Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50

Kites · 08-09-2008, 10:35 AM

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

SOURCE

Quote:

By F.N. D'ALESSIO, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago

CHICAGO - Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show," died Saturday at age 50.
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"Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles.

She said no other details were available and asked that his family's privacy be respected.

The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

Recently, Mac's brand of comedy caught him flack when he was heckled during a surprise appearance at a July fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate and fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama.

Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine, Mac joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language. The performance earned him a rebuke from Obama's campaign.

But despite controversy or difficulties, in his words, Mac was always a performer.

"Wherever I am, I have to play," he said in 2002. "I have to put on a good show."

Mac worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side. He began doing standup as a child, and his film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans comedy "Mo' Money" in 1992. In 1996, he appeared in the Spike Lee drama "Get on the Bus."

He was one of "The Original Kings of Comedy" in the 2000 documentary of that title that brought a new generation of black standup comedy stars to a wider audience.

Mac went on to star in the hugely popular "Ocean's Eleven" franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

His turn with Ashton Kutcher in 2005's "Guess Who" topped the box office. It was a comedy remake of the classic Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn drama "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" — with Mac as the black dad who's shocked that his daughter is marrying a white man.

Mac also had starring roles in "Bad Santa," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" and "Transformers."

In the late 1990s, he had a recurring role in "Moesha," the UPN network comedy starring pop star Brandy.

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.

"But television handcuffs you, man," he said in a 2001 Associated Press interview. "Now everyone telling me what I CAN'T do, what I CAN say, what I SHOULD do, and asking, `Are blacks gonna be mad at you? Are whites gonna accept you?'"

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.

"I came from a place where there wasn't a lot of joy," Mac told the AP in 2001. "I decided to try to make other people laugh when there wasn't a lot of things to laugh about."

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."

___

Associated Press writer Carla Johnson also contributed to this report.

RasenganFox · 08-09-2008, 10:44 AM

I JUST read about this, you beat me to posting it Kites. Wow, but yeah I'm speechless. Why did one of the good actors have to die? Seriously, his show was funny IMO. RIP Mac.

Kites · 08-09-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RasenganFox

I JUST read about this, you beat me to posting it Kites. Wow, but yeah I'm speechless. Why did one of the good actors have to die? Seriously, his show was funny IMO. RIP Mac.

It's because I'm black lol... But man this is something I didn't need to wake up too. I swear I thought the world was ending for a second..

kluang · 08-09-2008, 11:06 AM

This guy is one of my fav actor and comedian.

Well give him your last bow to one the king of comedy

Minimalist · 08-09-2008, 11:06 AM

damnnnn that's messed up this guy was funny what's up with celebs dying this year.

The Special One · 08-09-2008, 11:26 AM

^Yeah. Although I remember 2006 being bad as well.

Its a shame really. But their people like any others. They may be rich, famous, like able, and enjoyable to watch, but they go through trauma too unfortunately (sometimes).

He will be missed.

Trey · 08-09-2008, 11:31 AM

I did not see this coming. At all. Holy shit dude. R.I.P Bernie, you shall always be remembered for your role in Head of State. /momentofsilence

RasenganFox · 08-09-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kite$

It's because I'm black lol... But man this is something I didn't need to wake up too. I swear I thought the world was ending for a second..

Haha. Man, I hate when one of my favorite actors or comedians die. Not cool at all. I seriously hope George Lopez isn't in any medical trouble cause then I'll be mad as hell.

OniKage · 08-09-2008, 11:53 AM

i heard of journalists KIA, but...this? Oh well...

Kites · 08-09-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OniKage

i heard of journalists KIA, but...this? Oh well...

Why would you even bother posting then? Bernie Mac was a legendary comedian, and that's what you say after the dude passes away. Man, I hope you experience a long and painful death.

OG · 08-09-2008, 12:31 PM

damn he died pretty young. would have been nice to see him still doin comedy at like age 75. old bernie mac with his cane and telling old people jokes and shyte, imagine that lol

ah well, RIP.

RasenganFox · 08-09-2008, 12:51 PM

^ That's what we have Bill Cosby for, but he's not as funny.

