I thought Steve did an excellent job as host. I really do feel he was knowledgeable and well-prepared, and the carnival-barker hard-sell style wasn't the norm on QVC so he didn't use that sort of tactic. He was pleasant, easy-going, and likable -- and I think he was successful during those years.
I stopped watching QVC for several years, didn't know when he left, but I remember reading in these forums about his battle with cancer. I don't normally follow anyone on Facebook if I don't know them personally, but someone offered a link to his Facebook page so I joined in to support him in his fight. I have to admit, I was surprised at the different persona I saw in his Facebook posts and blog entries. He had a radio show for a while, before he relocated to California (I think he had a brief stint on talk radio in CA, too), and it was one angry rant after another without the benefit of actual entertainment. No way to know which persona is the genuine one, but there's a harsh edge to his style now.
Few things reveal your intellect and your generosity of spirit—the parallel powers of your heart and mind—better than how you give feedback.~Maria Popova