Entertainer, radio personality, motivational speaker and author, Steve Harvey, has introduced a new animated web series, Steve Harvey Stories, featuring the adventures and triumphs he has experienced throughout different stages of his life. Using various stories and voiceovers from Harvey himself, the series touches on topics from his childhood, along with experiences and lessons he’s learned. The first episode, “First Kiss” gives a humorous but insightful glimpse at the weird and awkward experience that is so unique for every individual, yet touches on an incredibly universal moment for most.
The second episode, which dropped on November 15, “Success is Like an Acorn,” lets us see all the dirt needed to make an acorn grow into a tree. Even though every acorn has the potential to grow into an oak tree, it has to be fertilized with a lot of “dirt” which Harvey likens to life’s challenges. “Being successful ain’t easy, but just like an oak tree that grows from an acorn – get used to the dirt – that’s what it takes to be an oak tree. That’s what it takes to be successful,” he explains.
Joshua Roberts and Chaz Bottoms are the creative team behind Steve Harvey Stories. They work hand in hand with Steve Harvey Global (SHG), whose mission is to deliver comedy and inspiration through video, images from Harvey, and shine light on up-and-coming comedians and other talent, producers, and content creators.
“So, this was just supposed to be my mom and I going to a taping of Family Feud,” Roberts shares. “I didn’t think I’d be walking out with a potential job. Steve was answering a round of audience questions when my mom asked him what advice he had for an art school graduate. He answered with the usual spiel about hard work and networking but followed that up with mention of a project he had in mind and asked if I could handle a test. Of course, I said yes, and about an hour after the taping, I’m contacted by the series’ executive producers, Galit and Thabiti, who tell me that they’re thinking of a short, animated series based on Steve’s life. From there, I got Chaz on board, we created the pilot, ‘First Kiss,’ and that got the ball rolling.”
Bottoms, who like Harvey hails from Cleveland, reflects on his decision to get involved in the project, “I’m from Cleveland as well, I have family that went to Kent State. Also being an up and coming black-owned animation company, it was appealing and made sense that we were a good fit for this production. Since the show is starting small as we are, we have the opportunity to grow together and learn.”
Roberts and Bottoms are the team, for now. Bottoms handles storyboarding and animation while Roberts lends his hand to character design and general layout. The animation is being produced through Bottom’s CBA Studios in North Hollywood, California.
“These stories are short, but they can make you laugh and inspire you,” Roberts added. “Steve is an amazing storyteller who knows how to captivate an audience. I can only hope that the animation can make audiences laugh harder and inspire them even more.”
