2008 has not been a good year as far as celebrity deaths. The filmgoing world is still reeling from the tragedy of Heath Ledger’s death, not the least reason for which is because of the smashing success of The Dark Knight, creating a bizarre coincidence about Ledger’s final role. Now, on Saturday, Aug. 9th, 50-year-old Bernie Mac has died suddenly as well.
He was born in Chicago in 1957 and grew up in a rough neighborhood, living in a small house with a large family. Not the greatest situation, but the situational comedy of his young life laid the foundation for his comedic style and, while it prevented his career from really taking off for more than a decade, it defined the Bernie Mac that we have come to know and love.
Mac started his career in show business as a stand up comedian at age 19 in 1977, and didn’t make his film debut until 1992, with the Wayan brothers’ Mo’ Money. He then showed up in a line of small roles in small comedies, until the banner year of 1995, when he did an HBO special, “Midnight Mac,” and also took on the role of Pastor Clever in the hit comedy Friday, from which he began to gain a cult following
In 1996, he had a starring role in Spike Lee’s Get On The Bus, and also stole the show in the less impressive Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. At this point he had a recurring role in the TV series “Moesha,” and then began to get bigger and better movie roles, such as his role as Buster in How To Be A Player and the curiously named Dollar Bill in The Player’s Club, for which he is billed above co-stars Jamie Foxx, Ice Cube, and none other than Terrence Howard.
But his biggest break to date would come in 1999, when he starred as Jangle Leg alongside Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence in the highly popular crime comedy Life (”I da pappy!”). Barely a year later, Mac became more of a household name after the success of the stand-up comedian feature film The Original Kings of Comedy, which he then followed up alongside Martin Lawrence again with a clever role in the otherwise less-than-impressive What’s the Worst That Could Happen?
His film acting career took another noticable turn upwards in 2001 when he played a major role in the star-studded Ocean’s 11, where he appeared alongside George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Elliott Gould, but he may be best remembered for his hugely popular television series, “The Bernie Mac Show,” which appeared for a full five seasons and for which TV Guide recognized him as one of the 50 greatest TV dads of all time.
During that time he also starred in several popular and successful films, including Ocean’s 12 and 13, Bad Santa, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Mr. 3000, and Transformers, and, believe it or not, he currently has four projects in post-production. One of them, Soul Men, also stars Samuel L. Jackson, and the other, Old Dogs, has an endless cast that includes John Travolta, Robin Williams, Matt Dillon and Seth Green.
In searching for photos of Bernie Mac online, I noticed that it’s difficult to find many of him without a gleaming grin spread across his face, and I think it’s safe to assume that this is how he’ll be most remembered.
He had a very unique style of humor that was entirely his own and that he never compromised. There seems to be a distinct shortage of big-name actors who refuse to let the Hollywood machine change them, and Mac’s loss makes that short list even shorter.
In his autobiography, he tells of a formative experience early in life that really puts his work into perspective:
“One night I come in and find my mama in front of the TV cryin’. And you know how it is when you’re a little kid: your mama cryin’, you gonna be cryin in a minute.
I climb onto her lap. She holds me. I look at them big-ass tears coming down her cheeks and I reach up and wipe em with my pudgy little hands. “Mama,” I ask, “why you cryin’?”
She didn’t answer. She was lookin at the TV. Black guy’s talking to Ed Sullivan. I look at him, but I don’t hear but a few words. And I can’t make them out anyway, see, because suddenly my mama’s laughin’ to bust a gut. Her whole lap is shakin’. I got to hold on tight or get thrown clear across the room.
I turn to look at her – this is the same woman that was cryin’ a second ago? – then turn back to the TV. “Who that man, mama?” She’s still laughin’. Takes her awhile to catch her breath.
“Bill Cosby, son. He’s a comedian.”
A comedian?
“What’s that?”
Now she’s laughin’ harder. Tears still comin’ out of her eyes, but she’s happy. She’s slappin’ the arm of the chair, she’s so happy.
“That’s what I want to be, mama. A comedian. Make you laugh like that, maybe you never cry again.”
Bernie Mac lost his mother and his two brothers, and he leaves behind his wife Rhonda, his daughter Je’Niece, and millions of fans.
