If asked to come up with a set of differences between the Steve Harvey-hosted game shows Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, I would aim for the low-hanging fruit of the names not being the same and the fact that the former airs during primetime hours instead of afternoon syndication. But Harvey has another far better and more informed answer, and it's one that center on the entertainment world's fragile egos.
You've got to be careful because you're dealing with some pretty big egos when talking to celebrities. Celebrities really have a problem coming across as normal people, especially when they get something wrong. A lot of the questions on Family Feud are such regular-person questions, and a lot of celebrities are so out of touch. They've got people who do their hair and go grocery shopping for them, so they don't know how much a damn gallon of milk is! I'm supposed to coddle them, but I don't really know how to do that, so it makes it even funnier.
Damn straight, Steve Harvey. I understand not wanting to straight up insult someone just for the sake of making him or her feel like ignorant garbage, but if that person is too sensitive to take some good-natured ribbing on TV, that's more their issue than Harvey's. I say that knowing damned well that show producers and ABC execs probably go all dictator in making sure all the of fame-friendly guests are treated with kid gloves, regardless of if their answers are genius or sub-moronic.
Steve Harvey is a consummate professional, though, and even when he does disrupt an episode taping to draw out the ridicule for particular answers, the "regular" guests are usually laughing harder than anyone else. And there are, of course, many celebrities who have no problem taking a turn as the butt of the joke, especially if it's deserved. Look at Harvey himself, who embraced and joined in the teasing after he botched the winner announcement for the past Miss Universe pageant. (He rode that teasing all the way to a multi-year hosting contract, too.)
The upcoming season of Celebrity Family Feud will see entertainers from all walks of media heading to the stage to try and not embarrass themselves on milk-related survey questions. We'll get to see some truly ridiculous family match-ups, such as Melissa Joan Hart vs Paul Sorvino, Alan Thicke vs David Chokachi and Kelly Pickler vs Lance Bass, as well as one featuring former Bachelor and Bachelorette leads.Check out a preview for it below.
Harvey, who jokingly told TV Insider that the family he grew up with could never be on national TV, is largely the reason why Family Feud has jumped to the front of the pack in the game show world. And you don't see celeb-coddlers like Alex Trebek getting primetime specials for his show, do you?
Celebrity Family Feud will kick off its extended third season on Sunday, June 26, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Make sure to pay attention to Harvey's face during the episode to see if there's a point when he is obviously censoring himself in order to appease the celebs or their family members.
