In May 2024, false rumors spread on Facebook claiming Steve Harvey had been fired from Family Feud after an “on-air slip-up” with Oprah Winfrey. The posts looked real, showing fake CNN links and photos of Harvey and Oprah, but the entire story was fabricated.
The hoax came from a site called pastadibern.pro, which published a fake CNN-style article claiming Harvey discussed erectile dysfunction and promoted “Canna Labs CBD Gummies” on Oprah’s show. In truth, no such interview ever happened, Harvey never endorsed CBD products, and he was never fired.
Scammers often use this same tactic: they create fake news articles mimicking CNN or Fox, then run Facebook ads with emotional headlines to drive clicks. Once users click, they’re led to fraudulent pages selling “miracle” products under fake celebrity endorsements.
Fact-checkers like Snopes have debunked these scams for years. The same formula has targeted Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil, Mayim Bialik, and Tom Selleck, all falsely linked to health products they never promoted.
Steve Harvey remains the host of Family Feud and has publicly warned fans: “I don’t sell gummies. I don’t do CBD. If you didn’t hear it from me, it’s fake.” Oprah has issued similar warnings about her image being misused in scams.
These fake celebrity endorsements are part of a growing online fraud industry, costing victims over $1.2 billion in 2024 according to the FTC.
To stay safe, always verify shocking claims with legitimate news outlets or official celebrity pages, and never enter payment information on suspicious links. The “Steve Harvey fired” story was just another scam exploiting people’s trust — a reminder to question before you click.