people are trying to involve you in. Do not accept any invitation to meet, no matter how positive the outcome may seem, without understanding there’s a hidden agenda. Being seen with them, taking pictures and smiling may seem positive, but there’s a hidden agenda, and now you’ve been warned.”
Two months later, Snoop Dogg and the band BadBadNotGood released a provocative music video that depicted Trump as a clown and showed Snoop pointing a weapon at the president’s head. Trump retaliated by calling Snoop a failing artist, while Bow Wow and T.I. defended Snoop. Steve stepped in, telling Snoop, Bow Wow, and T.I. to “chill out and be smart.” He added, “There is an office in this country called the president, and you have to respect the office, whether you want to or not.”
In response, people showed their disapproval of Steve by boycotting his projects. His talk show, “Steve,” which debuted in September 2017, suffered from poor ratings, widely attributed to his public support of Trump. The show was eventually canceled in 2019 and replaced by Kelly Clarkson. “Who took it from him? Uh, Kelly Clarkson. How can Kelly Clarkson take your show, homie? Hey, bro.”
Reflecting on the incident and his loss of support from the black community, Steve admitted on his radio show, “Meeting with Donald Trump was the worst mistake of my life.” When asked if he gained anything from the meeting, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he had met with Ben Carson a couple of times but hadn’t spoken to Trump since.
Miss Universe Mix-Up
In December 2015, Steve Harvey hosted the Miss Universe Pageant for the first time, and it didn’t go as planned. He mistakenly announced Miss Colombia as Miss Universe when, in fact, Miss Philippines was the true winner. As Miss Colombia was enjoying her victory lap, she was abruptly informed that the crown needed to be returned. Steve admitted his mistake, saying, “This is exactly what’s on the card. I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake.”
Miss Colombia later described the incident as a humiliating moment for herself and all Latin Americans in an interview with a Colombian radio station. Reflecting on Steve’s history of mistakes, she commented, “Dang, that’s a whole lot of people. You know, he’s botched a couple of important moments. We celebrated that, but like when he came in with the wrong Miss America.” In January 2016, Steve invited her to The Steve Harvey Show, where they shared an awkward hug, and he apologized. She offered him some advice: “You have to learn how to read cards because it was on the card.”
Steve returned to host the 2017 pageant, and that year’s Miss Colombia made it to the top 13 finalists. In a light-hearted moment, Steve asked her, “Is it a moment of fun, a moment of fun for you? … Where is Miss Philippines?”
Blackballed
In 2019, Monique appeared on Steve’s show to talk about her claims of being blackballed from Hollywood. Steve suggested she had handled things the wrong way and told her she couldn’t “cure darkness with more darkness.” Monique accused Steve of being two-faced, supporting her privately but criticizing her publicly. Steve later apologized for losing his temper during their conversation, while Monique claimed that the aired interview was heavily edited in Steve’s favor.
Stealing Jokes
In a 2019 interview on the Mike and Donnie Show, comedian Mark Curry accused Steve of stealing one of his jokes. The joke, based on Mark’s childhood Halloween experience, sounded very similar to one Steve had told. When asked about the allegations, Steve denied stealing the joke and remarked, “Mark Curry needs to grow up, get a life, get a career, do something, man.” Mark responded on Instagram, providing audio receipts to support his claim.
Despite his past controversies, one question remains: What will Steve Harvey do or say next that will stir the pot?