Bernie Mac, Age 50

Bernie Mac died today, at age 50. He was a great comedian.

He also falls into a weird part of my comedy life. An important part, too.

I had a friend who often drove me to and from high school because we lived in the same neighborhood and I didn’t have a car. He was a massive Def Jam Comedy fan, so he had albums and copies of the televised shows ripped to CD, and we would listen to them in his car all the forty-minute drive to Dillard High School.

Chris Tucker was in there, Martin Lawrence was in there, lots of good, famous comedians. But Bernie Mac was one who stood out for me for some reason. Maybe his delivery was more solid and less frantic – which seemed to be a bit more popular then – but I always enjoyed his act. When I saw him in movies like Ocean’s Eleven, I got excited the way you get excited when you see your friends in commercials or getting TV spots.

I don’t know. I’m just sad about the whole thing. 50. 50? That’s too young. He’s had a great career, but only wish there had been more.