Play safe

Controversy is the cliched two-edged sword for game show hosts. On one hand a little public spice can add to a host's cachet. On the famous other hand too much wrangling can turn off audiences who just want to be entertained.



Ask Rosie O'Donnell. She was one of the finalists to succeed Bob Barker on The Price is Right. But the producers decided against such a lightning-rod for political hullabaloo. Instead they settled on Drew Carey, known for a few political comments himself but not nearly as divisive as Rosie.



On his talk radio show, Family Feud host Steve Harvey recently blasted Cornel West and Travis Smiley as "uncle toms" for not being enthusiastic enough about Obama. Got some news for you, Steve. Lots of folks ain't all that sexed up about the current White House occupant. Most people in this country disapprove of his job performance, in fact. As you might expect, Harvey caught some blowback over this foray into racial politics.



Harvey has stumbled into political storms before. Critics ripped what they saw as the Neanderthal sexual politics of his relationship books. So Steve has decided to play things safer for now. He's getting in some golf in Vegas and hosting a charity awards show for "Best Church Choir" and other noncontroversial categories.



At least that shouldn't get too many people upset. Except for the losers at the awards show, and they probably won't be very unhappy. They get a trip to Vegas, after all.