In early May 2024, a bizarre story began spreading across Facebook and other social media platforms claiming that Steve Harvey had been fired from his long-running hosting gig on Family Feud. The rumor gained serious traction thanks to paid Facebook ads and clickbait headlines like “Tensions Erupt After His On-Air Slip-Up” and “Steve Harvey Abruptly Fired From Family Feud.”
At first glance, these posts looked convincing. They included pictures of Harvey and Oprah Winfrey, snippets of what appeared to be news quotes, and even a fake CNN article link. To the average reader scrolling through their feed, it looked like a real scandal — the beloved comedian and game show host allegedly “fired” after an inappropriate on-air conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
But like most viral social media drama, it was pure fiction.
The rumor started when a website calling itself pastadibern.pro published a fake news story disguised to look like an official CNN article. The headline read: “Steve Harvey Fired from Family Feud After Shocking On-Air Confession to Oprah Winfrey.” The fake article claimed Harvey had been dismissed after discussing erectile dysfunction (ED) during an interview on Winfrey’s show, allegedly promoting a product called Canna Labs CBD Gummies as his “solution.”
Of course, none of this ever happened.
There was no such interview with Oprah. Steve Harvey never endorsed any CBD product. ABC never fired him. And the supposed CNN article wasn’t on CNN at all — it was hosted on a shady domain unrelated to any real media outlet.
The Anatomy of a Scam
These kinds of fake celebrity news stories follow a familiar pattern. A scammer creates a realistic-looking news article — often copying the style and layout of legitimate sites like CNN, Fox News, or USA Today. The article usually includes fabricated quotes, stolen images, and fake social media screenshots to make it appear credible.
From there, the scammers buy Facebook or Instagram ads targeting fans of the celebrity in question. The posts use emotionally charged headlines like “We’re Sad to Say Goodbye to Steve Harvey” or “Oprah Confirms Shocking News About Steve Harvey.” Once readers click the link, they’re redirected to the fake article — and that’s where the real con begins.
Embedded within the story is a pitch for some sort of product — most commonly weight loss supplements, CBD gummies, or “miracle” health cures. The scammers claim that the celebrity in question uses or endorses the product. They might include fake testimonials, made-up quotes, or even doctored images showing the celebrity holding the product.
In this case, the product being pushed was Canna Labs CBD Gummies. The fake article claimed Harvey not only used the gummies but credited them with curing his supposed health issues. The story even included fabricated dialogue between Harvey and Oprah, painting her as disapproving of his openness on the topic.
It was all nonsense — a marketing ploy wrapped in a fake controversy.
Debunked by Fact-Checkers
Fact-checking organizations like Snopes had already flagged these Steve Harvey CBD rumors as fake as far back as 2022. Similar scams have used the same playbook, swapping out the celebrity name but keeping the identical format. Victims of these scams include Oprah Winfrey herself, former Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik, Dr. Phil McGraw, and even Tom Selleck.
Each time, the false story ties the celebrity to a health product they never promoted, often claiming they were fired, “canceled,” or “silenced” after revealing the supposed product on television.
Snopes traced several of these fake news pages to networks of fraudulent marketing sites, often registered anonymously in Eastern Europe or Asia. The domains are typically short-lived, disappearing once Facebook or Google flags them for misinformation or scam behavior. But by the time one site is taken down, another pops up — identical content, new URL.
Why People Keep Falling for It
Part of why these scams keep working is simple psychology. People trust familiar faces. When you see Steve Harvey’s photo next to a CNN-style headline, your brain doesn’t immediately question its authenticity — especially if you’re a fan of the show. The fake articles often use emotional triggers: a shocking confession, a firing, a betrayal. These headlines get clicks because they promise scandal.
Once readers are hooked, the scammers go for the sale. They create urgency — “limited supply,” “last day of the offer,” “exclusive deal before it’s banned.” Users enter credit card info for a “free trial,” only to find recurring charges or counterfeit products that never arrive.
The Real Steve Harvey
In reality, Steve Harvey is still hosting Family Feud and remains one of the most recognizable figures in American television. The show continues to dominate syndicated game show ratings, and Harvey’s comedic timing and quick wit remain central to its success.
