Steve Harvey Breakdown: Named NAACP Image Awards Host After Emotional Night [WATCH]
Comedian and talk show host Steve Harvey has been tapped to bring the funny at next month’s NAACP Image Awards.
The historic award show airing Feb. 1 on NBC recognizes contributions made to the African American community through film, TV and music.
Steve Harvey said in a message posted on the organization’s Facebook page the following:
“I'm honored to be hosting the 44th NAACP Image Awards, and celebrate the variety of film, TV, literary, music contributions, and special honorees this year.”
The show will bring big name presenters such as Jamie Foxx and Samuel Jackson of “Django Unchained,” rapper/actress Queen Latifah and Tony Goldwyn. Dennis Haybert will be the announcer for the event.
Harvey is no stranger to hosting, as he once was the go-to host for the BET Awards and now has his own talk show.
Recently, viewers of the “Steve Harvey Show” connected to a different side of the comedian when he broke down in tears after getting a video message for his birthday. To celebrate his 56th birthday, the show’s producers gave Harvey a surprise in the form of a blast from the past satellite video message.
Harvey listened closely as a familiar voice popped up on the screen to ask, “I have just one question. Do you still love me baby?" The audience fell silent and Harvey began to break down in tears, explaining his relationship to the older gentleman.
Harvey said, “I was 26 years old, struggling. I didn’t have nothing and these people owned a furniture store in Cleveland. They took me in and gave me a contract with my little carpet cleaning company. When I became a comedian at 27, I didn’t have money to travel. They gave me an account at their travel agency and I ran up a bill that was $11,000 just traveling and try to make it.
"Those people right there, they helped me out!”
Harvey said that he had been looking for the couple for years and wanted to pay them back for all the help they gave him. He then extended an invitation to fly them out to Chicago where the show is taped, so they could have a reunion of sorts.
