Steve Harvey strikes again.
This time the comedian and all-around Hollywood hustler took on the notion of men and women as purely platonic friends. Harvey, who was accused of cheating on his former wife with his current wife, said he has no female friends and can not have them.
The 67-year-old addressed the subject during a recent appearance on Welcome to the Culture.
“Let’s get rid of this myth right here,” he said. “There are some guys somewhere saying, ‘Yeah, we’re friends.’ No, that’s not true. He’s your friend only because you have made it absolutely clear that nothing else is happening except this friendship we have.”
Harvey wasn’t finished: “We remain your friends in hopes that one day, there will be a crack in the door, a chink in the armor, and trust and believe that guy that you think is just your buddy, he will slide in that crack the moment he gets the opportunity because we’re guys.”
Harvey, who authored the New York Times bestseller Act Like a Lady Think Like a Man, went on to say he believes 99% of men think the way he does. He challenged the women who don’t agree with him.
“I tell you what,” he began. “All your male friends. Just ask them in a ‘friendly’ way, ‘If I wanted to date you, would you be okay with that?’ And watch. Watch the fireworks.”
In the comments section, men and women gave their thoughts, some agreeing and disagreeing with the Family Feud host, who has been married multiple times.
“I’ll say it until the end of time,” one person wrote. “Taking advice from Steve Harvey, who’s on his third marriage, is like taking fitness advice from a competition eater.”
Another guy disagreed with the radio host. “Bruh sound dumb! I love all my female friends. They are really the homies for real. Never looked at them in a sexual way and never will.”
“This only applies to men with no self-control or desire to have real friendships with women. Some men feel like they have every woman they’re connected to, and some actually respect women and can have friendships with them,” one person typed.
“I agree, at least most of the time. There will always be an underlying attraction either from the man, woman or both,” one man typed.
According to Psychology Today, researchers believe male-female friendships can thrive but take the same effort as actual relationships.
If sex or emotions begin to entangle in the friendship, researchers suggest being open about feelings, honestly negotiating the relationship’s state, and establishing boundaries.
“If sex is part of the dynamic, addressing it explicitly is the best strategy [to ensure the friendship survived],” Kathy Werking, author of We’re Just Good Friends, said. “The issue will fester if friends try to ignore it.”