Veteran Columnist Steve Harvey Passes Away at 80
Steve Harvey, a renowned chronicler of Los Angeles culture, passed away on Tuesday due to complications from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 80 years old.
Chronicler of the Unusual
Harvey, celebrated for his “Only in L.A.” column in the Los Angeles Times, shared amusing and absurd stories about the city’s eccentricities for two decades. His unique humor and insightful observations made an indelible mark on the city’s media landscape.
In 1996, he compiled many of his zany anecdotes in the book “The Best of Only in L.A.: A Chronicle of the Amazing, Amusing and Absurd.” Harvey’s wit enabled him to transcend the ordinary, capturing the quirks of Los Angeles life.
Legacy of Satire and Humor
Among his most notable works was “The Bottom 10,” a satirical ranking of the worst college football teams that he initiated in 1965 while attending USC. This column eventually garnered a following and has been emulated by outlets like ESPN.
During the 2009 college football season, while the media spotlight shone on Alabama’s undefeated championship victory, Harvey’s focus remained on Eastern Michigan, the team at the bottom of his list, which finished the season winless at 0-12.
Roots in Journalism
Born in 1946 at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Steve Harvey grew up in West Los Angeles. He attended Clover Avenue Elementary, Palms Middle, and Hamilton High School, where he first began to explore his passion for journalism.
A pivotal moment came in 1962 when he participated in a summer journalism workshop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, mentored by the late journalist Ralph Alexander. This experience laid the groundwork for his future career, and he later returned as a teacher and board member.
Harvey graduated from USC’s journalism school, where a highlight of his early career was being hung in effigy by the USC marching band, an event triggered by a critical story he wrote in the Daily Trojan.
A Career Spanning Decades
Beginning his career at the L.A. Herald Examiner, Harvey transitioned to the Opinion section of the L.A. Times in 1968. He eventually became a features writer, profiling a range of offbeat characters and venues from the famous Angelyne to the Zamboni Museum in Paramount.
After four decades at the Times, Harvey continued to share his insights through columns on the L.A. Observed website and the Grunion Gazette in Long Beach.
Family and Survivors
Steve Harvey is survived by his wife, Venetia Lai; his son, James (Lauren); his daughter, Sarah (Nicholas); his granddaughter, Penelope; his sister, Marilyn Stein (John); his nephew, Nick (Ariana); and his niece, Liz (Brendan).
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