Blog 4: Bernie Mac Leaves the Stage
Posted on August 11, 2008 by
Carl Hardin
When I got the news Saturday morning I was devastated. Reports from his publicist throughout the week had me convinced that Bernie would soon be back on his feet making us laugh again. At first I was skeptical of those reports. But, I dropped my guard, and started to believe what we all wanted to believe. That Bernie was responding well to treatment and would soon be released. It didn’t happen.
Bernie Mac had a whole lot of fans; all ages; all races. To say his appeal was broad would be an understatement. When I shared the news of his passing with my sons, they were immediately shocked and saddened. The entertainer I had become fond of for his raucous irreverent comedy, had made an impact on my kids as the star of one of their favorite family sitcoms.
As a young comedian and comedy producer, I heard about Bernie Mac in the early 1990’s just as I was taking a break from comedy to raise a family. But, I couldn’t help but wonder, who was this new entertainer from the windy city that travels with an entourage of dancers. The rising stars of comedy that I had worked with all traveled alone. Chris Rock, Tommy Davidson, Mark Curry. None of them came with an entourage. The timing of my break from comedy was my misfortune, as I never had the opportunity to meet Bernie personally.
A few weeks ago, news came out about Bernie Mac taking heat for a joke he told at a Barack Obama fundraiser. When I found out what joke he had told, I decided to make a video parody about the joke, to let folks know that the criticism he had gotten was unwarranted. For several weeks, the video averaged about a hundred views a day. The day the news came out that Bernie had passed, the video got more than five thousand views. Bernie was loved.
Rest in peace, Bernie. We know you have angels laughing in heaven now.
More on Bernie Mac:
Bernie's Joke at Obama Fundraiser
Bernie Mac Hospitalized with Pneumonia
Other Blogs:
Tiger Woods is Legend
Floating with Mohammad Ali
