Family Feud is a syndicated American game show that has become a cornerstone of American television across five decades. It aired on ABC between 1976 and 1985 before being revived on CBS, where it ran between 1988 and 1995. The current syndicated version, launched in 1999, has aired continuously since then. The show has spawned the primetime spin-off Celebrity Family Feud, which has aired on ABC since 2015.
Family Feud’s format is delightfully simple. Two families of five compete to guess the most popular answers to survey questions posed to 100 people. Families earn points for every correct answer, and a wrong answer earns a strike. Three strikes hand control to the opposing family. The family with the highest score at the end of three rounds advances to the Fast Money bonus round. Here, two players answer five survey questions individually, racing to hit a score of 200 for a top cash prize.
The show’s tone and personality have shifted dramatically with each host. Richard Dawson, the original host, became famous for kissing every female contestant on the cheek. Ray Combs brought a stand-up comedian’s energy, and Steve Harvey, who joined in 2010, transformed the show into a pop culture phenomenon with his priceless reactions to outrageous contestant answers.
Steve Harvey is the longest-serving host in the show’s history and also hosts Celebrity Family Feud on ABC. Richard Dawson, who passed away in June 2012, remains the most iconic personality the show has ever seen. The show’s announcer since the 2015–2016 season has been Rubin Ervin, a longtime member of the production’s audience warmup team.
