The world of comedy has seen several brilliant figures and celebrities, but Steve Harvey stands out as a titan. Having built an empire worth millions through his wits, charm, and relentless work ethic, Harvey was a coal miner’s son with a severe stuttering problem. Yet, despite personal hardships and poverty, Harvey is now one of the most successful stars in showbiz.
But even the most successful and richest celebrities are not immune to personal hardships, for Harvey faced a devastating setback at the peak of his career. Such was the impediment that Harvey found himself, financially crippled and emotionally shattered.
How Steve Harvey Became One of the Most Successful Television Presenters in the World
Success did not come easily for, who was a coal miner’s son living in not-so-good financial conditions. However, through his persistence and determination, the star is now counted among one of the most successful television hosts, producers, actors, authors, and comedians.
A story filled with several hardships and setbacks, Harvey has donned several hats to reach where he is now. Having worked as a boxer, a mail carrier, a carpet cleaner and more, Harvey, in an interview with, opened up about his tumultuous life and the many challenges he faced.
After overcoming his severe stuttering problem with the help of a deli worker, Harvey made his debut as a stand-up comedian in 1985. Yet, success was still far away, for he was homeless for three years and would sleep in his 1976 Ford and used gas stations to shower and bathe.
But the star did not give up, using poverty as his biggest motivation, he finally secured a huge deal when he became the host for It’s Showtime At The Apollo. From then on, his life considerably improved and success followed him, and he finally got his big break in the form of The Steve Harvey Show on WB, in 1996.
However, success and happiness were short-lived, for such an impediment fell on Steve Harvey that he was left with just $1700 in his bank.
Steve Harvey Suffered a Major Financial Setback Despite Wide-Ranging Success
After getting his big break with The Steve Harvey Show, the star only went on to climb higher and higher on the ladder of success. Once a boy who struggled to speak and suffered stage fright, Harvey, at the start of the 2000s, began his morning radio program, appeared in several movies and television shows, and even hosted numerous award shows.
But as he revealed in his interview with Club Shay Shay, the actor-host suffered a major setback when he found out he owed the IRS over $22 million after the death of his accountant.
I got jumped on. I’m not saying who did it, but they got into cahoots with my financial planner. I was giving them tax checks to turn in [to the Internal Revenue Services, or IRS] and they were keeping them.
Now having had to pay over $650,000 a month to the IRS for over seven years, things turned more ugly when Harvey got divorced from his second wife Mary Shackleford in 2005. As per the star, his ex-wife ended up emptying their shared account, leaving him with just $1700.
I had saved some millions. But before I could split the assets, she took all [the money] out of the bank. The divorce was over. ‘Let’s just split the assets,’ but you took all the assets, and I was stuck with a tax bill.
Since then, Harvey and Shackleford’s divorce has been infamous for the ugly turn it took. However, despite the huge financial trouble he was in. Steve Harvey remained persistent and took up any and all jobs offered to him. And now, the actor and host is worth a shocking $200 million, proving that hard work and dedication can be a game changer no matter what hardship one might be facing.
