UAE: A photo showing American iconic comedian and entertainer Steve Harvey in traditional Emirati clothes (Kandoura) went viral online.
Sharjah International Book Fair, SIBF’s Principal Guest of Honour, Harvey addressed an audience packed into the fair’s 2000-capacity ballroom with hundreds more waiting in line to be in the company of one of the biggest international television celebrities of our time.
America’s most-loved host spoke about his style in stand-up, and about the importance of family, marriage being a hard decision, in addition to talking about how he puts women on a pedestal.
He said that he is working on a book about empowering women. He shared with the audience tips on love, education and work. About work, he said: "I cannot stand working in a job that I do not like and wake up early to do it."
Talking about having dreams, he said: "This is life and that’s how it’s going to be all the time. So, the dream that you have has to be bigger than all your problems. My dream was so big, it took over my problems. When people said, ‘we do not hire Black people’, my dream got bigger. My faith in God is undaunted. If you have God, you have everything. Life is 10 per cent of what happens to you, it is 90 per cent of what you do about it".
Having been a boxer, an autoworker, an insurance salesman, a carpet cleaner, and a mailman till he became a successful showman, Harvey was asked about his endless tenacity.
His response was automated, "My father was my inspiration. He was a mine worker who earned US$ 5 a day – he cared for my mother and his children. He taught me to work tirelessly. I feel people can outsmart me, they can outdo or outlive me, but they can’t work harder than I can."
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