Steve Harvey is still reeling years later from the joy of not being a minority during his time in Africa. Two years ago, the man of many hosting gigs launched “Family Feud” on the continent that boasts 54 countries. Harvey has helmed the game show since 2010.
In past interviews, he has spoken about the impact being in Africa had on him, most noticeably his ethnicity. In one instance, he exclaimed, “I’m in the majority over here. I’m winning!” The comedian shared that same sentiment recently when he sat down with the ladies of “The View.”
After co-host Sunny Hostin recollected her experience visiting the country of Ghana, she asked Harvey about his own. He started, “I bought the international rights to ‘Family Feud.’ I did what they said you can’t do, ‘You can’t produce TV in Africa.’ So I did it.”
“The Steve Harvey Show” star went on to say he successfully “brought the first American TV show to Africa, did an African version of it. It ended up being the No. 1 show in South Africa and the No. 1 show in Ghana, and it was just beautiful being there.” But being among culturally similar people may have been the most significant aspect of his time filming the show abroad.
“It’s the birthplace of mankind, but for African Americans it’s even more special,” he noted. “To wake up and not have to be conscious that you’re Black, just to be able to wake up, walk outside, and you’re just yourself today, you don’t have to filter that in. There’s not a day that I can wake up over here that I don’t have to filter that in.” He added that it was a rewarding feeling.
“Look, to wake up and not be a minority, you don’t know what that is. If you’ve never had to deal with that, congratulations! How beautiful is that? But to wake up and not be a minority, I didn’t know what that felt like. I said, ‘Man, I’ve got to get a house over here,’” Harvey continued.
“The View” co-host Joy Behar chimed in, “It feels like privilege.” Harvey joyously responded, “Exactly how I felt. I wanna live like that. In the past, the “Kings of Comedy” headliner said that he is baffled as to why Africans seek to live in America when their homeland is so culturally rich.
“Everything we do is because of you,” he told Sowetan Live. “The way we dance, we got them from Africa. If it wasn’t for you, there is no us; that’s what the connection is. That’s what so many people miss, but I get it and that’s why I wanna be here so bad because I understand the connection.”
