Hey guys! Sorry about the lack of updates. I'm thisclose to kicking my funky-ass, slow-ass, need-to-be-replaced computer up against my wall!! I intend to update the blog a lot more this week, but in the meantime I thought some of you all would like to see the following videos of Bernie's fellow Original Kings of Comedy: Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley and Steve Harvey (via satellite from Atlanta, Georgia) paying tribute to him on Larry King Live last night. Actors Kellita Smith, Camille Winbush, Jeremy Suarez and Dee Dee Davis, Bernie's co-stars from his self-titled sitcom as well as Ashton Kutcher, who starred alongside Bernie in the 2005 film Guess Who? also paid heartfelt tributes to the man who left us way too soon.
Below are clips from Larry King's Special Tribute to Bernie Mac which aired last night at 9 p.m. on CNN. Thanks to Nadia for throwing them my way!
In Part 1, watch D.L., Cedric & Steve reveal how they learned of Bernie's passing.
In Part 2 of the special tribute, Ashton Kutcher, who says he felt privileged and honored to even get to know Bernie Mac, explains his reasons why he believes Bernie would want us to celebrate his life, instead of grieve for him. Also check out Cedric's Mac Man imitation!
WATCH PART 3
HERE. AND
CLICK HERE TO WATCH PART 4 OF THE SPECIAL TRIBUTE WITH THE CAST OF 'THE BERNIE MAC SHOW.'
CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!Harvey, who was in Chicago when Bernie passed, but still nursed a beef with the late comedian that stemmed from Bernie landing a role in the Ocean 11 film series that garnered him crossover success--a role Harvey once said should have gone to him instead, told King that the late Richard Pryor, who died of a heart attack in 2005, had a big influence on the Mac Man. "You know, (MAC) was a storyteller. Pryor was the king of storytelling and in a very special cultural way. You know, Pryor, just like Bernie, whether you grew up in his neighborhood or you were around his lifestyle, he painted the picture and made you see it. And I don't see how Pryor couldn't have been an influence. He was an influence on all of us." Hughley added a bit of humor during the hour-long tribute when he told King that the one thing he loved about Bernie was his swagger. Hughley said, while on tour, he and the other guys couldn't wait to see what Bernie would wear each night because he always seem to wear suits in colors that even [Crayola] crayons hadn't invented yet! My heart went out to D.L. after hearing him say how much it saddened him that he never got a chance to tell Bernie how much he meant to him. The last time they talked was when Bernie was doing promo for Ocean's 13 and again several months ago.
Anyhoo, when King asked Cedric about Bernie's plans to retire, the comedian insisted he had no such plans....although in 2007 the Mac Man told late night show host David Letterman that he planned to hang up his acting shoes after shooting The Whole Truth, Nothing but the Truth, So Help Me Mac. Cedric explained to King that Bernie was keen to return to TV after previously starring in The Bernie Mac Show and UPN comedy Moesha. "I had spoken with him probably in the last, you know, maybe about the last three weeks. And he was definitely talking about producing some more movies. And he planned on producing some other movies. He had even looked at doing television again." Harvey added, "Bernie was too big out there. He was too big on stage. For Bernie Mac not to tell jokes again, not to stand on the stage with a microphone, a bar stool, a spotlight and a bottle of water, I can't even see that, you know?"
READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!
Isaac Hayes' contribution to soul, rock and South Park may live forever, but in the end, the man himself was a mere mortal. Hayes died Sunday at the age of 65. And according to paperwork filed by his family doctor, David Kraus, he was felled by a stroke brought on by chronic hypertension, according to a statement released Tuesday by Shelby County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Schular. No autopsy is scheduled, so this is being treated as the official cause of death and a death certificate should be on file at the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department within the next few days. "The Hayes family is comfortable with Dr. Kraus' recommendation to not conduct an autopsy," Schular said.
