steve harvey walks off the set of family feud

Youtube is now filled with clips of people giving awkward answers to awkward questions courtesy of Family Feud.Īnd therein lies one of the greatest keys to Family Feud’s newfound success: risqué questions or answers are coming from some of the seemingly least risqué people on the planet. For instance, no one predicted that someone would reply “gerbil” on air, especially not in response to that question. The material’s a little more-well, not so politically correct, but it’s fun.” But she pointed out that no matter how risqué some of their questions may seem, the writers are often just as surprised as the audience by the out-there responses. “A lot of humor has been added in and we’ve added in questions that lean that way.

The response was completely overwhelming and unexpected, but after that Johnston says they began seeing how creative they could get with the questions. She blurted “Penis,” leaving Harvey speechless for nearly 30 seconds. Because as Johnston explained, one of the first major moments of the Harvey era was when a contestant stunned him with her response to a question about what body part most men would say is bigger now than it was when they were 16. One can’t help but wonder if Harvey would have been able to guide the show to the same ratings bump in a pre-Facebook, pre-YouTube era.

“On the other hand, someone like Steve Harvey is very involved with the contestants.” He noted that the Harvey era was not an immediate smash but has enjoyed a slow and steady rise. “In the more game-oriented shows the host is essentially a traffic cop,” he said. On Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, people tune in to see if people get the answers right, not to see if Alex Trebek will say or do something interesting. He went on to explain that in most game shows, the show really revolves around the game itself.

“Steve Harvey has really given it life and I think its resurgence has a lot to do with him,” said TV historian and former network executive Tim Brooks. It’s Steve Harvey.” She then went on to recount that during the comedian’s first year on the show back in 2010, after a long day of taping, she turned to him and said, “You know what? This is going to be huge.” Though Johnston had served during the reigns of previous hosts Ray Combs, John O’Hurley, and Richard Karn, she sensed something different happening with Harvey, specifically the way contestants reacted to him-his mannerisms and, most of all, his humor. In the last year or so, between 600 and 700 families have been showing up around the country.Īsked to reveal the secret behind Family Feud’s recent surge, longtime executive producer Gaby Johnston replied, “It’s Steve Harvey. According to casting producer Sara Dansby, who has worked with the show fourteen years, in the past about 200 families would show up at auditions for the show. Besides the ratings, there are other signs of Family Feud’s newfound cultural significance.

Steve harvey walks off the set of family feud