Steve (Harvey)

[Jimmy Owen]

This may be something I'm just noticing because I haven't watched it lately but Steve Harvey's talk show had a game show element today with an audience member playing a game that was similar to the Classic Concentration end game with pictures and numbers and cash prizes and so forth so Concentration lives on!

[tvwxman]

No. Concentration does not live on.

<rebuttal over>

He's done it a few times. 20 numbers, one minute to match stuff for $100 a pop. No bonus for clearing the board. He helps.

As a semi-observant broadcaster, Steve Harvey had a nice niche going with the relationship advice show in Chicago. Why he traded it for an Ellen lite show with a Carson desk (complete with pleather office chair purchased at Staples) is beyond me.

[Jimmy Owen]

I think he's got the power now to fashion the show whatever way he wants.  In LA, you can book the celebs you can't in Chicago. And what comedian doesn't want to be Carson?

[tvwxman]

I think he's got the power now to fashion the show whatever way he wants.  In LA, you can book the celebs you can't in Chicago. And what comedian doesn't want to be Carson?

Doesn't mean you should. He should have been told 'hey, you got a niche thing that makes you a lot of money', instead of being told 'hey , you have a lot of money, do what you want'.

Hell, what percentage of talk show hosts shouldn't be anywhere near a talk show? I just learned that Kellie Pickler has a talk show. Kellie Fricking Pickler.

[BrandonFG]

I haven't seen his new show, so I do wonder why he's going into Ellen's style of show, when, like Matt said, you had a successful lifestyle show and accompanying book. You've seen one show,  you've seen em all. Reminds me of when Rosie O'Donnell had her show, and suddenly everyone was doing that kind of show.

Of course, we could take this back to about 1995, when sometime decided Gabrielle Carteris and Tempestt Bledsoe needed talk shows.

[cmjb13]

Of course, we could take this back to about 1995, when sometime decided Gabrielle Carteris and Tempestt Bledsoe needed talk shows.

Sad to admit, I saw a taping of Tempestt. I believe it was the first TV taping I attended.

Either that or Richard Bey.

[BrandonFG]

I'll forgive Richard Bey, since it marketed itself as part talk show, part game show, and times were lean in 1995.

[tvwxman]

I'll forgive Richard Bey, since it marketed itself as part talk show, part game show, and times were lean in 1995.

How in the holy hell did that get marketed as a game show?

[BrandonFG]

I'll forgive Richard Bey, since it marketed itself as part talk show, part game show, and times were lean in 1995.

How in the holy hell did that get marketed as a game show?

Keep in mind it's been more than 20 years since I've seen this, but that was how the graphics were displayed in one of the commercials for the show. It was part of what drew me in as a teen.

The extent of it was the little stunt like games the guests would play. It would be a stretch to call it a game show from that, but I'm just the messenger.

[PYLdude]

Plus they had the secret word gimmick from You Bet Your Life.

Isn't the only reason "Steve" exists is because "Steve Harvey" was cancelled? Because I was under the impression the show wasn't doing well in the ratings and they decided to go in a different direction.

[Sodboy13]

The story was that Steve wanted to get out of Chicago and go to L.A. for a more celeb-focused show, plus consolidate more of his media properties in one location.

From what I've seen promoted, his celebrity bookings so far are in the C- to D+ range. And Chicago does not miss him.

[calliaume]

And Chicago does not miss him.

Well, it's not like I miss him personally. But there were 80 people on the production staff of the old show, and no one seems to know how many of them were brought to the new show.

Weirdly, the agent who brokered the move to Los Angeles, Ari Emanuel, is Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel's brother. That must have made for an interesting phone call.