Nobody tells it like it is quite like Steve Harvey. Over the years we’ve gotten to know him through his comedy and his array of hosting gigs, and he’s never been afraid to talk about the hardships he’s endured. Whether it’s being homeless early in his career or getting screwed out of $22 million by his accountant, he lets it be known that he works hard for that money to make sure he never finds himself in financial straits again. He’s not bitter about his humble beginnings, though, and he’s actually got a pretty zen mindset about it taking him some time to become as financially stable as he is today.
This year, the impeccably dressed comedian added “judge” to his resume, as he presides over the court of common sense on Judge Steve Harvey. In the episode “I’ve Learned Absolutely Nothing,” Steve Harvey lightly chastised a young man for spending $17,000 on a car when he still owed his buddy $5,000. He couldn’t go too hard on him though, because the 65-year-old host admitted if he’d had that kind of money when he was younger, he wouldn’t have made the best choices either. And that, the judge said, is why God did not bless him with fame and fortune until he was older:
The Lord didn’t give me this money when I was in my 30s. You know why he didn’t give me this life in my 30s? Because he knew I’da blew it. Because I’da taken advantage of this fame and this money in a different kind of way. So the Lord waited till I was too old to mess it up. The Lord waited until I had good sense. Then he gave me a life and appreciated a family and somebody to work toward. That’s how God works, he’s smart.
Woo, I think that courtroom turned into a church for a minute there! The great thing about Judge Steve Harvey is that he’s the least judgy judge ever. He calls people out when they need to be called out — and he’s entertained some wild responses — but he also identifies with their struggles. The great thing about Steve Harvey is his ability to see the bigger picture of his life and have such acceptance.
The Celebrity Family Feud host wants viewers to see the funny side that he shows on TV, with his trademark deadpan expression and his high-pitched holler of a laugh, but he also wants people to see how how hard he has worked to get to where is, and how hard he still works to make sure his family doesn’t go through the things he went through.
Last Christmas he opened up about the gigantic Christmas tree his wife puts up each year, saying that when he was younger he wanted a Christmas tree as big as the one the mall had, rather than the 4-foot tree that his family got. He said he promised God that if he ever came into money, he’d put the mall tree up in his house every year, and so now he does! I wonder if that’s the kind of irresponsible spending he was talking about on Judge Steve Harvey?
Money may not have found the host until a little bit later in life, but nobody can doubt the hustle he’s put in over the years to get to this point, and he deserves to make some crazy purchases now! You can catch Judge Steve Harvey at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesdays on ABC, and check your local listings to see when you can catch him on Family Feud airing daily in syndication. With many series wrapping up their spring seasons, be sure to check out your favorite shows’ finale dates, and also take a look at our 2022 TV schedule to see what’s premiering soon.
