Actor, comedian, author and one of the Original Kings of Comedy Bernie Mac is dead at the age of 50. I'd like to send condolences to the family and friends of Bernie who,according to Sun-Times Columnist, Stella Foster, passed away early this morning (Saturday, August 9, 2008) at Northwestern Memorial hospital in Chicago. I was absolutely floored when I my baby sister, who was watching Good Morning America when she learned of the news, rewind the DVR twice to make sure she heard correctly. I rushed to my computer to log on to the Internet hoping this wasn't another celebrity death hoax. Needless to say, I was past astounded upon seeing an article posted on Chicago's Suns-Time website confirming the worse. To say I'm at a lost for words would be an understatement. Mac had been hospitalized recently for pneumonia. Foster said that she received calls early Saturday morning from a close friend of the Mac family, confirming the reports of Mac's death. The columnist also said she was deeply saddened to receive such a phone call just an hour after Mac was pronounced dead. "It brought tears to my eyes because Bernie Mac has always been my all-time favorite entertainer and comedian. It pains me to have to report that," Foster said during a phone interview on Saturday morning.
"[He] passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his rep, Danica Smith, said in a released statement. "No other details are available at this time. We ask that his family's privacy continues to be respected."
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the actor, whose real name is, Bernard McCullough, said that he had been responding well to treatment for the illness. Publicist Danica Smith said Thursday in a statement that Mac's condition is ''stable.'' Smith first announced on August 1st that Mac was hospitalized in Chicago. Smith has said the pneumonia isn't related to an inflammatory lung disease Mac also has. That condition has been in remission since 2005. Foster noted that last weekend, several web sites reported wrongly that the comedian died. Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
There is no word on whether public services will be held. Bernie Mac is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Rhonda McCullough; one daughter, Je'Niece (30-years old), a son-in-law and one granddaughter, Jasmine. Bernie was proceeded in death by his mother, Mary, who passed way when Bernie was just 16-years old.
SOURCE: SunTimes.com
BELOW, WATCH MY FAVORITE BERNIE MAC CLIP FROM HIS ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY STAND-UP ROUTINE.
"[He] passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his rep, Danica Smith, said in a released statement. "No other details are available at this time. We ask that his family's privacy continues to be respected."
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the actor, whose real name is, Bernard McCullough, said that he had been responding well to treatment for the illness. Publicist Danica Smith said Thursday in a statement that Mac's condition is ''stable.'' Smith first announced on August 1st that Mac was hospitalized in Chicago. Smith has said the pneumonia isn't related to an inflammatory lung disease Mac also has. That condition has been in remission since 2005. Foster noted that last weekend, several web sites reported wrongly that the comedian died. Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
There is no word on whether public services will be held. Bernie Mac is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Rhonda McCullough; one daughter, Je'Niece (30-years old), a son-in-law and one granddaughter, Jasmine. Bernie was proceeded in death by his mother, Mary, who passed way when Bernie was just 16-years old.
SOURCE: SunTimes.com
BELOW, WATCH MY FAVORITE BERNIE MAC CLIP FROM HIS ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY STAND-UP ROUTINE.
CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP AND FIND OUT HOW BERNIE MAC BECAME ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RECOGNIZED COMEDIANS OF HIS TIME! SHARE YOUR FAVORITE BERNIE MAC MOVIE/TV ROLES IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. I'VE ALSO ADDED MOVIE STILLS FROM BERNIE'S LATEST MOVIE, SOUL MEN, STARRING HIM AND SAMUEL L. JACKSON. CHECK THOSE OUT AFTER THE JUMP AS WELL!
Mac started his comedy career at age 8, with a standup performance at a church dinner. In 1977, at age 20, he took that act to comedy clubs in Chicago. His film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans movie Mo' Money in 1992. Mac went on to star in the Ocean's Eleven franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney and his turn with Ashton Kutcher in 2005's Guess Who? — a remake of the Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn 1967 classic Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? — topped the box office. Mac also had starring roles in Bad Santa, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Transformers.
The comedian drew critical and popular acclaim with his Fox television series The Bernie Mac Show, which aired more than 100 episodes from 2001 to 2006. The series about a man's adventures raising his sister's three children, won a Peabody Award in 2002. At the time, judges wrote they chose the sitcom for transcending "race and class while lifting viewers with laughter, compassion — and cool." The show garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Mac. He also was nominated for a Grammy award for best comedy album in 2001 along with his The Original Kings of Comedy co-stars, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Cedric The Entertainer.
In 2007, Mac told David Letterman on CBS' Late Show that he planned to retire soon. "I'm going to still do my producing, my films, but I want to enjoy my life a little bit," Mac told Letterman. "I missed a lot of things, you know. I was a street performer for two years. I went into clubs in 1977." Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago. He grew up on the city's South Side, living with his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was the deacon of a Baptist church.
In his 2004 memoir, Maybe You Never Cry Again, Mac wrote about having a poor childhood — eating bologna for dinner — and a strict, no-nonsense upbringing. Mac's mother died of cancer when he was 16. In his book, Mac said she was a support for him and told him he would surprise everyone when he grew up. "Woman believed in me," he wrote. "She believed in me long before I believed."