He has publicly warned fans before about fake ads using his name. In several interviews and posts on his verified accounts, Harvey has said he has never endorsed any CBD, diet, or medical product. In one 2023 Instagram video, he bluntly told followers: “Stop falling for this mess. I don’t sell gummies. I don’t do CBD. If you didn’t hear me say it on my show or my page, it’s fake.”
Oprah Winfrey has issued similar warnings. Her name has been exploited countless times in fake endorsements for diet pills, skincare products, and CBD oils. She even dedicated a segment of The Oprah Conversation to exposing the scam networks that profit from using her image without permission.
A Broader Problem Online
Fake celebrity endorsement scams are now a multibillion-dollar industry. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimated that social media scams — including fake celebrity product endorsements — caused over $1.2 billion in reported losses. The majority originated on Facebook and Instagram.
Part of the issue is how easy it is for scammers to mimic legitimate media. Anyone can buy a domain, copy-paste CNN’s visual layout, and throw up a headline in minutes. Platforms often struggle to keep up with the constant churn of fake sites.
Even when users report scams, it can take weeks for moderation teams to respond — by which time the scammers have already moved on to a new domain.
How to Protect Yourself
The simplest way to avoid these traps is to think critically and verify before you click. If you see a shocking headline about a celebrity “firing” or “confession,” check the source. Real outlets have recognizable domains — CNN.com, ABCNews.go.com, etc. If the URL looks odd or includes random letters, it’s not legitimate.
Also, check the celebrity’s official social media pages. People like Steve Harvey, Oprah Winfrey, and Dr. Phil all have verified accounts where they clarify rumors quickly. If they haven’t said anything, it’s almost certainly false.
Finally, never enter credit card or personal information into a site you reached through a Facebook ad — especially one promising miracle health results or celebrity-backed deals.
The Bottom Line
The fake “Steve Harvey fired from Family Feud” story wasn’t just clickbait — it was part of a larger network of online scams designed to profit off people’s trust. Harvey was never fired, never interviewed by Oprah about ED, and never endorsed any CBD gummies.
It’s a reminder that in 2025, misinformation spreads faster than ever — and skepticism is your best defense.
Who Is Steve Harvey?
Steve Harvey, whose birth name is Broderick Stephen Harvey, is an American comedian, television host, actor, radio personality, author, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and philanthropist.
He was born on January 17, 1957, in Welch, West Virginia, to Jesse Harvey, a coal miner, and Eloise Vera Harvey, a Sunday-school teacher. His family later moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Harvey grew up.
Today, he is best known for hosting Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, but his career has stretched across stand-up comedy, sitcoms, radio, movies, books, motivational speaking, and business.
His Difficult Beginning
Steve Harvey’s success did not come easily.
As a young man, Harvey worked several different jobs while trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He worked as an insurance salesman and a postal worker and even explored boxing.
He had always dreamed of appearing on television, but getting there seemed almost impossible.
Harvey has spoken openly about having a stutter as a child and about growing up with limited financial resources. Nevertheless, he continued believing that his life could become something much bigger. His official biography describes his philosophy as essentially believing that people must dream big and believe they can succeed.
The Decision That Changed His Life
In 1985, Harvey performed stand-up comedy at an open-mic night.
The performance changed the direction of his life.
After receiving encouragement from the audience, he decided to pursue comedy seriously. According to his official biography, he eventually left his job and committed himself to becoming a comedian.
But success was still far away.
Harvey spent years traveling around the country performing comedy. During one particularly difficult period, he became homeless and lived out of his car while trying to build his career.
Those years became an important part of the story he later told about perseverance and taking risks.
His Breakthrough in Comedy
Harvey’s comedy career began gaining momentum toward the end of the 1980s.
In 1990, he won a national comedy competition, which helped lead to his breakthrough television opportunity on Showtime at the Apollo.
He eventually became the host of It’s Showtime at the Apollo, one of the most recognizable entertainment programs associated with Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater.
He hosted the program for years, helping establish himself as a major television personality.
The Steve Harvey Show
In 1996, Harvey became the star of his own sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show, which aired on The WB.
The series became an important part of his career and developed a strong following.
Harvey played Steve Hightower, a former musician who becomes a high-school teacher. The series also featured Cedric the Entertainer, who played one of Harvey’s closest friends.
