Before becoming a media king, the famous American MC used to sleep in cars, take showers in hotels and earn a living of 50 USD per week.

Harvey said: “Everyone has a time in their life where they look back and sigh: ‘It was really too much to bear’. I’ve had that happen a few times.” The 61-year-old MC referred to the time he was homeless and had to take a shower in the hotel bathroom after spending several hours hiding there.

But it was that time that honed Steve Harvey, becoming a name that later covered radio, television, cinema and books. Most recently, Steve Harvey’s almost “one-man” media empire is estimated to be worth more than $100 million.

Steve Harvey performed stand-up comedy before becoming a famous MC. Photo: Us Weekly.

‘Laugh’ during the painful days

Graduating from college, Steve Harvey in his 20s drifted through many different jobs such as selling insurance, postman, even planning to become a boxer… but in the end he didn’t discover any passion. Only after his first stand-up comedy performance in 1985 did the young man find his destiny on stage.

But quitting your job to follow your passion also marks a period Harvey calls “painful.” At that time, his first wife’s marriage broke down and the amateur actor earned a living of 50 USD per week from bringing laughter to the audience.

Harvey still spends most of the money he earns to raise his children. This led to him living in a shabby car for 3 years, having to clean his body at gas stations or swimming pool bathrooms, and even spending many hours hiding to “ask” for help from hotel bathrooms.

Even so, the young man fought back and continued to improve himself on small stages. In 1989, Harvey finally came closer than ever to glory when he reached the final of the National Comedy Talent Competition. Harvey’s career “took off” from here.

Comedy star

In 1993, he accepted to host Showtime at the Apollo, a mixed music television show at the famous Apollo theater. The male MC held the position for 7 years before leaving. He just returned to this series this year.

In 1996, the comedy talent launched his own sitcom called The Steve Harvey Show. During its 7 years of broadcasting, the program attracted a large number of loyal audiences in the US. The film also marked the chemistry between Harvey and actor Cedric the Entertainer, who later participated in a national stand-up comedy tour with Harvey.

Despite the mistake of misreading the name of the Miss Universe 2015 crown winner, Steve Harvey continued to be invited to host the Miss Universe final two years later.

The tour, titled The Kings of Comedy, also features Bernie Mac and D.L. Hughley. 4 people created a phenomenon that spread throughout the country. In 1999, The Kings of Comedy was the highest-grossing comedy tour ever seen in the US, with $19 million in revenue. Harvey and his friends rose to stardom. Their name became more known after The Original Kings of Comedy, a documentary directed by Spike Lee, recorded two nights during the tour. The film, which cost $3 million, earned $38 million at the box office.

Although his role as host of The Kings of Comedy became a symbol of Harvey’s career, the comedian used that reputation only as a foundation to build an independent media empire later.

‘One man’ media empire

In 2000, Harvey launched the daily radio program The Steve Harvey Morning Show. Initially broadcast only in Los Angeles and Dallas, this show quickly sold copyrights nationwide and now appears on dozens of American radio channels. Its creator received the 2007 Personality/Show of the Year award from Radio & Records magazine.

Becoming a celebrity in public radio, Harvey did not neglect the monologue and acting career that brought him to the public from day one. Sitcom The Steve Harvey Show stopped production in 2002 but he worked on new projects. Harvey “hosted” the variety challenge show Steve Harvey’s Big Time from 2003 to 2005. Also during this period, the actor moved to the big screen when he had roles in the theatrical films The Fighting Temptations (2003). , You Got Served (2004) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).

In 2010, Steve Harvey’s name was associated with another program. He took on the role of MC of the long-standing family game show Family Feud and turned his cleverness into a new spice for audiences nationwide.

Steve Harvey ended his 27-year stand-up comedy career in August 2012, in his final 2-hour show in Las Vegas. Not wanting to be remembered only as the “king of comedy”, he currently focuses on producing and hosting television shows.

Harvey is the only Hollywood character who has led three channels (NBC, ABC, Fox) among the four American television giants, only missing CBS.