Foster says she was remembers Bernie's comedic beginnings through his show, Midnight Mac, which aired for four shows on HBO and was taped in Chicago in 1995. "It was a variety entertainment show," she said, "He even had dancers called Macaroni's. That was my first exposure to how talented Bernie Mac was. And after that show, that's when Hollywood started beating down his door."
The actor's upcoming movies include Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer; and Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson and Isaac Hayes.
Mac started his comedy career at age 8, with a standup performance at a church dinner. In 1977, at age 20, he took that act to comedy clubs in Chicago. His film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans movie Mo' Money in 1992. Mac went on to star in the Ocean's Eleven franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney and his turn with Ashton Kutcher in 2005's Guess Who? — a remake of the Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn 1967 classic Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? — topped the box office. Mac also had starring roles in Bad Santa, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Transformers.
The comedian drew critical and popular acclaim with his Fox television series The Bernie Mac Show, which aired more than 100 episodes from 2001 to 2006. The series about a man's adventures raising his sister's three children, won a Peabody Award in 2002. At the time, judges wrote they chose the sitcom for transcending "race and class while lifting viewers with laughter, compassion — and cool." The show garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Mac. He also was nominated for a Grammy award for best comedy album in 2001 along with his The Original Kings of Comedy co-stars, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Cedric The Entertainer.
In 2007, Mac told David Letterman on CBS' Late Show that he planned to retire soon. "I'm going to still do my producing, my films, but I want to enjoy my life a little bit," Mac told Letterman. "I missed a lot of things, you know. I was a street performer for two years. I went into clubs in 1977." Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago. He grew up on the city's South Side, living with his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was the deacon of a Baptist church.
In his 2004 memoir, Maybe You Never Cry Again, Mac wrote about having a poor childhood — eating bologna for dinner — and a strict, no-nonsense upbringing. Mac's mother died of cancer when he was 16. In his book, Mac said she was a support for him and told him he would surprise everyone when he grew up. "Woman believed in me," he wrote. "She believed in me long before I believed."
Foster says she was remembers Bernie's comedic beginnings through his show, Midnight Mac, which aired for four shows on HBO and was taped in Chicago in 1995. "It was a variety entertainment show," she said, "He even had dancers called Macaroni's. That was my first exposure to how talented Bernie Mac was. And after that show, that's when Hollywood started beating down his door."
The actor's upcoming movies include Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer; and Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson and Isaac Hayes.
If everything works out the way it's supposed to, Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac will be bringing some vintage Stax soul to the big screen this November. Soul Men is about two former backup soul singers Louis (Jackson) and Floyd (Mac) who travel cross country to perform at a tribute concert in honor of their famous former band leader, played by John Legend. They haven't spoken to each other in 20 years but reluctantly agree to travel together for the tribute performance. Both Jackson and Mac will do their own musical and dance performing in the film.
The film is directed by Malcom Lee (Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins with Martin Lawrence) and also stars Sean Hayes, Sharon Leal, Jennifer Coolidge, Isaac Hayes, Affion Crockett, Adam Herschman, Fatso Fasano, and Jackie Long.
23 comments:
Dang i was hoping this was untrue. He will be sorely missed for real. We have definitely lost on of the great ones. Rest in peace my brother.
Awwww man!
But I thought he was doing so well? I really did think he was gonna recover from this. Peace and blessings to his family. May God be with you all.
Everytime I look at him the first thing that comes to mind is: 'milk and cookies' LOL!
Well Spelman it's been known that a person whose been ill can have a quick, but temporary, recovery where it looks as if they can pull through right before they actually pass away. That happened to a friend of mine. She had cancer and although the doctors said there wasn't anything else they could do for her, one day out of the blue she just became so alive that you wouldn't even know she was dying.
She was up eating ice chips, reading the newspaper, trying to talk to people and then the next day BOOm! Just like that she had turned for the worse and passed. It seemed like a cruel, cruel joke because we thought we were witnessing a miracle.
Wow blair. I never knew that. Had no idea. I would be just beside myself.
I can't believe he's gone.
Robin Harris, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, now Bernie. Where have all the black comedians gone to?
R.I.P. Bernie.
CNN just had a breaking news story about 5 minutes ago. They were talking to one of the reporters of the Chicago Sun-Times who had interviewed Mac some time ago. Totally unexpected. I never even heard he had pneumonia! Of course, he's not Britney, so I wouldn't expect to.
He was one of my faves. I loved his sitcom--watched every episode. Such a shame.
Dag SOutherngurl. I'm mad, sad, bewildered, shocked...I'm just so many things right now. He was only 50 years old??!!!! I know that when they say it's your time to go, it's your time to go BUT i feel that he was taken away from us much, much too soon.
I heard it was crazy as hell over his granddaughter. Treated her like she was the best thing since sliced bread. My condolences go out to her too. Bless her heart. I know he didn't want to leave her. Imma keep his family in my prayers and hope that they gain strength in the fact that God knows what He is doing. We may not understand it, but there is always a reason.
