Steve Harvey says doing things ‘his way’ helped his success as host of Family Feud

Steve Harvey has been hosting Family Feud for 15 years, and he credits his success to being allowed to be himself at work.

Before joining weeknight television, Steve worked as a comedian, and his talent is evident in his job as the host of Family Feud.

To commemorate his career milestone, Steve recently sat down with TODAY’s Donna Farizan to talk about his tenure on the popular game show.

“Fifteen years is a long time to do anything, especially on television,” Steve admitted. “You don’t get to stay on television for 15 years at nothing.”

When Donna asked Steve what he attributes his long-term success to, the 67-year-old revealed that Family Feud’s producer gave him free rein, which allowed his true talents to shine through.

“The original producers and the original executive producer, Gabby Johnson, she gave me the free reins,” Steve explained. “She said, ‘Okay, do it your way.'”

Steve Harvey has put his ‘own little stamp’ on hosting Family Feud

Steve also noted that his producers allowed him to “put his own little stamp” on the show, which fueled his success.

“What happens on this show doesn’t happen on any other game show,” Steve revealed.

Steve said that his interactions with the contestants set Family Feud apart from other game shows, something he calls “magic.”

The L’Evate You founder admits that he is lucky, telling TODAY, “I’m pretty fortunate, man. This format is kind of like, tailormade for my gift, you know … it’s created some magical moments.”

Something else Family Feud viewers might be surprised to hear is that Steve has never rehearsed any episodes.

In fact, Steve doesn’t know what the survey questions are beforehand, nor does he know any of the answers on the board.

Steve’s presence on stage guarantees laughs from the contestants, the studio audience, and viewers at home.

His over-the-top antics and interactions with the contestants are part of the reason Family Feud garners millions of viewers each and every episode.

Steve’s path to stardom wasn’t an easy one

Despite the vast success Steve has found later in life, it wasn’t an easy road for the father of seven.

Before he got his big break as a comedian, Steve was homeless and living in his car.

But despite the adversity he was facing, he always kept his faith, and he credits God with helping him overcome adversity after making a promise to Him.

“I was homeless, living in my car. I told God, ‘If you let me make it, when I get there, I’ll tell the world about you,'” Steve shared. “That’s a promise I made.”