The show ran until 2002 and helped transform Harvey from a stand-up comedian into a nationally recognized television star.
The Original Kings of Comedy
One of the biggest milestones in Harvey’s comedy career came with The Original Kings of Comedy.
Harvey joined:
Bernie Mac
Cedric the Entertainer
D.L. Hughley
The four comedians toured together in what became one of the most successful comedy tours of its era.
The resulting comedy film/special, The Original Kings of Comedy, became hugely popular and introduced Harvey’s comedy to an even larger audience.
His career continued expanding through television, film, radio, and live comedy.
Steve Harvey and Movies
Harvey also established himself as a film actor.
Some of his notable movie appearances include:
The Fighting Temptations
Johnson Family Vacation
You Got Served
Love Don’t Cost a Thing
Madea Goes to Jail
His film career added another dimension to his already expanding entertainment empire.
The Steve Harvey Morning Show
In 2000, Harvey expanded into radio.
He became the host of The Steve Harvey Morning Show, a nationally syndicated radio program that combined comedy, conversations, music, relationship discussions, inspirational messages, and entertainment.
The program became one of the most recognizable syndicated morning radio shows in the United States.
Radio also gave Harvey a platform where he could speak directly to listeners about relationships, family, faith, personal responsibility, and achieving success.
Steve Harvey and Family Feud
Perhaps the role that most strongly defined Harvey’s modern television career is Family Feud.
Harvey became the host of Family Feud in 2010.
The job turned out to be an almost perfect match for his personality.
Instead of simply reading questions and answers, Harvey transformed the program into a comedy-driven entertainment show.
His facial expressions, reactions, improvisation, sarcasm, and interactions with contestants became a major part of the show’s appeal.
The official Family Feud website describes Harvey as the show’s longest-running host, with thousands of episodes during his tenure.
He also hosts Celebrity Family Feud, where celebrities and their families compete for charity.
Why Steve Harvey Became So Popular on Family Feud
One reason Harvey became so successful on Family Feud is that he doesn’t behave like a traditional game-show host.
He reacts like an ordinary person watching something completely unexpected happen.
When a contestant gives a strange answer, Harvey might stare silently at them.
When someone gives an obvious answer, he may become dramatically excited.
When someone gives an outrageous answer, his reaction itself can become the joke.
That personality helped make Family Feud popular not only on television but also across social media.
Clips of Harvey’s reactions regularly circulate online.
Celebrity Family Feud
Harvey also became the host of Celebrity Family Feud.
The format brings celebrities, relatives, athletes, entertainers, and other famous personalities together to compete.
The teams play for charitable causes, making the show combine comedy, competition, celebrity culture, and philanthropy.
Miss Universe and the Famous Mistake
In 2015, Steve Harvey became the host of the Miss Universe competition.
That night became one of the most unforgettable moments of his career.
At the end of the competition, Harvey mistakenly announced the wrong contestant as the winner before correcting the mistake.
The incident became an international news story.
Instead of ending his hosting career, however, Harvey returned to host the competition again in subsequent years.
The episode became another example of something that has repeatedly happened in Harvey’s career: a major mistake becomes a difficult public moment, but he keeps moving forward.
Little Big Shots
Harvey also hosted Little Big Shots, a television program featuring talented children.
The show allowed young performers from around the world to showcase unusual talents, including music, dance, athletics, and other skills.
Harvey’s natural ability to interact with children and ordinary families became one of the show’s strengths.
Judge Steve Harvey
Harvey later expanded into another unusual television role with Judge Steve Harvey.
Rather than presenting himself as a traditional lawyer or judge, Harvey uses his personality, common sense, humor, and life experience to hear disputes.
ABC describes the program as featuring Harvey dealing with real-life conflicts and disputes in a courtroom-comedy format.
Steve Harvey as an Author
Harvey is also a successful author.
One of his most famous books is:
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
The book became a major bestseller and focused on relationships and men’s perspectives on love, commitment, dating, and marriage.
Its success eventually inspired the movie Think Like a Man, which Harvey also appeared in.
Other books associated with Harvey include:
Straight Talk, No Chaser
Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success
Jump
You Can’t Be Serious
His writing career helped establish another side of Harvey’s public identity: the motivational adviser.
