comedian is opening up about being homeless at the beginning of his
career. His rags-to-riches tale is one of integrity, ingenuity and
success.
Harvey revealed that while he’s now amassed an empire estimated to be
worth $100 million, he was once homeless and living out of his Ford
Tempo. The Family Feud hosts says that there were moments when he wasn’t sure how he’d make it through.
would get here,’ ” he says. “I didn’t. I always hoped I would get
somewhere, but this is above and beyond. My imagination didn’t even go
this big.”
“Everybody has a moment when they turn back, when you say to
yourself, ‘This is too much,’ I had it on several occasions.”
Harvey realized that he’d hit his lowest point he still found a way to
get through it.
you keep going, I’m going to take you places you’ve never been.’ It was
like God said, ‘Don’t quit, you’re almost there.'”
has been adapted into a blockbuster film and a sequel. He now hosts a
syndicated radio show as well as the game show Family Feud and a hit daytime talk show, The Steve Harvey Show and most recently he hosted NBC’s hit variety series Little Big Shots.
found himself separated from his wife, on his own and living on as
little as $50 a week.
“That was an ugly period, just very painful,” he says of becoming homeless in the late ’80s.
Everybody has a moment when they turn back, when you say to
yourself, ‘This is too much,’ ” Harvey says. “I had it on several
occasions.”
Success shortly followed, with Harvey landing a high-profile gig performing on Showtime at the Apollo
in 1993, and eventually, a sitcom, and a spot on Cedric the Entertainer
and the late Bernie Mac’s Original Kings of Comedy tour.
Even now, though, with a happy marriage and family life, as well
as his status as a television mainstay, Harvey says he can’t slow down.
“I’m running from homelessness,” he shares. “I can’t ever be in
that position again. If my show gets canceled, I’ve got three more. I
don’t have any free time, but I have 12 jobs.”