Bernie Mac Dead At 50
Sad, sad news today … after contracting a vicious case of pneumonia, comedian Bernie Mac succumbed to the illness and passed away today. Last weekend, there were rumors going around that Bernie had died but I immediately scoffed at those rumors and was very relieved to hear from his reps that he had not passed away but was only struggling with pneumonia. I am very sad to report that Bernie has, today, lost that struggle:
Bernie Mac, a stand-up comic who played evil-tongued but lovable rogues in films like ‘Bad Santa’ and ‘Mr. 3000′ and combined menace and sentiment as a reluctant foster father on ‘The Bernie Mac Show’ on Fox, died on Saturday in Evanston, Ill. He was 50 and lived near Chicago. The cause was complications from pneumonia, said his publicist, Danica Smith. Mr. Mac, an imposing stage presence with a line of scabrous insults, parlayed his success as a stand-up comedian onto the big screen in a string of comedies that cast him in cameo roles, usually as wily con men like Pastor Clever in ‘Friday’ and Gin, the store detective in ‘Bad Santa.’ He also excelled as short-tempered misanthropes, notably in his starring role as Stan Ross, the nation’s most hated baseball player, in ‘Mr. 3000.’ In 2001, the Fox network took a gamble with ‘The Bernie Mac Show,’ an unconventional family comedy with Mr. Mac portraying a childless married comedian who reluctantly takes in his sister’s three youngsters when she goes into a drug-treatment program. The irascible Mr. Mac made a different kind of TV dad, ‘more Ike Turner than Dr. Spock,’ Chris Norris wrote in a 2002 profile for The New York Times Magazine. Mr. Mac’s special style of tough love — ‘I’m gonna bust your head ’til the white meat shows,’ he warns his surly teenage neice — set the show apart from other family sitcoms and raised a few critical eyebrows, but audiences saw enough of the character’s soft center to find the show touching. ‘The success of my comedy has been not being afraid to touch on subject matters or issues that everyone else is politically scared of,’ Mr. Mac told The Times in 2001. ‘It’s a joke, believe me. I’m not trying to hurt anybody.’ Mr. Mac incorporated aspects of his standup act and during each episode would break the fictional world of the show and address the audience directly. On one show, he swiveled in his chair and said, ‘Now America, tell me again, why can’t I whip that girl?’ ‘The Bernie Mac Show’ show ran for five seasons, and Mr. Mac won Emmy awards as outstanding actor in a comedy series in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Bernard Jeffrey McCullough was born in Chicago to a single mother who inspired him, indirectly, to become a comedian. When he was 5, he told a television interviewer in 2001, he saw her sitting in front of the television set crying. ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ was playing, and when Bill Cosby began telling a story about snakes in the bathroom, she started laughing despite herself. ‘When I saw her laughing, I told her that I was going to be a comedian so she’d never cry again,’ Mr. Mac said … In 1990, he was invited to do two shows with Def Comedy Jam, a tour featuring young black comedians that was filmed for HBO. Small film roles followed, in ‘Mo’ Money’ (1992), ‘Who’s The Man?’ (1993) and ‘House Party 3′ (1994), as well as an HBO variety series, ‘Midnight Mac,’ and a spot with the Original Kings of Comedy, a tour that showcased some of the most popular contemporary black comedians. The tour, which grossed an astounding $59 million, generated several HBO specials and a film by Spike Lee, ‘The Original Kings of Comedy.’
Man, this is very sad news. I am not a fan of stand-up comedy, not by any means, but Bernie Mac was deffo one of the comedians who could always make me laugh. I absolutely fell in love with him in The Original Kings of Comedy. I kid you not, I have never embarrassed myself so fully in public in all my life. I promise, I am not exaggerating here by any means … Bernie’s routine in Kings of Comedy (and if you’ve seen it — and I implore you to seek it out and watch it if you haven’t — you know that Bernie’s routine in the movie is roughly the basis for his TV show The Bernie Mac Show … but cleaned up, a lot) had me laughing so loudly, so riotously that I had to leave the theater to stop laughing. True story. The news of his passing is just very sad, I doubt I’ll ever be able to laugh that much ever again now that he’s gone. I feel I must also add that Bernie Mac played the first African American Bosley in any of the Charlie’s Angels TV shows or movies — he took over for Bill Murray in Charlie’s Angels 2 and did a hilarious job. Again, he will be sorely missed … and will never be replaced. May you rest in eternal peace, Bernie … thank you for all the laughs.
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August 9th, 2008 at 8:52 am
This is really sad news – he was so young still! And how can a person die of pneumonia in this day and age?
