Today we celebrate what would have been legendary comedian Bernie Mac’s 67th birthday. The Chicago native rose to fame in the later years of his adult life when he delivered his instant classic performance on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. Drawing inspiration from Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, Mac grew to be regarded as one of the comedic greats as his delivery and punch lines were nothing short of one of a kind. He had the ability to make people of all colors laugh, but his jokes about Black culture were his bread and butter as they oozed with relatability. If there’s anything to be said about Mac, it’s that he is your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian. Let’s take a look back at some of his iconic roles.
The Original Kings of Comedy
From 1997-1999, 4 of the biggest comedians at the time went on tour and were met with sold out shows night after night. On the bill were Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, and Bernie Mac, a line up that even today has many wishing we were old enough to attend (my 8-year-old self didn’t even know what I was missing out on back then). In 2000, Spike Lee put together a comedy feature film called The Original Kings of Comedy where he tagged along as they put on some of the best shows of their careers. While everyone did their thing, it was Mac who truly stood out, giving us a set we still quote to this day, word for word, bar for bar (many of us still say “milk and cookies” imitating his tone). Although it isn’t an acting role, this was a must to include on the list as it introduced him to a wider audience and further thrust him into the mainstream spotlight.
Ocean’s Eleven
In the trilogy, Mac plays con man Frank Catton alongside an absolute stacked cast composed of George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts, just to name a few. This role was pivotal for Mac as it solidified his ability to tone down his language and still find a way to be funny while appealing to the white community. Before, it could have easily been assumed that the comedian would have been typecast in films like The Players Club and Booty Call. Appearing in the Oceans series opened many doors, as he began landing roles in bigger flicks like Charlie’s Angels, Guess Who, Head of State, and his own lead role in Mr. 3000. It is a shame we won’t get to see Mac reprise his role in the recently announced fourth installment of the franchise, especially given he was the main source of comedic relief (his interaction with Damon was top 3 most memorable).
Friday
Mac’s Pastor Clever might be a small role, but boy, did he have an impact in Friday. As a nosy pastor looking to score some weed “to help” with his cataract, he had viewers cackling every time he was on screen. Knowing how hilarious Mac really is, it’s a wonder he didn’t play a bigger part, especially seeing how the film is an absolute staple in Black households. More interesting, two more installments were released while the legend was still alive (Next Friday in 200 and Friday After Next in 2002), leaving some to wonder why he didn’t return or if he was even asked to. Ice Cube and Chris Tucker were iconic as Craig and Smokey, but Mac really gave us a few notable references in the few scenes he was in. Oh how epic it would have been to see him and Mike Epps interact in one of those sequels, but maybe that’s who Pinky was meant to replace.
Soul Men
In what is one of the best team up of iconic Black talent, Mac starred alongside Samuel L. Jackson in Soul Men as a duo that has to reunite to pay tribute to their old band leader who passed away. This marks one of three films released after Mac’s death (ironically, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa hit theaters the same day and is one of those three posthumous films). Director Malcolm D. Lee spoke with Black Tree TV back in 2008 about not only losing Mac, but another piece of the film, the legendary Isaac Hayes, who passed away the very next day. “It was surreal. It had to be some sort of bad dream that these two giants would die on the same weekend, and both would be in my movie.” Unfortunately, while Mac’s death was deeply felt, Soul Men fell short at the box office. Oftentimes, some of the most beloved films don’t get all the love in theaters, but over time, they become more appreciated. Soul Men is one of those as it gave us the dynamic duo of Jackson and Mac before it was too late.
The Bernie Mac Show
Premiering in 2001, The Bernie Mac Show was an instant hit as it was loosely based on one of his stand-up comedy acts where he details taking in his sister’s kids. The series centered around Mac and his wife Wanda (Kelita Smith) raising Vanessa (Camille Winbush), Jordan (Jeremy Suarez), and Bryana aka Baby Girl (Dee Dee Davis) as they go through different stages of growing up. His unique take on parenthood is a much more toned down version of what he jokes on stage (no way Fox would allow Bernie Mac to threaten busting a child in the head until the white meat shows). It ran for five seasons from 2001 to 2006 before being canceled after 104 episodes. The Bernie Mac Show was a pivotal point in Black entertainment culture. Bernie Mac talking directly to the camera addressing viewers as “America” made it special to tune in and watch during prime time. To this day, reruns generate just as many chuckles now as they did back then.
Wishing the late great Bernie Mac a Happy Birthday today!