African women risking health by bleaching skin

In a sad story that shows that black women all over the world are dealing with self esteem and beauty issues women in Uganda are putting their health at risk by bleaching their skin in an attempt to be more "beautiful". This has become such a problem that the government has now banned some bleaching creams and lotions. This story features a very sad a telling quote.

Consumers of bleaching cosmetics claim that they want to enhance their beauty. One woman who declined to be named, explains, “One has to look good, by having fair, lighter skin.” Read the entire story by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Iraq wants the U.S. out...

Iraqi Public Opinion on the Presence of US Troops - World Public Opinion

July 30, 2008

Testimony of Dr. Steven Kull
Director, Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA),
University of Maryland
Director, WorldPublicOpinion.org

July 23, 2008 - 2:00 PM

Before House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Bill Delahunt: And next we have Dr. Steven Kull, the director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes testified during the kickoff in the wrap-up hearing for our hearings -- our inquiry, rather, into how the United States is viewed by the rest of the world.

I don't have the time to list his various expert qualifications as a pollster, because he has just one that counts to most the me: There's nobody that we trust more to interpret polling and focus groups results for us, and today he will address and educate us on Iraqi opinion about the issues surrounding the U.S.-Iraq agreement: timetables, withdrawals, sovereignty and the presence of U.S. forces.

Thank you again, Steve, for joining us.... Dr. Kull, would you please proceed?

David Yeagley Is Back With More Twisted Elitism...is he the real face of First Nations Conservatism?

David Yeagley's BadEagle.com

White Woman Down
by David Yeagley

White women are destroying America. “White trash” women are polluting America with interracial sex of every grade, producing children with impossible identities and crippled self-esteem, and these women are doing it all in the name of charity, equality, or survival.

On FrontPageMagazine.com, I published an article on May 18, 2001 entitled “What’s Up with White Women?” It proved to be my most quoted article, beginning with authors like Pat Buchanan, Robert Spencer, and a host of bloggers. That article called attention to the fact that many American white women have lost respect and confidence in the country. I quoted the Cheyenne proverb, “A nation is never conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground.”

Luiz Ramirez, criminal trespasser, unmarried baby-maker,
accidently killed by white teen-agers in Shenandoah, PA.
- Dr. David Yeagley:

But I didn’t take it far enough. The proclivity of white women for interracial marriage in this country is worse than most people realize. Never mind the forced images of white women with black men in the media. What’s happening in the street?

Lower income white women are making a mockery of America.

Take the recent case in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a small coal mining town. Headlines were all about a hate crime where white teenagers accidentally killed a Mexican immigrant. “PA Teens Charged with Fatal Beating of Immigrant,” as ABC put it, July 25, 2008. The “immigrant” was, of course, an illegal Mexican, among many who have invaded the small town. The 25-year-old Mexican was with a teen-aged (white?) girl from the town, and the teen-aged boys who attacked him were white.

Saskatoon police charge man after woman's remains found

Saskatoon police charge man after woman's remains found

Police in Saskatoon have charged a man after finding the remains of a woman who has been missing for four years.Daleen Bosse was attending university in Saskatoon when she disappeared in 2004. Daleen Bosse was attending university in Saskatoon when she disappeared in 2004. (CBC)

The remains belong to Daleen Kay Bosse, a member of the Lloydminster-area Onion Lake First Nation, who was 25 when she went missing in 2004, the Saskatoon Police Service said.

At the time of her disappearance, Bosse had been living in Saskatoon with her husband and three-year-old daughter, and attending university. She was last seen leaving a Saskatoon nightclub on May 18, 2004.

Douglas R. Hales, 30, of White Fox, Sask., has been charged with first-degree murder. He's also charged with interfering with a dead body.

Hales was arrested on Saturday and appeared briefly in Saskatoon provincial court before being remanded into custody. People in the packed courtroom cried out when the Crown prosecutor said it's alleged that Bosse's body had been set on fire.

More than 'Shaft': Hayes was goldmine of influence

More than 'Shaft': Hayes was goldmine of influence - NewsCloud.com

Isaac Hayes' theme song for the 1971 movie "Shaft" not only became one of pop music's iconic songs, but also the defining work of Hayes' career. Yet the "Theme from Shaft" was just a snippet of the groundbreaking music for which Hayes - who died Sunday at age 65 - was responsible.

Two Latinos guilty in hate crime assault

Two guilty in hate crime assault - SGVTribune.com

POMONA - Two reputed gang members are facing multiple life sentences for the attempted murders of two black victims based on their race, officials said Friday.

Bobby Perez, 22, of Hacienda Heights, and Jonathan Carrion, 21, of Baldwin Park, were convicted by a Pomona Superior Court jury on Friday of two counts each of attempted premeditated murder with special gang and hate crime allegations, El Monte police Detective Ralph Batres said.

The verdicts stem from a June 16, 2007, incident in which Perez and Carrion - members of the El Monte Flores gang - joined six to seven other fellow gang members and assaulted four mentally handicapped clients of the Bridges facility on Elliott Avenue in El Monte, Batres said.

The clients were coming back from a nearby Pizza Hut when they were attacked. Two of the unidentified victims, who were black, were stabbed in the back. A third Hispanic victim was kicked and a fourth Caucasian victim was also beat, Batres said.

Witnesses told police the group of men were yelling out the El Monte Flores gang name and racial slurs during the attack.

The victims identified Perez and Carrion as the suspects who stabbed the two black victims, Batres said.

All of the victims eventually recovered from their injuries, he said.