August 9th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Definitely can’t wrap my head around this. :(
Kings of Comedy, Charlies Angels, Ocean’s 11-13. If you think back to Ocean’s 11, his character made mention of his always being sick while growing up… I understand he still has 4 more projects yet to be released. What a sad sad loss. He was such a talented person.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:01 am
:-(
my heart fell and broke into two when i heard this news on cnn this morning…my condolences go out to his family and friends…the world of comedy has lost one of its greats today but he’ll never be forgotten
August 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am
[...] showcased some of the most popular contemporary black comedians. The tour, which grossed an … credit : [...]
August 9th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Oh my God! I’m shocked! I read just yesterday that he was sick but that he was doing much better so I brushed it off as no big deal. I can’t believe he’s gone. He was a hilarious and talented man. I loved him in the Original Kings of Comedy. He could always bring a smile to my face. :( He will be missed greatly….
<3 Mel
August 9th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Oh my god! That’s so random/shocking!
I’ll always remember him from the Oceans films, and as the funny car dealer from Transformers.
August 9th, 2008 at 9:59 am
very very sad. he was sooo funny. the bernie mac show was genius. god bless hm.
August 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I couldn’t believe it when I read the headline on Yahoo. Bernie Mac was one of the funniest men ever! I was actually just talking about “The Original Kings of Comedy” at work yesterday…the part about the little girl coming downstairs asking if they could have some milk & cookies. I’m so sad. Condolences to his family…..
August 9th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Oh no! What a great loss. Condolences to his family and friends :(
August 9th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I unexpectadly started crying when I saw the announcement on the news this morning….I’m totally upset by this….I can’t even really believe that we’re talking about him in the past tense right now…you just don’t expect funny people to die…they seem strong, resiliant, invincible even. I loved the Bernie Mac Show, he was hilarious! This really is a tragedy.
August 9th, 2008 at 10:31 am
That part of his biography you posted about his mother crying in front of the TV was touching. It made me tear up.
Rest in Peace, Bernie. This all so very sad.
August 9th, 2008 at 11:10 am
This is so upsetting, he was such a great comedian and actor. He will be very much missed by all….Rest in Peace, Bernie. :(
August 9th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Rip
He Was So Funny :’(
August 9th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
R.I.P. Bernie the world will miss you a lot :(
August 9th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
It’s a sad day for Chicago and a sad day for comedy. How awful. We will miss you, sir.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Bernie Mac, who for the past 30 years made the public laugh with an over-sized comic persona in film, television and comedy clubs, has died of pneumonia, PEOPLE has confirmed. He was 50.more Info http://blog.80millionmoviesfree.com/celebrity/comedian-bernie-mac-dies-at-50
August 9th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
i was really surprised when i read this this morning, seeing as a couple days ago his reps where saying he was responding to treatments and was gunna make a full recovery =S
August 9th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
To Julie –
Unfortunately, it’s quite easy to die “in this day and age.” from pneumonia, tuberculosis, flu, etc. – Depends on the strain caught, and if it’s drug-resistant or not. If it’s the latter, well there’s not much hope in surviving.
For decades people have been taking antibiotics for every sniffle, sneeze and cough; the meat we eat has come from animals receiving injections {also placed in feed} of antibiotics to prevent diseases they get… and it ends up in us.
Doctors and researchers themselves admit to it being the worst thing done to our society because nothing will will save us from a repeat of the 1918 Spanish flu {google it, scary!}, and when it hits…
That aside, sincere condolences to Bernie Mac’s family and friends; he will be sorely missed.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
This is such a tragedy…I was completely shocked when I heard this on the news this morning. RIP Bernie Mac, the world lost a great man today.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
god why do amazing people just keep dying? first Tim Russert, now Bernie Mac? and at such young ages. whose going to be next? i suppose it was his time, but 50 is just too young to be dying. RIP Bernie Mac-the best f*cking Bosley Charlie’s Angels will ever have.
August 9th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
how could he die of pneumonia?? its soooo easily treatable!!
August 9th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
[...] I absolutely fell in love with him in The Original Kings of Comedy — I kid you not. … credit : [...]
August 9th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I was so shocked and saddened to hear of Bernic Mac’s untimely death! I heard he was in the hospital but thought he would be fine. I was so surprised.I thought only old frail people died from pneumonia, not someone who was only 50. I loved Bernie Mac’s humor. His passing will leave a big void in comedy. He was a huge talent and had a big heart.! My heartfelt condolences go out to his family!
August 11th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
i am deeply saddened by this loss, i loved bernie mac with
all my heart he was a friend in my head. he is someone i
really wanted to meet in person. my heart goes out to his
family and dear friends.i cried this morning on my way to
work listening to steve harvey morning show. he will be
missed in a huge way, may his soul rest in peace and may
light perpetually shine upon him.