ShinobiKnight · 08-09-2008, 02:40 PM

Damn. I used to watch the Bernie Mac show with my family when it was on. Laughter and good times. Bernie Mac, you will be missed.

Dark Shuriken · 08-09-2008, 03:01 PM

R.I.P. Bernie Mac. But, 50? Young age to die at.

Kata · 08-09-2008, 03:37 PM

I never expected it.... oh my god. That is so horrible...
R.I.P Bernie. He'll ever be forgotten.

08-09-2008, 10:44 AM	#2
RasenganFox Thunder Sage Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 584 Thanks: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 I JUST read about this, you beat me to posting it Kites. Wow, but yeah I'm speechless. Why did one of the good actors have to die? Seriously, his show was funny IMO. RIP Mac. __________________ "Will you be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"

08-09-2008, 11:06 AM	#4
kluang One Punch Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,419 Thanks: 3,186 Thanked 4,663 Times in 2,101 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 This guy is one of my fav actor and comedian. Well give him your last bow to one the king of comedy __________________ To err is human, to forgive, divine. Humans aren't machines... they have souls, feelings. They live, they die, they love, they hate... And yes, they even make mistakes..... When kluang finds you creepy and wrong then you are beyond horrible. He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Being Malaysian is about driving in a German car to an Indian restaurant for an Indonesian food, then travelling home, grabbing a Pakistani kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. Because we have no originality.

08-09-2008, 11:06 AM	#5
Minimalist Missing-Nin Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: In the dark area Posts: 305 Thanks: 0 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 damnnnn that's messed up this guy was funny what's up with celebs dying this year.

08-09-2008, 11:26 AM	#6
The Special One Kage Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Oakpark, Michigan Age: 22 Posts: 5,054 Thanks: 884 Thanked 4,449 Times in 1,550 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 ^Yeah. Although I remember 2006 being bad as well. Its a shame really. But their people like any others. They may be rich, famous, like able, and enjoyable to watch, but they go through trauma too unfortunately (sometimes). He will be missed. __________________ The Specialist, forever http://forums.narutocentral.com/showthread.php?t=24201 ^My first thread.lol

08-09-2008, 11:31 AM	#7
Trey Legendary Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,251 Thanks: 139 Thanked 538 Times in 300 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 I did not see this coming. At all. Holy shit dude. R.I.P Bernie, you shall always be remembered for your role in Head of State. /momentofsilence

08-09-2008, 11:53 AM	#9
OniKage Shadow Demon Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: In front of a computer Age: 20 Posts: 592 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 i heard of journalists KIA, but...this? Oh well... __________________ I'm with the:

08-09-2008, 12:31 PM	#11
OG [잊지 말아요] Join Date: Aug 2005 Age: 25 Posts: 7,624 Thanks: 2,234 Thanked 4,188 Times in 1,817 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 damn he died pretty young. would have been nice to see him still doin comedy at like age 75. old bernie mac with his cane and telling old people jokes and shyte, imagine that lol ah well, RIP. __________________

08-09-2008, 12:51 PM	#12
RasenganFox Thunder Sage Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 584 Thanks: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 ^ That's what we have Bill Cosby for, but he's not as funny. __________________ "Will you be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"

08-09-2008, 02:40 PM	#13
ShinobiKnight Silberner Held Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Andorra Age: 20 Posts: 1,914 Thanks: 473 Thanked 84 Times in 56 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 Damn. I used to watch the Bernie Mac show with my family when it was on. Laughter and good times. Bernie Mac, you will be missed. __________________

08-09-2008, 03:01 PM	#14
Dark Shuriken Ima Firin' Mah Lazar! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mu! Posts: 466 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 R.I.P. Bernie Mac. But, 50? Young age to die at. __________________ Aizen wants YOU to Join the Arrancar.

08-09-2008, 03:37 PM	#15
Kata Duck is gangsturer den u Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hephzibah, Georgia. Prounounce that right, bitch. Age: 20 Posts: 684 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	Re: Comedian Bernie Mac Dies at Age 50 I never expected it.... oh my god. That is so horrible... R.I.P Bernie. He'll ever be forgotten. __________________ ___ _l__l_ (o.o) (>.<) Dis muh sexy snowman. His name be Bif. I don't like children. I stuff them in closets with itty bitty flesh eating roaches. Do you need me to babysit?

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