Actor, comedian and exasperated dad Bernie Mac dies at 50

bhkad · #1 (**permalink**) 08-10-2008, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Actor, comedian and exasperated dad Bernie Mac dies at 50

Published: August 10, 2008

Bernie Mac blended style, authority and a touch of self-aware bluster to make audiences laugh as well as connect with him. For Mac, who died Saturday at age 50, it was a winning mix, delivering him from a poor childhood to stardom as a standup comedian, in films including the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and his acclaimed sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show."

Though his comedy drew on tough experiences as a black man, he had mainstream appeal — befitting inspiration he found in a wide range of humorists: Harpo Marx as well as Moms Mabley; squeaky-clean Red Skelton, but also the raw Redd Foxx.

Mac died Saturday morning of complications from pneumonia in a Chicago-area hospital, his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles.

"The world just got a little less funny," said "Oceans" co-star George Clooney.

Don Cheadle, another member of the "Oceans" gang, concurred: "This is a very sad day for many of us who knew and loved Bernie. He brought so much joy to so many. He will be missed, but heaven just got funnier."

Mac 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. Obama took the stage about 15 minutes later, implored Mac to "clean up your act next time," then let him off the hook, adding: "By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."

Actor, comedian and exasperated dad Mac dies at 50 - International Herald Tribune

saltwn · #2 (**permalink**) 08-10-2008, 01:54 AM

Oh my God. I am so sad.
I first loved Bernie Mac in the movie "Life" with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. Mac played the hilariously funny Jangle Leg, a fellow prisoner of questionable sexuality.
Oh, my, this is a shock.

bhkad · #3 (**permalink**) 08-10-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

Oh my God. I am so sad.
I first loved Bernie Mac in the movie "Life" with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. Mac played the hilariously funny Jangle Leg, a fellow prisoner of questionable sexuality.
Oh, my, this is a shock.

I know!

faithful_servant · #4 (**permalink**) 08-11-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhkad

Actor, comedian and exasperated dad Mac dies at 50 - International Herald Tribune

Quote:

Mac 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.

I guess me and Bernie have something in common - sarcoidosis. It causes me to cough a dozen or so times a day and when it first came on, I lost my voice for about a week. Since then, it's been just an annoyance. Sarcoid's a weird disease. They don't know what causes it or how to really treat it (standard treatement is a round of high dose anti-inflammatories, coupled with a steroid inhaler, which deals with the symptoms, but not the cause). The disease is pretty benign in most cases (like mine), but it can progress to the point where it can cause scarring of the lungs.

bhkad · #5 (**permalink**) 08-11-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithful_servant

I guess me and Bernie have something in common - sarcoidosis. It causes me to cough a dozen or so times a day and when it first came on, I lost my voice for about a week. Since then, it's been just an annoyance. Sarcoid's a weird disease. They don't know what causes it or how to really treat it (standard treatement is a round of high dose anti-inflammatories, coupled with a steroid inhaler, which deals with the symptoms, but not the cause). The disease is pretty benign in most cases (like mine), but it can progress to the point where it can cause scarring of the lungs.

Wow, faithful_servant!

I wish you well, man!

(The smilie's smile doesn't seem exactly the emotion I want to convey but I'm not very good with emoticons.)

winston53660 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-12-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithful_servant

I guess me and Bernie have something in common - sarcoidosis. It causes me to cough a dozen or so times a day and when it first came on, I lost my voice for about a week. Since then, it's been just an annoyance. Sarcoid's a weird disease. They don't know what causes it or how to really treat it (standard treatement is a round of high dose anti-inflammatories, coupled with a steroid inhaler, which deals with the symptoms, but not the cause). The disease is pretty benign in most cases (like mine), but it can progress to the point where it can cause scarring of the lungs.

Even tough we disagree just about everything under the sun I really do wish you the best. And I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

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