Steve Harvey Sued Over Distribution of 'Embarrassing' Videos

Steve Harvey is being sued for interfering with the sale of videos of raw and uncensored stand-up comedy from early in his career that embarrass him today, his former videographer claims in court.

According to Courthouse News Service, Joseph Cooper sued Broderick Steven Harvey in Federal Court on Friday.

Nationally syndicated rado host Harvey is also host of the game show "Family Feud" and his eponymous TV talk show distributed by NBCUniversal. He also starred in the hit stand-up comedy film "The Original Kings of Comedy" in 2000.

Cooper claims Harvey has "embarked upon a concerted effort" to stop distribution of the videos under the 1993 agreement.
   
Cooper claims the videos "contain Harvey doing comedy in a manner that contrasts with his present image," that he was younger then and "not as much a public figure." He claims he told Harvey in 1998 that he intended to distribute the videos, and that Harvey agreed in October that year to pay $5 million for the videos.

"Harvey has stated that when (a) when the videos were created, he did a different type of comedy, and the videos embarrassed him, (b) the people told him the lighting is bad, the sound is bad, (c) 'he was afraid and didn't want the tapes out there,' and (d) he was concerned about negative and harmful images," according to the complaint.

In 2013, Cooper sought to distribute and sell the first volume of a five-volume set of videos called "Steve Harvey Live, Raw & Uncensored."

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