Actor, comedian Bernie Mac, dies at 50

Chicago Sun Times ^ | August 9, 2008 | STELLA FOSTER

[tlb]

Comedian Bernie Mac died at Northwestern Memorial hospital early Saturday morning, according to Sun-Times Columnist, Stella Foster. He was 50.

Though the cause of death has not been confirmed, 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.

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.

Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The comedian starred in the critically acclaimed Fox television series ''The Bernie Mac Show.'' His film credits include roles in the ''Ocean's Eleven'' franchise.

[tlb]

So much for responding well to treatment.

[csvset]

Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

A Obama body count? /s

I thought his TV show was funny.

[Alas Babylon!]

Dang! I had pneumonia last year but didn't think it was that big a deal. The doctor seemed real concerned and about demanded I take off work and stay home and rest. Obviously I got better.

Rest in Peace, Bernie!

[mrs. a]

How sad! We loved his show.

Prayers for his family.

[BallyBill]

Sad news. I was under the impression he was getting better too.

[Puppage]

So much for responding well to treatment.

Yeah, no kidding. Well, at least his condition is stabilized.

[gridlock]

Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

He'll still get to vote Democrat in the next election... and the one after that... and the one after that...

[Huntress]

RIP, Mr. Mac.

You were great in “Bad Santa.”

[Kolb]

Wow, sad news. RIP Bernie, thoughts and prayers out to your family and friends.

[poobear]

I had pneumonia a couple of years back. Lost 12 lbs in 10 days. Finally went to the doctor 2 weeks later because of persistent congestion. He said “YOU HAD PNEUMONIA AND COULD HAVE DIED!”

D@mn. Guess he was right.

RIP Bernie.

[Krankor]

The doctor seemed real concerned and about demanded I take off work and stay home and rest. Obviously I got better.
Mmmm....maybe you were a newt.

[Chode]

he failed to live up to his wellness potential...

[vladimir998]

Wow. This is a shock. RIP

[silent_jonny]

Whoa ...

I liked The Bernie Mac Show. He may have been a democrat, but his show was mostly conservative--and it was funny too.

Sad news.

[Liberty2007]

can anyone post an edited version of Bernies obama joke?
I liked bernie mac too.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

It’s not anything to play around with.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

A Obama body count? /s

Maybe a DNC body count... Never underestimate the devious nature of the Left... and I'm serious about that...

[kenth]

Prayers for him and his family.

Good grief, that’s way too young. That’s just a bit older than my father was, who was hospitalized for the same thing, pneumonia. It turned out to be a pulmonary embolism.

[fleagle]

Wow. That’s too bad. He was a funny and talented fella. Loved him in the Ocean’s Eleven remake...

[Impy]

Holy crap.

Good Chicago guy.

Rest in Peace.

[Impy]

"My little nephew came to me and he said, 'Uncle, what's the difference between a hypothetical question and a realistic question?'" Mac said. "I said, I don't know, but I said, 'Go upstairs and ask your mother if she'd m*ke lo*e to the mailman for $50,000.'"

[retrokitten]

Very sad. He was supposedly getting better, but the explanations sounded a bit fishy. Just yesterday they said even though he was getting better, he’d still be in the hospital for 2 weeks.

He had sarcoidosis. A man at my work also has this and he nearly died from it. I guess it can effect the lungs, so maybe that had something to do with it?

[new cruelty]

Wow. He was a very funny man. I remember his act about the workplace- “Anybody seen Johnny?!!” He had a great method of delivery. Rest in peace, Bernie.

[DennisR]

“Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.”

Hm...sounds like the typical Democrat fundraiser/event. Kind of like Robin Williams using the F-word with children in the audience.

[John W]

The story link has changed-—

http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/1099622,xmac080908.article

[silent_jonny]

I'd noticed in some of the re-runs of his show that he looked awful.

He used to be thin, but near the end of the show he gained a lot of weight and it looked like one of his eyes went lazy. I don't know if that was related to his illness, but he sure didn't look healthy :-/

[FDNYRHEROES]

Mac made waves last month with off-color jokes during a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

At least he didn't get thrown under a bus...

[neb52]

You had pneumonia and went to work! I’d hate to be your co-workers.

[Antoninus]

Poor Bernie. He was a funny guy. Died too young.

I'll pray for him and his family.

