That Steve Harvey sure knows how to expand his brand.The top-rated nationally syndicated radio personality appears on the cover of the December issue of Essence magazine – along with his beautiful new wife, Marjorie Bridges-Harvey.
For the January edition of the best-selling black women's magazine, the 'Original Kings of Comedy' star is a featured columnist.
In his new relationship column, titled "Think Like A Man," the Welch, West Virginia-born funnyman is offering tips on how to separate the men from the boys in a Q&A format.
This latest gig should bode well as an extension of the multimedia personality's immensely popular literary outing, 'Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,' which spent most of 2009 atop the New York Times best-seller's list. Since the book skyrocketed to number one last February, Harvey has signed on to become a correspondent for 'Good Morning America' and has ironed out plans create a movie adaptation of the tome with 'Stomp the Yard' producer Will Packer.
"The column is just another example of God's favor in my life...allowing me to reach out to more women and men to share some of my experiences and gain knowledge," Harvey told BV Newswire.
Harvey, who has been married three times, added: "From many of my failures, successes and wisdom I've learned from so many people along the way, I hope -- through this column -- in my own small way, to share and uplift and sometimes laugh...and keep hoping that God's favor shines on us all and never stops."
Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Being funny comes as a natural gift for man – but only the really talented (and really daring) ones have answered the call to make the masses laugh with their comedy. The wild and crazy Tracy Morgan, the much heralded Whoopi Goldberg, the brassy Mo'Nique and the late, great Richard Pryor are just a few of the black, famous and funny people who made us laugh over the last 50 years. There are many more. And they all have stories behind the funny. Check out who they are and what they've done.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Steve Harvey
Started Out: Began doing stand-up in the mid-1980s and was a finalist in the second annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search in 1989. Big Break: Hosting the nationally syndicated TV series 'Showtime at the Apollo.' Hometown: Welch, W. Va. Also Was Seen: On the series 'Me and the Boys' and his eponymous sitcom. Also appeared in the movies 'Love Don't Cost A Thing,' 'The Original Kings of Comedy' and 'The Fighting Temptations.' Factoid: Born in 1957, Harvey (real name: Broderick Steven Harvey) made his literary debut with the New York Times best-selling relationship/advice book 'Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,' in 2009.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Wanda Sykes
Started Out: Began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C. Big Break: Played multiple roles on Chris Rock's Emmy Award-winning HBO show. Hometown: Portsmouth, Va. Also Was Seen: In the movies 'Monster-in-Law' and 'Pooty Tang' and on the TV shows 'Wanda At Large,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'The New Adventures of Old Christine.' Factoid: During a Las Vegas gay rights rally in November 2008, Sykes proclaimed she was "proud to be gay."
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Famous, Black & Funny
Jamie Foxx
Started Out: Acting on a dare (from a girlfriend) and competing in an open-mic contest at a comedy club in 1989. Big Break: Playing the comely date-challenged Wanda on 'In Living Color' Hometown: Linden, Texas Also Was Seen: In the films 'Booty Call,' 'The Players Club,' 'Any Given Sunday,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Ali' and 'Ray,' for which he won an Academy Award for best actor in 2005. Also fronted his eponymous sitcom. Factoid: As of 2009, Foxx (real name: Eric Marlon Bishop) has released three music albums: 1994's 'Peep This,' 2005's 'Unpredictable' and 2008's 'Intuition.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Tracy Morgan
Started Out: Appearing on the sitcom 'Martin,' where he played 'Hustle Man.' Big Break: Morgan's claim to fame came in 1996 when he began appearing on 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,' 'Martin,' 'Half Baked,' 'How High,' 'Head of State,' 'The Tracey Morgan Show,' 'Little Man,' 'First Sunday' and '30 Rock.' Factoid: Andrew Dice Clay inspired Morgan to pursue comedy.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Chris Rock
Started Out: Doing stand-up comedy in 1985 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star Comedy Club. Big Break: Was a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In the movie 'New Jack City,' where he played a crackhead informant. Factoid: Born in 1965, Rock won a Grammy for best spoken comedy album in 1999 for the project 'Bigger & Blacker.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Mo'Nique
