Mac's publicist reportedly told celebrity gossip site TMZ.com, "Actor/ comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital. No other details are available at this time. We ask that his family's privacy continues to be respected."
Comedian, South Sider Bernie Mac dies at 50
August 9, 2008
Comedian Bernie Mac died at Northwestern Memorial hospital early Saturday morning, according to Sun-Times Columnist, Stella Foster. He was 50.
Though the cause of death has not been confirmed, Mac had been hospitalized recently for pneumonia. Foster said that she received calls early Saturday morning from a close friend of the Mac family, confirming the reports of Mac's death.
The columnist also said she was deeply saddened to receive such a phone call just an hour after Mac was pronounced dead.
"It brought tears to my eyes because Bernie Mac has always been my all-time favorite entertainer and comedian. It pains me to have to report that," Foster said during a phone interview on Saturday morning.
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the actor, whose real name is, Bernard McCullough, said that he had been responding well to treatment for the illness.
Publicist Danica Smith said Thursday in a statement that Mac's condition is ''stable.'' Smith first announced on August 1st that Mac was hospitalized in Chicago.
Smith said Mac's pneumonia wasn't related to an inflammatory lung disease Mac also had. That condition was in remission since 2005.
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I'm broken-hearted
Mac was a local guy done good who never forgot his roots.
I'm broken-hearted about
I'm broken-hearted about this, too.
Dang.
I will miss this brother. My
I will miss this brother. My wife and I loved his television show and for me this mattered because I never watch situation comedies and, yes, that includes the Cosby Show.
I don't understand, though, how a 50 year-old man who was not poor could die of pneumonia in a city like Chicago. Life is strange.
pt, I think his body was probably broken down because
of sarcadosis. Pneumonia is nothing to play with, my friend. Nothing. With his probably already compromised immune system, the pneumonia was able to wreck havoc.
"Pneumonia is nothing to
"Pneumonia is nothing to play with, my friend."
Tell me about it. I never had a respiratory illness my entire life until I moved to Pennsylvania. While living there I had pneumonia three times as well as bronchitis and sinusitis. The second time I was hit with pneumonia was on September 11, 2001. My doctor freaked out because the week before I had had a physical exam and passed with flying colors and I was not ill during the weekend. I couldn't return to work for nearly three weeks. I finally told my wife that I would die if I continued living in Pennsylvania or anywhere else on the east coast, although I have lived in Boston twice and was never ill.