Comedian and “Family Feud” host Steve Harvey recently gave his thoughts on the “nepo babies” debate while visiting “The View.” He also discussed his fear that his children would grow up soft because they’re wealthy.
The term “nepo babies” refers to children of celebrities who’ve benefited from their parent’s fame and connections. Harvey said, “Everybody’s goal, just like yours, is to give your children a better life than the one you had. That’s your goal. That’s our goal. Well, the thing is, my kids get to start with a lot more than I had when I started. So my problem has been, how do I teach them the grit, the grind, and the hustle that I had to have to make it? How do I instill that in them?” Harvey added that you can’t because they have too much to start.
Harvey continued, “I started below the zero. They started with 25. So, they don’t need to know how to fight. I went to public school. I had to learn how to fight. I had a stuttering condition. I had to learn how to fight. My kids have been in private school their whole life. They got a little uniform with little crests on it. They get demerits. We got a whooping.” The hosts laughed at Harvey’s honesty.
Host Whoopi Goldberg added, “You just start them out slower, man. You roll it out much slower than you want to.” Harvey claims he told his children that the money was his and their mother’s. Harvey has seven children, three stepchildren and four biological. Known for his comedy, the “Family Feud” host is also an author, writing books like “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” and nationally syndicated radio show host.
The "nepo babies” debate is the latest hot topic in Hollywood, where several actresses, actors, singers and others are the children of celebrities. A few examples include Maya Hawke, Miley Cyrus and Zoe Kravitz. Allison Williams, daughter of former NBC News anchor Brian Williams, didn’t deny that her father’s high profile helped her. Williams told Vulture, “It doesn’t take anything from the work that I’ve done. It just means that it’s not as fun to root for me.”
Singer Lily Allen, daughter of actor Keith Allen, also defended “nepo babies” in a Twitter thread that blew up on social media. Allen said she felt “nepo babies” are being scapegoated and deserve sympathy because they didn’t get stability or love from their parents. She also said people should criticize nepotism in other sectors instead of Hollywood.
As a celebrity parent, it can be hard to balance giving your children the best without spoiling them. However, in some cases, it’s also unfair to criticize the children of celebrities and chalk up their status to just being the child of someone famous. They didn’t ask to be in that position, and some “nepo babies” may have had to work twice as hard to prove that they weren’t using their parent’s status for opportunities. In the end, “nepo babies” and the advantages they may have aren’t their fault.
