Execs Spot Worrisome Sign Steve Harvey Is Turning Into Pat Sajak

Key Takeaways

Steve Harvey’s on-set demands and reportedly short temper hint at a different side from his friendly persona on Family Feud.
His leaked memo details strict directives for set behavior, and he has been seen shaming contestants on the show.
Comparisons to Pat Sajak and recent game show dramas suggest that Harvey’s popularity may be facing challenges.

Family Feud host Steve Harvey has long been known for his warm and gregarious stage presence — his playful, conversational approach to “crowd work” as a comic is likely why he landed the game show hosting gig in the first place.

Many comparisons could be drawn between Steve and fellow comic-turned-host Ellen DeGeneres in that respect.

Both conquered stand-up thoroughly before becoming nationally popular as a friendly TV host … and both have been the subjects of rumors that their “nice guy” or “nice gal” personas are as fake as the plants that decorate their show’s sets.

There’s been quite a bit of game show drama of late, such as Ryan Seacrest’s rocky takeover of Wheel Of Fortune, and it also feels like viral clips of Steve Harvey’s mood on Family Feud are more common lately, too.

Steve Harvey’s ‘Friendly’ Personality Isn’t On 24/7

In June, we covered a reported memo detailing Steve Harvey’s on-set demands for The Steve Harvey Show, originally published by trade publication Variety.

Celebrities’ contractual demands and stipulations have been a topic of interest since Van Halen’s legendary “brown M&Ms” clause became public knowledge, and “riders” are often shockingly strict in the eyes of non-famous people — like Jennifer Lopez’s alleged rule prohibiting eye contact.

In Steve Harvey’s leaked memo, he purportedly had similarly harsh directives for the set of his own show:

“Do not approach me while I’m in the makeup chair unless I ask to speak with you directly. Either knock or use the doorbell. Do not wait in any hallway to speak to me. I hate being ambushed.

“I promise you I will not entertain you in the hallway, and do not attempt to walk with me … IF YOU OPEN MY DOOR, EXPECT TO BE REMOVED.”

In fairness to Harvey, the excerpt read as if Steve had repeatedly requested space to no avail — but it’s just one of several stories to spread recently hinting the host’s patience for Family Feud may be thinning.

Also in June, we covered repeated instances where Steve shamed Family Feud contestants for their on-the-spot answers. It bears mentioning that Family Feud execs could be encouraging those interactions because they have a tendency to go viral as reels, driving ratings for the show.

Nevertheless, almost everyone watching these popular “stupid answers” clips is – like the contestants being mocked – an average person who relates to the contestants, not to Steve Harvey.

An abundance of these clips subtly reinforces that Harvey, who has spent much of his life on stage, is wielding his fame and notoriety over everyday people, humiliating them on national television.

It’s not a great look, and clips of the sort are rife on social media nowadays, reinforcing the notion Steve is not as nice as fans once thought.

Steve Harvey’s ‘Short Fuse’ Draws Comparisons To Pat Sajak

On June 21st, Variety profiled Steve Harvey’s Family Feud stint in a piece about how game show gigs were great “even for A-listers.”

Notably, Steve admitted that his famous friends looked down on him for taking the job, and he came off as a little defensive about Family Feud in general:

You would not believe the calls I was getting from guys that I knew. ‘Steve, you’re doing a game show, man? Getting into that cornball business?’

Well, do you know the checks they’re writing for this cornball business if you can take this cornball business and turn it into a hit?

Harvey “took over” Family Feud back in 2010, and hasn’t been a game show host for nearly as long as Pat Sajak, who recently made a dramatic exit from Wheel Of Fortune after four decades.

Even though Steve’s tenure is shorter, he’s been drawing comparisons to a cranky, late-Wheel era Sajak recently.

One anonymous source was quoted on Harvey’s mood lately:

“Steve’s king of the hill and has become an intrinsic part of the show’s success — but insulting contestants and calling their answers stupid right to their face is the last thing people need.

“It’s got people around him panicky. They’re concerned Steve’s working too hard. Maybe there’s pressure at home that’s getting to him and making him short-tempered.”

Steve Harvey’s Family Feud stint remains popular and he hasn’t outwardly expressed frustration with the gig; the source added that execs hope the alleged on-set behavior is “just a phase.”