Steve Harvey Talks Housing With President-Elect Trump...

Steve Harvey the comedian and television host, became the latest celebrity to ascend

Trump Tower on Friday to discuss federal policy with President-elect Donald Trump,

in this case housing issues. But before Mr. Harvey was off the premises, he

unexpectedly revived a recent controversy over his comments about Asian men.

After the meeting, Mr. Trump and Mr. Harvey briefly appeared together in the lobby.

When Mr. Trump left, Mr. Harvey said they had discussed ways he could work

with Ben Carson, Mr. Trump’s nominee to run the Department of Housing and Urban

Development.

Mr. Harvey has spoken openly in the past of being homeless as an adult

while struggling to start his comedy career, though he gave no reason on Friday for why

he was consulted on housing affairs. Mr. Harvey said he was invited a week ago

by “both transition teams,” referring to representatives of President Obama and Mr.

Trump, and emphasized that the visit was informal.

“Well, you know it’s not my jump into politics,” Mr. Harvey said. “I ain’t gonna pass a

background check. It’s just me following orders from my friend President Obama who

said, ‘Steve, you gotta,’ as he told everybody, ‘get out from behind your computer, stop

tweeting and texting and get out there and sit down and talk.’” The Trump team

confirmed the invitation. The White House did not comment.

Mr. Harvey announced his support for Mr. Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, last

March in the presidential primaries. In September, during an interview with her on

“The Steve Harvey Morning Show” on iHeartRadio, he said: “She’s a mother, she’s a

grandmother, and we’re going to put her back in the White House, just flat out. Simply

put.”

This was just the latest pop-culture-to-politics crossover for Mr. Trump during his

transition. Last month the president-elect surprised reporters at Trump Tower by

posing for photographs in the lobby with Kanye West.

For Mr. Harvey’s part, he said that the incoming president was “a great guy” and

“genuine.” He deflected questions about Mr. Trump’s history of questionable

comments regarding race from the campaign trail, and was diplomatic about his doubts

 about Mr. Trump.

“You don’t kill it with one conversation, but you can start it with the conversation,” Mr.

Harvey said. “So, you know, a lot about what people say, ‘Now, well, it’s time to see

what you do.’ And he said he wanted to do something.”

Mr. Harvey also mentioned a controversy in which, during his television show last

week, he mocked the dating skills of Asian men.

At Trump Tower, Mr. Harvey said, unprompted, that he hadn’t laughed recently as a

result of the controversy.

“I ain’t been laughing that much over the past few days,” Mr. Harvey said. “They’re

kinda beating me up on the internet right now for no reason. But, you know, that’s life,

ain’t it?”

After the meeting, Mr. Harvey put out a message on Twitter, saying that he found Mr.

Trump “congenial and sincere” and that he would “sit with him anytime.”