[huldah1776]

Bernie, you always made me LOL, a true gift.

[sarasota]

This is correct. Early detection is key and recovery can be very lengthy.

[3catsanadog]

I caught it in 1998. Two weeks before Thanksgiving that year, I came down with the flu - well I thought it was the flu. The weekend after Thanksgiving I coughed practically for 48 hours and Monday called my doctor. He had given me an antibiotic for the flu and so when I called him, he said that it should've been cleared up by then and he wanted me to get x-rays post-haste.

Got the xrays and the phone was ringing by the time I got home; it was my doctor, he had gotten the reading and called to say I had full-blown pneumonia in both lobes and strongly urged me to go to the hospital.

I didn't argue. By the time I was on my way to the hospital, I didn't hardly have the strength to get myself fed. I guess I could've died then too had I not gotten medical help.

Pneumonia is SERIOUS! Nothing to ever fool around with. He kept me in the hospital for 7 days. I never felt so weak in all my life and he prescribed that I stay at home for 2 weeks after I was discharged.

RIP Bernie - you brought alot of laughs to many people.

[omega4179]

Pneumonia kills 88,000 ppl a year in the US. RIP Bernie.

[UCANSEE2]

Thank you Bernie Mac, and God bless you.

[Sue Perkick]

Well d@mn. Sorry to hear that. Prayers up for the family.

[musicman]

I really liked Bernie Mac. I’m a die-hard baseball fan. Bernie’s movie “Mr 3000” is one of my top 5 baseball movies.

God speed Bernie Mac.

[Sue Perkick]

I seem to remember hearing that. I think Karen Duffy has that too.

[JavaJumpy]

Could have been the result of steroids which are used to treat sarcoidosis, which the poster above mentioned he had.

Pneumonia isn’t just pneumonia with sarcoidosis.

[BigBlueJon]

“I had pneumonia a couple of years back. Lost 12 lbs in 10 days. Finally went to the doctor 2 weeks later because of persistent congestion. He said “YOU HAD PNEUMONIA AND COULD HAVE DIED!””

Same thing happened to me. Waited forever. Finally went to the doctor when I couldn’t pi$$ anymore. Too high fever and no fluids. I was in the ER from 5:30pm to 4:30 AM the next morning(too soon.) I was initially treated for sepsis due to the pneumonia and then left with treatment for prostatitis. Not fun at all being in bed for the next 2 weeks with fluids drugs. That was the most sick I had ever been and do not want a repeat.

Prayers to Bernie Mac’s family and friends.

[dfwgator]

Obamacide?

[stuartcr]

Tasteless and stupid?

[LibFreeOrDie]

I'm sure being dissed by his "friend", Obama, didn't help.

Condolences to his family and true friends.

Bernie and his wife:

Bernie's TV show was wonderful.

Bernie's TV family:

[theDentist]

:-(

That's too bad. Like Cosby, he often joked and ridiculed family and life, didn't just stick to racial humor. I'd watch his show often, and you gotta admit, his smile said it all about him.

Bye Bernie. Thanks for the laughs.

[poobear]

I remember the fevers were hell. You’d get so weak and it hurt to move. Bad bad stuff!

Yes, Prayers for his family. Tragic.

[peggybac]

I waited a few weeks before I went to the ER and they were about to release me until they saw the xrays. My left lung was filled with pneumonia and I was hospitalized for 7 days. But, damn, if I lost a pound.

[Carbonsteel]

PNEUMONIA, biggest killer known.

[fieldmarshaldj]

:-(

RIP, Mr. McCollough. Always enjoyed your work.

[poobear]

“But, damn, if I lost a pound.”

Probably because you got treatment. I laid around in bed and didn’t eat anything for two weeks. Just a sip of juice now and then.

You were wise!

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

Well, at least his condition is stabilized.

Wow! That's really cold! Funny, but cold. Bernie would probably appreciate the humor!

On a different (and slightly creepy) note. I seem to recall a spat of emails circulating about a week or so back that were announcing Bernie Mac had died of complications from his bout with pneumonia. Anyone else recall the "premature" announcement?

Regards,
GtG

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

I had pneumonia last year...Obviously I got better.

That's the good news. The bad news is that once you've had pneumonia you are predisposed to get it again. If it shows up again, don't wait to see your doctor.

Pneumonia, the gift that keeps on giving!

Regards,
GtG