Thursday, March 28, 2024

Steve Harvey On Why His ‘Television Empire’ Would Crumble If He Returns to Stand-up Comedy [EUR Exclusive]

*As noted by THR, Steve Harvey is the only person in Hollywood starring on shows on three of the big four broadcast networks — game show “Big Shots” and spinoff “Forever Young” on NBC, ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud, and “Showtime at the Apollo” at Fox — while syndicated mainstay “Family Feud” averages more than 10 million viewers daily.

Harvey told the publication that hosting “Showtime at the Apollo” has inspired him to consider returning to stand-up.

“I’m gonna be honest with you, man. I’ve been really seriously thinking about it. I got a special in me that’s so funny. It’s just about my life, the stuff that I’ve been quiet about on social media,” he explained. ‘I’ve been quiet about the beating I took about my divorce, which was in 2005 and has been ongoing in social media because somebody just won’t let it go. I’ve been quiet about the visit to [Donald] Trump. I kept my mouth shut about the Miss Universe thing. I kept my mouth shut about the memo that got out in Chicago. I just kept it all. Well, I may have kept it long enough.”

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But when EUR/Electronic Urban Report caught up with Steve during a recent telephone interview, he told us why fans shouldn’t expect that stand-up special anytime soon. 

“Well, it’s just been a thought of mine.  What’s crazy, man, I haven’t decided yet because it’s so politically correct out here now.  It’s so PC.  Chapelle’s special broke a lot of the rules, and so did Rock but they’re not television stars.  And, I’m connected to a radio show and TV that’s very much sponsor driven.  If I had said anything that those two guys said, and somebody wrote in as a sponsor talking about, I can’t believe he said that, then my whole television empire crumbles,” Steve explained.

Adding: “So, I’m really scared at this point; I’m really leery about because it’s just so politically correct out there.  And it’s unfair for comedy to be that way.  It’s just unfair.  What joke can you tell that’s going to make everyone happy?  The joke has to be about somebody.  And I don’t know how to write a joke about nobody.  I just don’t. So, I’m just thinking about it.  I don’t know how to write a joke without saying something controversial.  You can’t write comedy without being controversial.”

As the host of the classic talent showcase series “Showtime At the Apollo, Harvey also shared how he’s inspired by the talent on the long-running, live talent competition, which provides a platform for up-and-coming artists to perform in front of the toughest audience in the world.

“Well, I guess more so than inspired by them, I just recognize the opportunity that it is for so many people because it was such an opportunity for me.  And I also can relate to directly to how they must be feeling, because before—when you rub that log as a contestant on Showtime at the Apollo, you’re at the mercy of one of the toughest crowds on planet Earth.  I mean, it’s really, really a tough crowd,” he stated.

“And even though Harlem has changed—you go during the week when we do the show, Thursday and Friday mornings, it’s like 50-50 black-white.  That was never the case back in the ‘90s.  It was 100% African-Americans sitting in there, when an occasional two or three people would come but the city has changed so much.  It’s 50-50, until it gets to those late-night shows on Saturday and Sunday.  Then you get more of the authentic Harlem crowd,” Harvey Added.

“But the crowds are taught really, really quickly how to act, and so when you’re an act and you walk out there, it’s still a very, very tough place to play.  I try to say something calming to them before they start, as contestants, but nothing I can say can relax you.  Nothing.”

He also has a bit of advice for talented vocalists who dream of one day performing on the Apollo theatre stage.

“Somebody is going to come out and sing a song and they nail it. Somebody is going to come out and sing a song and not understand the rules of the Apollo.  For example, there are some people that you can’t do at the Apollo unless you do it exact. You can’t do Whitney Houston.  They do not allow it.  You can’t do Michael Jackson.  They don’t allow it.  You can’t do Luther Vandross and you can’t do Prince.  If you don’t nail these people—they are held at such high esteem.  Those are the four that you cannot come and redo,” he states.

“You better be on point.  If you miss a note, we know it, and you’re gone.  You can’t do Mariah Carey.  No one does Chaka Kahn.  No one.  Don’t even attempt Chaka Kahn.  Those are the rules.  They come out there, and it’s the same.  It’s a tough place to play, but the talent has been pretty good this year.”

“Showtime At The Apollo” airs Thursdays at 9/10pm ET/PT on FOX.

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