The Apollo Story | Motivated + - Summary

Summary

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**Steve Harvey's Turning Point Story**

* Steve Harvey was struggling, living in his car with only $35, and on the verge of giving up on his comedy dreams.
* After a prayer, he received a call from Showtime at the Apollo, offering him a spot on TV, but he lacked the money to travel to New York.
* Miraculously, he received another call offering a $150 gig in Jacksonville, Florida, which he accepted, earning $300 after a second show.
* With the new funds, he bought a $99 flight to New York and performed at the Apollo, killing his set and earning a $750 payday.
* This breakthrough led to him hosting "Showtime at the Apollo" for a record 8 years, marking a turning point in his career.
* Harvey reflects on the experience, emphasizing the importance of **never giving up** and maintaining faith, as quitting guarantees failure, while perseverance keeps possibilities alive.

Facts

Here are the extracted key facts, each with a number and in short sentence form, excluding opinions:

1. **Initial Situation**: The speaker had only $35 and was living in their car, unable to afford a place to stay.
2. **Initial Message**: The speaker received a message from Chuck Sutton of Showtime at the Apollo, inviting them to perform on Sunday night.
3. **Date of Second Message**: The second message from Tom Sobel of the Comedy Caravan was received on a Thursday.
4. **Gig in Jacksonville**: Tom Sobel offered the speaker a gig in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday night, paying $150.
5. **Location and Travel**: The speaker was in Pensacola, Florida, approximately 3.5 hours from Jacksonville.
6. **Travel to New York**: The speaker found a $99 round-trip special from Jacksonville, Florida, to New York with Eastern Airlines.
7. **Arrival at the Apollo**: The speaker arrived at the Apollo at 11:00 AM and was initially not allowed to stay in the building.
8. **Accommodations**: The speaker was eventually allowed to wait in a dressing room on the sixth floor.
9. **Meeting Other Performers**: The speaker met D.L. Hughley, Dwayne Johnson, and Jamie Foxx, all of whom were unknown at the time (1991).
10. **Performance Schedule**: The speaker was scheduled for the last show of the night, going on stage at 11:00 PM.
11. **Performance Outcome**: The speaker received a standing ovation for their performance.
12. **Payment for Performance**: The speaker earned $750 for their appearance on Showtime at the Apollo.
13. **First Television Appearance**: This event marked the speaker's first television appearance.
14. **Hosting Opportunity**: The speaker was later asked to host amateur night at the Apollo, leading to...
15. **Long-Term Hosting Gig**: The speaker became the host of "Showtime at the Apollo" and held the position for eight years, the longest tenure in the show's history.