Steve Harvey & Wife Marjorie Once Sparked Major Social Media Backlash
If there's one couple in Hollywood that makes us believe in true love, it's Steve Harvey and his longtime wife, Marjorie Harvey. The famous comedian and his beloved spouse initially went their separate ways after briefly dating in the '90s, but fate — and Steve's bodyguard — brought them back together. The couple got married in 2007 and have been going strong ever since.
They now have a combined seven children together and seem happier than ever, especially if their regular, affectionate Instagram posts are any clue about the status of their relationship. Despite them being couple goals, though, no one is without their flaws. Steve and Marjorie have a knack for landing themselves in the headlines, and it's often for a controversial reason.
In 2018, the pair had social media in an uproar when they shared a seemingly innocent video that contained the use of an off-color and demonstrably outdated term. What made matters worse was that they seemed utterly unapologetic and even defensive about the situation, which only made those who watched the video more enraged.
Marjorie drew criticism for using an offensive term
People tend to overshare on social media; it just comes with the territory. However, Steve and Marjorie Harvey did much more than overshare when they posted a highly controversial video online followed by equally disturbing comments. What should have been a cute clip of the super popular celebrity couple quickly went downhill when Marjorie casually flung out the "R-word."
As captured by People, Marjorie shared a video on Instagram (which has since been deleted) of her and her husband cutting fruits and veggies in their kitchen. Apparently, Steve mentioned something to Marjorie that cast doubt on her cutting skills, and she called him out by exclaiming: "I'm sitting here arguing with my husband, 'cause clearly, he thinks I'm r*****ed [and] I don't know how to cut a beet."
Marjorie's followers were quick to let her know the word was problematic. "There are people like me, my family, my daughter who has Down syndrome, who are all hurt by the implication you made," one commented. Another added, "Just something to simply think about when using that word as an insult ... in other words, just don't," (via Pop Culture). As the official website for the Special Olympics makes clear, the term has been outdated for years, with a shift towards more inclusive terminology happening back in 2010 with the introduction of Rosa's Law.
Things got worse when Steve tried to intervene
Time and time again, Steve Harvey and his wife have waded through drama and criticism as a team. The cheating rumors that sprung up about Marjorie were subtly shut down by Steve, whose belief in his wife's fidelity has never wavered. Defending your partner is to be commended, of course, but if you're standing up for them when they are in the wrong, you can expect some pushback. That's exactly what happened when the "Family Feud" host got involved in the backlash Marjorie was facing for her social media post.
After her video went viral for all the wrong reasons and drew thousands of incensed reactions, Steve defended her in the comments section. "What you trippin bout cause my wife said the word r*****ed ... it's a word ain't it?" he wrote. "And she ain't talking bout nobody but herself to me ... What she was doing was just that and she ain't saying it bout nobodies baby," (via the Daily Mail).
Instagram users weren't thrilled at his attempt to downplay the situation, with one clapping back: "Using the R-word in a negative/derogatory way is demeaning to others, regardless of whether she is using it toward herself or others." However, there were plenty of others who sided with the Harveys. "This lady was speaking about herself to her husband," one follower observed. "I think people are needing something to talk about. If you didn't like what she said stop following her."