Steve Harvey as a Motivational Speaker
Beyond comedy, Harvey is known for talking about dreams, faith, discipline, perseverance, and personal responsibility.
One of his most repeated themes is that people should not allow fear to stop them from pursuing their goals.
His personal story gives those messages particular weight.
He went from struggling comedian and periods of homelessness to becoming one of the most recognizable entertainers in America.
His official website continues to feature inspirational material focused on themes such as faith, discipline, purpose, persistence, and overcoming setbacks.
His Business Career
Harvey eventually built a much larger business operation around his entertainment career.
In 2017, he launched Steve Harvey Global, bringing together several of his business and entertainment interests under one organization.
His business activities have included:
Television production
Media
Radio
Publishing
Entertainment
Digital content
Branding
Investments
Philanthropic initiatives
This helped turn Harvey from simply a television personality into a broader media entrepreneur.
Steve Harvey’s Family
Family is one of the most important parts of Harvey’s public identity.
Steve Harvey has a large blended family.
He has seven children within his blended family. His children include:
Brandi Harvey
Karli Harvey
Broderick Harvey Jr.
Wynton Harvey
Morgan Harvey
Jason Harvey
Lori Harvey
His wife, Marjorie Harvey, brought three children into their marriage, and Harvey became their stepfather and later adopted them.
Steve and Marjorie married in 2007.
The couple have also become grandparents, and Harvey frequently speaks publicly about how important family is to him.
Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation
Harvey and his wife created the Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation.
The organization focuses on helping young people and families through mentoring, education, and opportunities for personal development.
Among its initiatives have been mentoring programs for young men and girls.
For Harvey, philanthropy is closely connected to his belief that success should eventually be used to help other people succeed.
His Faith
Faith has been another important part of Harvey’s public message.
His official biography describes how his family’s Christian faith influenced his upbringing and how Harvey has continued to publicly express gratitude to God throughout his career.
His motivational material frequently combines:
Faith + hard work + discipline + persistence + purpose.
That combination has become a recognizable part of his personal brand.
Awards and Achievements
Over the course of his career, Harvey has received numerous awards and honors.
His achievements include:
Multiple Daytime Emmy Awards
Multiple NAACP Image Awards
A People’s Choice Award
A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Induction into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame
Multiple Marconi Awards
Recognition as a major television and radio personality
He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2013.
Steve Harvey’s Greatest Lesson
Perhaps the most powerful part of Steve Harvey’s story isn’t the television shows, awards, books, or money.
It is the journey.
He started as a young man trying to find his purpose.
He worked ordinary jobs.
He struggled.
He performed comedy in small clubs.
He experienced homelessness.
He faced rejection.
Then he became a successful comedian.
Then an actor.
Then a radio host.
Then a television star.
Then an author.
Then an entrepreneur.
Then a philanthropist.
And eventually, one of the most recognizable game-show hosts in American television.
His career demonstrates one of the central ideas he frequently communicates to his audience:
Your current situation does not necessarily determine where your life will end.
Steve Harvey’s Legacy
Steve Harvey has become much more than a comedian.
He represents several different careers at once:
Comedian.
He built his original reputation through stand-up.
Actor.
He starred in television sitcoms and movies.
Television host.
He became the face of Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud.
Radio personality.
His morning show became nationally syndicated.
Author.
His books became international bestsellers.
Entrepreneur.
He built businesses around his media career.
Motivational speaker.
He uses his life story to encourage people to pursue their dreams.
Philanthropist.
He and Marjorie have supported mentoring and educational initiatives.
His official biography describes him as an Emmy-winning entertainer, radio personality, motivational speaker, bestselling author, businessman, and philanthropist.
Steve Harvey in One Story
Steve Harvey’s story can be summarized in one sentence:
A man who once lived in his car while chasing a comedy dream eventually became one of America’s most recognizable entertainers.
He didn’t begin with wealth or guaranteed success.
He began with a dream.
He faced years of uncertainty.
He kept performing.
He kept learning.
He kept taking opportunities.
And eventually, the same man who struggled to get people to notice him became the man millions of people watched every day.
That is why Steve Harvey’s story continues to resonate with audiences around the world.
His career isn’t simply a story about becoming famous.
It’s a story about refusing to quit before the breakthrough comes.
