Steve Harvey Has ABC Bosses Warning About Being 'Politically Correct'

Steve Harvey has been a goldmine for ABC. The comic helped return Family Feud to prominence, but he’s increasingly earning scrutiny for politically incorrect humor. According to the man himself, ABC is urging him to change his ways.

Meet The Judge

Harvey is a very busy man. His IMDB page would make nearly anyone blush. Between the occasional mini-series or documentaries, he’s hosting Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, and the brand new ABC series Judge Steve Harvey. Obviously, ABC wouldn’t give him so much work if he didn’t reign in viewers.

Bosses Aren’t Happy

On another ABC series, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Harvey discussed everything from COVID-19 to the late Bob Saget. The topics eventually turned toward his new legal series and the Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man author discussed his new series. When asked why he’s not wearing a robe, Harvey says “everyone in here knows I ain’t no damn judge.” He doesn’t want to do a disservice to the profession.

The cases on the show are real, and Harvey’s decisions are binding. He told a story about brushing up against the brass of ABC for his humor. In a clip, Harvey is seen taking a photo with the plaintiff because, in his words, he’s one of the “stupidest people I’ve ever met.”

The bosses at ABC weren’t happy about this. They pulled Harvey aside and said.“Steve, it’s not politically correct to call anybody stupid.” He responded, “well, what is he?” You take your wife to court on TV and that’s not stupid?” He summarized, “we were having a bit of a struggle over the political correctness.”

Not The First Complaint

This is hardly the first time Harvey has faced criticism for political correctness. In 2020, the National Enquirer reported that Harvey could lose his job over a record number of FCC complaints. The story was a bit backward, as Harvey plays the perplexed straight man on his own game show. It’s the contestants who are crass, so why would Harvey be fired? That being said, Family Feud really did rack up far more complaints than Wheel of Fortune.

Whatever you think of Harvey’s comedy, there’s no denying his success. The former college flunkie went from a carpet cleaner to a millionaire, and his estimated fortune is up to $200 million. When someone can earn that kind of money, it’s easy to see why ABC would allow him to call a man stupid.