My grandma once told me that the day you are born, you are also given a death sentence. Scary, but true.
I hope 'Mac Man' is at peace. God this is so sad
THE CHI HAS LOST ONE OF ITS BEST AND BRIGHTEST STARS THIS CENTURY.
HE WILL TRULY BE MISSED BY ME AND OTHER CHICAGOANS. HE WAS A GREAT COMEDY ACTOR.
RIP BERNIE, KEEP 'EM LAUGHING IN HEAVEN.
I haven't been this hurt and surprised over a celebrity's death since Luther passed away three years ago. Man. Bernie had me rolling in 'Player's Club'. That's one of my favorite performances by him.
He will never ever be forgotten. Never.
Mina I agree! He was hilarious in player's club. He also had me crying tears as Jangle Leg in Life. LOl!
Hands down my favorite bernie movie role will always be his set on the Original Kings of Comedy epscially the part about his little grown ass niece and sugar-in-the tank nephew. They knew what they were doing when they put him on last. That was the real Bernie. Uncut and nothing but the truth. Here a youtube video of it: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiAyEagKzY3U&ei=VK2dSJTTLYye8QSYlsmiBQ&usg=AFQjCNFSmyulnLwXnwCTMhZ7P1aD36g-Ug&sig2=5zXb_7SWq1-bD_NXxyEmRA
To his wife, daughter and granddaughter, please know that this man touched the hearts of many. Made people laugh when they didn't feel like it. His time here on Earth was not in vain. He did many wonderful things. You all are so blessed that you were able to witness his talents daily. That was truly a gift. I hope the Lord helps you in your time of bereavement. and remember we're greiving with you.
I liked Bernie as an actor because he could pull off comedic roles and dramatic roles. Remember him in How to be a Player with Bill Bellamy and them? Dude was the creator of the word bedussy! I think people still used that word to this day. In his more serious role, I liked him in Pride. Evn though that movie didn't really do too well at the box office, his performance was excellent. I had almost forgot that he was a comedian when I watched him in that movie. Nw that's what you call a diversified actor.
Only 50 years old? Why?
I was so wishing this wasn't true. Am I the only one who has heard about a minor beef Steve Harvey had with Bernie a couple of years ago? Steve went and started acting all bitchmade and made slick out the mouth comments about Bernie because Bernie was getting so many movie roles...movie roles that Steve didn't think he was worthy of. But if you ask me BERNIE WAS A BETTER ACTOR THAN STEVE COULD EVER BE. As far as I'm concerned it was Ced the Entertainer that carried Steve on his own show.
I just wonder if Steve and Bernie ever resolved their issues with one another.
Yeah Iyndiah I heard about the beef. I believe it was about the movie Ocean's 11 or something. Steve wanted the part but of course it was bernie who EARNED and OWNED it. Steve even went and bashed Bernie on his morning show. Totally uncalled for. I had also heard that there was supposed to be an KOC 2 but that one of the guys were giving the producers the run around about going on tour. I bet that comedian was Steve with his old forever talking ass. It probably riled his ass up that Bernie was always the last act to go on stage. Like Kappachino said, they saved the best for last.
I don't mean to be mean but I hope he feels like shit for the way he bashed Bernie. He gon have to live with that for the rest of his life. steve wishes he was as funny as Bernie.
Damn Kap, I laughed my ass off at that clip! LOL! I'm going to miss Bernie something properlike for real. Mina, I too haven't felt this sad over a celebrity's death snce Luther and Gerald Levert passed away. The fact that he's no longer here is just so inconceivable. It really and truly is.
R.I.P. BERNIE.....
REST OM PEACE.....
Wow. Well that'z Steve'z crozz 2 bear. I just hope Bernie'z at peace now. He was taken away from us much 2 soon.....
SouthernGirl I can't share wit U my favorite movie of Bernie'z cuz i love all of dem. DUde wuz just a extraordinary [if thats how you spell it lol] actor. 1 of my all time faves. Thankz for showing him so much love, ma.
I feel you Z-Man. Like I said before, I haven't felt this sad and torn up over a celebrity's death ever since we lost Luther and Gerald Levert. Bernie will be sorely missed. Some of the comments folks have posted on RG101 had me literally in tears a I read them. Then when I asked you all to share your favorite Bernie Mac roles, I went from crying to laughing out loud at the memories some of yall shared.
I was also aware of Steve's bitchiness towards Bernie. All because Bernie landed the role in Ocean's 11 (or maybe 12) that Steve wanted. Dude is past sheisty and he talks too much. Bashing him on the radio and in interviews was just uncalled for...not to mention unprofessional and bitchmade.I just hope for his sake, as well as his sanity, that he made some kind of peace with Bernie. If the rumors were true, those two haven't talked in about 2 years. But as of now, that's neither here nor there.
He had a small family. Just one daughter (whose married) and a granddaughter, Jasmine who's just a toddler that he loved and doted on immensely. He said she had him wrapped around her little finger and that he could never imagine having to have to bust her head to the white meat because she was his angel!! I hope his spirit stays with her.
This is a major loss to the entire world... Our prayers are with the Mac family and all his fans around the world...
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