Started Out: Appearing at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet. Big Break: Starred on the hit UPN sitcom 'The Parkers.' Hometown: Baltimore Also Was Seen: In 'Three Can Play That Game,' 'Hair Show' and 'Shadowboxer.' Factoid: Born in 1967, Mo'Nique (real name: Monique Imes) is the author of 'Skinny Women are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World' and the cookbook 'Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Eddie Griffith
Started Out: Griffith began his acting career the 1991 action-thriller 'The Last Boy Scout.' Big Break: In 1996, Griffith showcased his talent on a national scale when he landed the role of Eddie on the TV series 'Malcolm & Eddie.' Hometown: Kansas City, Mo. Also Was Seen: In 'Foolish,' 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' and 'Undercover Brother.' Factoid: Suffered a heart attack in 1996 while taping an episode of 'Malcolm & Eddie' following a scene in which he did the salsa dance.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Bill Cosby
Started Out: While in his early twenties, Cosby appeared on various well-known variety programs including 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Big Break: In 1965, he appeared as Alexander Scott in the Emmy Award-winning flick 'I Spy.' Hometown: Philadelphia Also Was Seen: In 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,' 'Uptown Saturday Night,' 'Let's Do it Again,' 'Ghost Dad,' 'The Meteor Man' and the groundbreaking NBC sitcom 'The Cosby Show.' Factoid: Beginning in 1965, Cosby scored the Grammy Award for best comedy album six years in a row.
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Famous, Black & Funny
George Wallace
Started Out: Doing a completely improvised routine in a New York City comedy club circa 1977. Big Break: Worked as a writer for 'The Redd Foxx Show.' Hometown: Atlanta Also Was Seen: In the movies 'The Ladykillers' and 'Batman Forever.' Factoid: Born in 1952, Wallace owns and operates one of Las Vegas' most popular stand-up comedy shows -- his very own at the legendary Flamingo.
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Comments: (23)
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By: Nicia on 12/16/2009 1:50PM
I listen to Steve Harvey every morning on my way to work and think he and his crew are great. I am happy that he has had an awesome year and his book has helped so many. However, him being a relationship expert is just a bit much. He has taken this thing a little too far for me. 3 marriages and 2 pissed off exes doesnt really give you the credentials to have an expert column. Oh well who am I to judge? Good luck Uncle Steve.
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By: Doug on 12/19/2009 2:17PM
Well I must say I agree with you. I like him as an entertainer. Some things that he feels strongly about and handles those issues seriously, he is dead on. But if i'm going through something and it is on the real nah.
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By: ARTICULATESOUL on 12/19/2009 7:50PM
you got that right nica!!!!!!!!!!!
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By: ARTICULATESOUL on 12/19/2009 7:49PM
STEVE HARVEY CAN'T TELL ME HOW TO DO ANYTHING.
HE'S GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO CHEAT ON YOUR SPOUSE
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By: David on 12/20/2009 5:21PM
I agree Nicia and Doug, I enjoy listening to him on the radio but he has zero credibility as a relationship expert. I lot of these so called relationship books by black men AND women are nothing more than a excuse to black male bash. There is a very lucrative market out there selling this sort of crap to black women.
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By: Irene Dais on 12/19/2009 7:59AM
Steve Harvey is smart & wise since he has learned from his mistakes. He is using his mistakes & life experiences to help others and is still making jokes. What a blessings, we all should learn something from his experiences and empower our lives.
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By: Be for real on 12/19/2009 9:38AM
What a joke
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By: Debbi Fergerson on 12/19/2009 10:18AM
Give me a break! Three marriages hardly qualifies
anyone at being an expert at anything short of divorce.And if this marriage doesn't work, he certainly has painted wife #3 the perfect picture for divorce court, alimony and all other settlements. Good job Steve, GO BROTHER!!!!
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By: Douglas on 12/19/2009 2:17PM
I agree.
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By: r99mmh1 on 12/19/2009 12:00PM
Please he should be that last person giving marriage advice.
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