Was Steve Harvey Fired From Family Feud? The Truth Behind the Viral Rumor

Rumors involving celebrities and other public figures can spread incredibly quickly online, often reaching thousands or even millions of people before the facts have been properly checked. Social media platforms make it especially easy for misleading advertisements, fabricated stories, and manipulated quotes to attract attention. When a well-known personality such as Steve Harvey is involved, these rumors can gain even more traction because of his long-standing career and large public following.

One such false claim began circulating in early May 2024, when a sponsored Facebook advertisement claimed that Steve Harvey had been removed as the host of “Family Feud” after nearly 14 years on the popular game show.

The advertisement used an alarming headline that suggested there had been a major incident involving Harvey. It claimed, “Tensions Erupt After His On-Air Slip-Up,” followed by another statement declaring, “Steve Harvey Abruptly Fired From ‘Family Feud.’”

However, the claim was completely false.

Steve Harvey had not been fired from “Family Feud,” and there was no recent interview between Harvey and Oprah Winfrey that resulted in his supposed dismissal. The advertisement was part of a larger scam designed to promote a product called Canna Labs CBD Gummies, falsely suggesting that Harvey had personally endorsed the product.

Harvey had never publicly claimed that CBD gummies were an effective solution for any health-related issue, nor had he promoted Canna Labs CBD Gummies. Searches for the product also produced numerous suspicious websites and videos rather than reliable evidence connecting the product to Harvey.

The Facebook Advertisement Led to a Fake CNN Story

People who clicked on the sponsored Facebook advertisement were reportedly redirected to a fraudulent website hosted at pastadibern.pro. The website was designed to resemble a legitimate news article and falsely presented itself as a CNN report.

The fabricated headline claimed:

“Steve Harvey Fired from ‘Family Feud’ After Shocking On-Air Confession to Oprah Winfrey.”

Despite appearing to imitate a legitimate news report, the article was not published by CNN. The website hosting the story was pastadibern.pro, rather than CNN’s official domain, cnn.com.

This distinction is important because scammers frequently create websites that imitate well-known news organizations. They may use familiar logos, layouts, photographs, and writing styles to make fabricated stories appear authentic.

A Fake X Post Was Also Used

The fraudulent story included what appeared to be a post from Steve Harvey’s X account, @IAmSteveHarvey. The post supposedly suggested that Harvey had been shocked and blindsided by his departure from “Family Feud.”

However, the supposed post was not found on Harvey’s actual X account.

The fake article claimed that Harvey had been suddenly dismissed by ABC following an inappropriate comment during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. It presented the story as though the network had taken immediate action after the alleged incident.

According to the fabricated report, Chris Dungey, described as the CEO of ABC Entertainment, supposedly addressed the controversy at the Television Critics Association and stated that Harvey’s comedy had nothing to do with his dismissal.

The story then claimed that Harvey had written about being “stunned and blindsided” after losing the hosting position he had supposedly held for 14 years.

None of these claims were supported by credible evidence.

The Fake Oprah Winfrey Interview

A major part of the scam involved an entirely fabricated conversation between Steve Harvey and Oprah Winfrey.

The fake story claimed that Harvey had gone off script during an interview with Winfrey and discussed a private health issue. It then presented invented comments supposedly made by both celebrities.

The article attempted to make the story appear more believable by portraying Winfrey as criticizing Harvey’s comments and Harvey as defending himself.

The fabricated conversation eventually promoted Canna Labs CBD Gummies, with the fake article claiming that Harvey had discovered the product and credited it with helping him.

There was no credible evidence that this conversation took place, and Harvey had not endorsed the product as the article suggested.

Fake Quotes and Misleading Images Added to the Story

The scam did not rely on text alone. The fraudulent article also used photographs and fabricated quotations to make the story look like a legitimate celebrity news report.

Images of Steve Harvey’s wife, Marjorie Harvey, and television personality Dr. Phil McGraw were included in the fake story. Their presence was seemingly intended to give the article additional credibility and create the impression that multiple well-known personalities were connected to the alleged controversy.

Using genuine photographs in a fabricated context is a common technique used by deceptive websites. A photograph may be real, but that does not mean the story surrounding it is authentic.

The CBD Endorsement Was Part of the Scam

The most important purpose of the fake celebrity story appeared to be promoting Canna Labs CBD Gummies.

The fabricated article attempted to convince readers that Steve Harvey had personally used the product and recommended it to others. This type of celebrity endorsement scam is particularly effective because consumers may be more likely to trust a product if they believe a familiar public figure has personally benefited from it.

In reality, there was no legitimate evidence that Steve Harvey endorsed Canna Labs CBD Gummies.

Searches for information about the product largely produced questionable pages, promotional videos, and websites rather than trustworthy reporting confirming Harvey’s involvement.

The Claim Was Not New

The false Steve Harvey CBD story was not an isolated incident.

Similar celebrity endorsement scams have circulated online for years, frequently using the names and images of famous television personalities. Snopes had previously investigated and debunked related claims involving Steve Harvey and CBD products, dating back to 2022.

Other versions of the same type of scam have also falsely associated celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and former “Jeopardy!” host Mayim Bialik with various products.

These scams often follow a familiar formula: a sensational celebrity headline attracts the reader, a fake news article provides an invented story, and the article eventually directs the visitor toward a product or sales page.

How to Recognize Celebrity News Scams

There are several warning signs that can help readers identify this type of misinformation.

First, check the website’s domain carefully. A story claiming to come from CNN should appear on CNN’s official website, not an unrelated domain with a strange or unfamiliar address.

Second, look for confirmation from reputable news organizations. If a major television personality had actually been fired from a long-running program under controversial circumstances, multiple credible outlets would likely report the event.

Third, be cautious when a celebrity story suddenly transitions into a product advertisement. A dramatic headline followed by a supposed celebrity testimonial and a link to purchase a health product is a common pattern in online scams.

Finally, do not assume that a photograph, logo, or screenshot proves a story is genuine. Scammers can easily reuse real photographs and create fake social-media posts or fabricated news pages.

The Bottom Line

Steve Harvey was not suddenly fired from “Family Feud” because of a supposed interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Facebook advertisement and the website it promoted were part of a deceptive campaign that used fabricated claims, fake quotations, a fraudulent social-media post, and misleading celebrity associations to promote Canna Labs CBD Gummies.

The incident is another example of how quickly celebrity rumors can spread online, particularly when they are presented through emotionally charged headlines and advertisements designed to look like legitimate news.

Before sharing or believing a sensational celebrity claim, it is worth checking the original source, looking for independent confirmation, and verifying whether the alleged statement or social-media post actually exists. A few moments of fact-checking can prevent misleading information from spreading and can also help consumers avoid falling for fraudulent product promotions.