Steve Harvey: Harvey Rising

A look at Steve Harvey's explosive career!

...We All Have to Start Somewhere - Steve Harvey returns as the host of Celebration of Gospel! The 13th annual praise fest is bigger and better than ever and coincides with an interesting time to take a look back over the funnyman's career. The mid-eighties saw the budding comedian holding residence at local comedy clubs in Cleveland, Ohio, and after becoming a finalist in the 2nd Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search, Harvey was catapulted onto the national scene and began hosting It's Showtime at the Apollo, a doorway that set the comedian up to thrive as he evolved. (Photo: Channel 4)

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...We All Have to Start Somewhere - Steve Harvey returns as the host of Celebration of Gospel! The 13th annual praise fest is bigger and better than ever and coincides with an interesting time to take a look back over the funnyman's career. The mid-eighties saw the budding comedian holding residence at local comedy clubs in Cleveland, Ohio, and after becoming a finalist in the 2nd Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search, Harvey was catapulted onto the national scene and began hosting It's Showtime at the Apollo, a doorway that set the comedian up to thrive as he evolved. (Photo: Channel 4)

Steve Hightower - On The Steve Harvey Show, Steve Harvey played Steve Hightower, a former funk musician who had become a music teacher at a school in Chicago. At the school, he mentored two students named Bullethead and Romeo. Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

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The Steve Harvey Show - Steve Harvey quickly gained popularity as a national act, and in 1996, The Steve Harvey Show was born. The show was not only a springboard for his television career but also popularized talents such as Cedric the Entertainer as well. The show would run for six seasons. (Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

The Original Kings of Comedy - Easily one of the most inventive comedy tours with some of the best comedic talents at the time. Steve, Cedric and D.L. were relatively established, and though Bernie was well-known, he didn't have mainstream notoriety. The movie (which was a filming of the tour), pushed his profile far enough that he got his own TV show and various roles in commercially successful films.   (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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The Original Kings of Comedy - Steve Harvey's star continued to rise when he joined fellow comedians D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer as the show's MC in The Original Kings of Comedy. The wildly successful Spike Lee-directed concert film grossed over $38 million at the box office, cementing Harvey as a house hold name.(Photo: MTV Films)

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On the Radio  - In 2000, The Steve Harvey Morning Show was brought to radio waves. The show is credited for its unique blend of real talk on current events, insightful interviews and, of course, the talent that is Steve Harvey. In its 13th year in syndication, the morning drive show continues to be the first part of millions of listeners' day and is also a vehicle for the Steve Harvey brand to maintain its relevancy and evolve day-to-day.   (Photo: Dario Cantatore/PictureGroup)

Schooling Folks On Love - In 2009, Steve Harvey became a bestselling author and relationship guru when his book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man became a runaway hit. The film adaptation of the book, titled Think Like a Man, will hit theaters in April 2012. Harvey caused a stir when, while promoting his tome, he advised women not to date atheists.(Photo: Courtesy Amistad Publishing)

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Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man - It's widely understood that if you want a product to be successful, you craft it with quality and with women in mind. Steve Harvey boasted his understanding of this notion with his book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. The women's guide to understanding the modern-man saw the Steve Harvey brand catapult to new heights and also added "New York Times Best-Selling Author" to his résumé.(Photo: Amistad Publishing)

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Scoring Big at the Box Office  - Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man was received so well as a book that a movie adaptation was ordered. With a star-studded cast including Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Hart, the film scored over $33 million at the box office. (Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images)

The Steve Harvey Show, Reimagined  - On September 4, 2012, Steve Harvey made a splash onto daytime television. Out of five talk shows that premiered between 2012-2013, The Steve Harvey Show ranks second. The show has already began garnering accolades, winning a People's Choice Award for "New Favorite Talk Show," and has been renewed for a second season.  (Photo: Chuck Hodes/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)

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The Steve Harvey Show, Reimagined  - On September 4, 2012, Steve Harvey made a splash onto daytime television. Out of five talk shows that premiered between 2012-2013, The Steve Harvey Show ranks second. The show has already began garnering accolades, winning a People's Choice Award for "New Favorite Talk Show," and has been renewed for a second season.  (Photo: Chuck Hodes/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)