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Comedian Steve Harvey heeds president’s call

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Black America is in the midst of a political brewhaha that has found popular nationally syndicated morning radio and television talk show host Steve Harvey being asked to explain himself for a meeting held with President-Elect Donald Trump allegedly in part at the request of the Obama transition team.

Harvey visited Trump Towers on Jan. 13 reportedly to talk about housing. According to one report, Harvey said they had discussed ways he could work with Ben Carson, Trump’s nominee to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Harvey has spoken openly of being homeless as an adult while struggling to start his comedy career.

Harvey said in a Twitter statement that he met with Trump at the suggestion of outgoing President Barack Obama in an effort to move the conversation forward. The entertainer’s post came in response to questions by some L.A. civil rights advocates including Earl Ofari Hutchinson.

Rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy told the television tabloid show TMZ that people should back off of Harvey. Chuck D doesn’t think people should be going after Steve Harvey for rubbing elbows with Donald Trump…because he thinks it’s vital to have someone keeping tabs on the president-elect.

The former leader of Public Enemy tells TMZ “… certain members of the Black community need to sit face-to-face with any perceived adversary so they can find out what’s really going down with the new administration … and let everyone else know.”

Chuck also said it’s great so many artists and entertainers are protesting.

Translation—we gotta stick together for the next four years … but having an inside man or two will only help the cause.

In addition to a backlash against Harvey, a  number of entities have faced or worried about facing negative repercussions to their decision to get involved with Trump.

“Dream Girl” star, Jennifer Holliday was among many entertainers who was approached about performing at Friday’s activities. But she, like many others, decided not to take the chance of giving her fans the idea that she supported the president-elect.

But one historically Black College in Alabama—Talladega College—set aside its reservations and agreed to perform at tomorrow’s inauguration festivities recognizing the nation’s 45th president.

“We’re gonna get some things started, and they have a plan for the inner cities but they need help. And so, that’s why they called me. So we’ll see what I can do,” Harvey said.

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