The Sweet Public Gesture Steve Harvey Made To Honor His Wife Marjorie

At the 2023 TheGrio Awards, Steve Harvey snagged the Television Icon Award, a nod to his decades-long career in media. The star-studded night also celebrated the likes of Mariah Carey, Eddie Murphy, and Denzel Washington for their contributions to entertainment. When the "Family Feud" host took the stage, he turned the spotlight on his wife of 16 years, Marjorie Harvey.

"That woman right there has been down with me like four flat tires," Steve said in a clip, as the camera caught Marjorie beaming with pride in the audience. "85% of what y'all up here talking to me about happened after I married that girl right there." Expressing admiration for Marjorie's faithfulness and loyalty, Steve wrapped up his speech by passing the award to her, sealing the moment with a heartfelt: "I love you, Marjorie Harvey. I appreciate you riding with me."

Beyond the glamour of award ceremonies, Steve has made a serious commitment to his third wife. He and Marjorie tied the knot in 2007, and Steve embraced his role as a stepfather by adopting her children Morgan, Jason, and Lori Harvey. Despite pushback from his four children from previous marriages, Steve let them know that their approval wasn't a necessity. "I said, 'Look, you don't like it? Deal with it. I don't need y'all's permission,'" he recalled to People in 2016. Now a blended family, Steve is a devoted father to all seven of his kids, with an extra dose of protectiveness over his youngest daughter, Lori Harvey.

Steve Harvey's path to success was marked by resilience, especially after going through a divorce that almost left Harvey penniless. His split from his second wife Mary Lee Harvey in 2005 was a stressful time for the budding entertainer. Harvey revealed on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast that he lost all his assets in the divorce, and to make matters worse, an undisclosed individual stole the money earmarked for taxes. This setback left him grappling with a seven-year tax bill, forcing him to pay back the IRS and ultimately leaving him with a mere $1,700.

During this troublesome time, he also reconnected with Marjorie Harvey, thanks to a set-up from his bodyguard. The two had dated briefly in the '90s, and the newly single Steve was open to rekindling the flame. "It was like being reborn. I messed up so many times in my life. She made all the difference," the entertainer told People. "When you're happy at home, you can make a lot of things happen."

Steve and Marjorie got married, and with this newfound inspiration, the comedian was determined to come back stronger. Transitioning away from stand-up comedy, he relaunched "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" in 2005, which eventually became America's #1 syndicated radio show. He also took on hosting roles for the "Miss Universe" pageant, and eventually, ABC's "Family Feud" – cashing in at $10 million per season, according to International Business Times.

In the world of celebrity relationships, Steve and Marjorie Harvey have faced their fair share of challenges, including persistent rumors. Steve and Marjorie first faced divorce rumors in 2019, which they swiftly denied as a united front. As the couple continued to thrive in their marriage, cheating allegations emerged online again in 2023. Marjorie wasted no time in addressing these new rumors head-on.

"My husband and I don't usually stop to address all the foolishness and lies that have been spread about us," she captioned an Instagram post of an article titled "How To Handle Being Lied About." Steve also doubled back to shut down the rumors while at a speaking engagement for Invest Fest 2023. The TV host said, "Marjorie's fine. I don't know what y'all doing but find something else to do because we're fine."

While he approached the rumors with grace, in the past, the TV personality expressed his anger over the senseless headlines. "I'm sick of it. They act like I don't have family. They act like my kids can't read," Steve told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2018. "They don't care. They just go out to destroy people with no facts behind it." Most recently, the couple was again dragged into gossip suggesting that Marjorie played a role in the end of Steve's previous marriage to Mary Lee Harvey. Steve, however, stood resolute in defense of their love. He dismissed the rumors on "The Steve Harvey Morning Show:" "Y'all quit talking about 'she was in my other marriage and ruined it.' She didn't. She was nowhere around that."