A True King of Comedy...

Maaan!!?!

What began as a beautiful summer Saturday has now become glum.

Flipping through from some pretty slow Olympics coverage (…Badminton and Women’s Handball…Umm, really!?) I couldn’t have been more shocked or saddened to learn of the passing of Bernie Mac via an NBC Sports Update.

It was eight days ago that Bernie was admitted to a hospital in Chicago, due to complications from pneumonia, believed to have been brought on by sarcoidosis; a tissue inflammation disease.

Completely coincidental, (with news of his hospitalization not breaking until the next day, and my not knowing until the following Monday, Aug 4th) that VERY day, I had decided to set-up an old VCR (…yes, VHS, son!!!) and watch some old shows taped from the early-mid ‘90s.

One of my favorite late-night weekend shows from that time was Uptown Comedy Club (future post on that, and footage to come). The tape that I decided to watch that day featured a ridiculous performance of Nice and Smooth performing “Hip Hop Junkies,” and a stand up set by Bill Bellamy and none other than Bernie, himself.

What hurts about this one, is the way the media and publicists were forced to deal with reports and rumors of his passing, earlier in the week. After having felt a HUGE sense of relief from assertions that his condition was stable, and things were looking-up for Bernie to pull through…now, it is this. But then again, that’s the way things work-out sometimes, especially with major health issues. Despite the official statements of “critical/stable” condition, it’s really always day-to-day.

So, I've been masking my tears of sadness for those of laughter with some clips from YouTube:




Much of the country and middle-America will recognize Bernie Mac best from his Fox sitcom The Bernie Mac Show, while the rest of the world has seen him on Def Comedy Jam, and know him as one of the original Kings of Comedy:




In Saj’s Corn3r though, he’s a comedic god. To have lost someone who has given me such joy and laughter over the past 15 years, just hurts.

And in this day-and-age of extreme e-praising, and holding those who have recently passed on a virtual pedestal; these words are sure to get lost in the mix. But, Bernie…I just want to say, Thanks! Thanks for your hustle, your comedy, your ability to reach out to the masses, while still “keepin’ it real” for the rest of us, and staying true to what you really were and always will be: One of The Funniest Motherf*ckers, EVER!!!

Bernard Jeffrey "Bernie Mac" McCullough
October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008