Bernie Mac: 1957-2008

The famous comic actor had been battling sarcoidosis and said he was getting better, but pneumonia is what took his life today. From CNN:

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Bernie Mac, the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor and comedian who worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side, died Saturday at age 50.

Bernie Mac, 50, was nominated for a Grammy for "The Original Kings of Comedy."

"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, California.

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.

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

I must admit that he still seemed somewhat ill to me when I saw him on television recently, but I figured it would take time for him to full recover. The death from pneumonia, on the other hand, is a shock to the system, and I am saddened by it. My prayers go out to his family, friends and fans. We'll miss you, man.

UPDATE: Here's some CNN footage from YouTube:

 
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