By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
It's been 18 months since comedic Renaissance man Steve Harvey descended onto The Big Apple with his much buzzed about radio show -- and now he's done claimed the #1 spot.
According to the most recent Arbitron ratings, 'The Steve Harvey Morning Show,' ranks at the top among all other radio stations, and #5 overall in New York City.
Broadcast live from the black-owned WBLS-FM, the four-hour program is syndicated throughout the country via Premiere Radio Networks. Of the 45 markets the show is heard, major cities include Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago, Washington, Miami and Philadelphia.
Beginning each show with 12 minutes of gospel music and inspirational talk, the radio show presented some initial concern for the renowned stand-up comedian and television star: It was a stark contrast to what has been traditionally known as a sometimes brutal marketplace where Howard Stern reigned supreme for over a decade with his racially charged humor. And then there's the hip-hop stations' programming, most notably Hot 97 where former Motown recording artist MissJones takes no prisoners and records controversial parodies about current events.
"I was concerned about it," the 50-year-old Cleveland native told 'Associated Press' regarding the launch of his show 18 months ago. "But I am who I am. I can't stop being who I am. I'm not a mean-spirited guy."
And his star power can also be attributed to the success.
No expense was spared for the marketing of the show, with a splashy promotional campaign consisting of TV advertisements, wall snipes and imagery on mass transportation.
One of 'The Original Kings of Comedy,' last seen on TV in his very own syndicated variety show 'Big Time,' Harvey credits God, but also his own comedic skills: "You can't beat me in the funny department. You can beat me in the information department, you can get me in the looks department - not many guys ... but in the funny department, you can't beat me."
Tom Taylor, editor of the trade publication Inside Radio said that Harvey "has emerged as a real star on the national stage. Folks in radio syndication talk about it as one of the most explosive debuts in long-form syndication in many years."
1. LOVE THE STEVE HARVEY MORNING SHOW. IT ROCKS! IF YOU WANT TO LAUGH YOU SHOULD REALLY LISTEN TO HIM. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK STEVE, I HAVE NOT LAUGHED SO MUCH IN YEARS!
QTEETAY2 at 6:41AM on Mar 22nd 2007