In addition to the attempted murder verdicts, Carrion and Perez were also convicted on one count each of assault with a deadly weapon with special gang and hate crime allegations, and one count each of
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felony battery also with special gang and hate crime allegations, Batres said.

They face multiple life terms when they are sentenced on Aug. 21.

Broken Justice in Indian Country

Op-Ed Contributor - Broken Justice in Indian Country - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

ONE in three American Indian women will be raped in their lifetimes, statistics gathered by the United States Department of Justice show. But the odds of the crimes against them ever being prosecuted are low, largely because of the complex jurisdictional rules that operate on Indian lands. Approximately 275 Indian tribes have their own court systems, but federal law forbids them to prosecute non-Indians. Cases involving non-Indian offenders must be referred to federal or state prosecutors, who often lack the time and resources to pursue them.

The situation is unfair to Indian victims of all crimes — burglary, arson, assault, etc. But the problem is greatest in the realm of sexual violence because rapes and other sexual assaults on American Indian women are overwhelmingly interracial. More than 80 percent of Indian victims identify their attacker as non-Indian. (Sexual violence against white and African-American women, in contrast, is primarily intraracial.) And American Indian women who live on tribal lands are more than twice as likely to be raped or sexually assaulted as other women in the United States, Justice Department statistics show.

May I Be Offended on Your Behalf?

May I Be Offended on Your Behalf? at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture

All of us who suffer inequalities related to race hope that one day the mainstream will “get it.” We want them to get institutional bias. We want them to get the nuances between funny and offensive. We want them to get their own privilege. We want them to get our cultural differences, while also getting that we are individuals apart from cultural markers.We want them to understand these things, but there is a fine line between developing an awareness of bias and arrogantly believing that you are so enlightened that you “get” all there is to know about being a person of color. If I am honest, I want white people to “get it,” but I don’t want them thinking they “get it” better than me–a black woman who actually lives with race bias.

what would ella baker do

this person's haul: what would ella baker do

After reading I've Got the Light of Freedom: The Organizing Tradition & The Mississippi Freedom Struggle and getting to know Ella Baker substantially for the first time, I decided to read the most recent and promising biography on her, Ella Baker & the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision. I wanted to find out as much as I could about the process of her life, how she got involved, and the ways in which she worked. 100 pages in, it's a great biography so far.

Issac Hayes, RIP

Rest in Peace, Issac Hayes

___________________________________________________________________

ISSAC HAYES DIES AT 65

Isaac Hayes, the pioneering singer, songwriter and musician whose relentless "Theme From Shaft" won Academy and Grammy awards, died Sunday afternoon, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said. He was 65.

A family member found him unresponsive near a treadmill and he was pronounced dead an hour later at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, according to the sheriff's office. The cause of death was not immediately known.

In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for disco, for what became known as urban-contemporary music and for romantic crooners like Barry White. And he was rapping before there was rap.

His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show "South Park."

Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

"The treadmill was running but he was unresponsive lying on the floor," Shular said.
The album "Hot Buttered Soul" made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image.

"Hot Buttered Soul" was groundbreaking in several ways: He sang in a "cool" style unlike the usual histrionics of big-time soul singers. He prefaced the song with "raps," and the numbers ran longer than three minutes with lush arrangements.

"Jocks would play it at night," Hayes recalled in a 1999 Associated Press interview. "They could go to the bathroom, they could get a sandwich, or whatever."

Next came "Theme From Shaft," a No. 1 hit in 1971 from the film "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree.

"That was like the shot heard round the world," Hayes said in the 1999 interview.
At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. TV Guide later chose it as No. 18 in its list of television's 25 most memorable moments. He won an Academy Award for the song and was nominated for another one for the score. The song and score also won him two Grammys.

"The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence," he said. "And they'll tell you if you ask."

Hayes was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

"I knew nothing about the business, or trends and things like that," he said. "I think it was a matter of timing. I didn't know what was unfolding."

A self-taught musician, he was hired in 1964 by Stax Records of Memphis as a backup pianist, working as a session musician for Otis Redding and others. He also played saxophone.

He began writing songs, establishing a songwriting partnership with David Porter, and in the 1960s they wrote such hits for Sam and Dave as "Hold On, I'm Coming" and "Soul Man."
All this led to his recording contract.

In 1972, he won another Grammy for his album "Black Moses" and earned a nickname he reluctantly embraced. Hayes composed film scores for "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner" besides "Shaft." He also did the song "Two Cool Guys" on the "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" movie soundtrack in 1996.

Additionally, he was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick at Nite" and had radio shows in New York City (1996 to 2002) and then in Memphis.

He was in several movies, including "It Could Happen to You" with Nicolas Cage, "Ninth Street" with Martin Sheen, "Reindeer Games" starring Ben Affleck and the blaxploitation parody "I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka."

In the 1999 interview, Hayes described the South Park cook as "a person that speaks his mind; he's sensitive enough to care for children; he's wise enough to not be put into the 'whack' category like everybody else in town — and he l-o-o-o-o-ves the ladies."

But Hayes angrily quit the show in 2006 after an episode mocked his Scientology religion. "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," he said.

Co-creator creators Matt Stone responded that Hayes "has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians." A subsequent episode of the show seemingly killed off the Chef character.

Hayes was born in 1942 in a tin shack in Covington, Tenn., about 40 miles north of Memphis. He was raised by his maternal grandparents after his mother died and his father took off when he was 1 1/2. The family moved to Memphis when he was 6.

Hayes wanted to be a doctor, but got redirected when he won a talent contest in ninth grade by singing Nat King Cole's "Looking Back."

He held down various low-paying jobs, including shining shoes on the legendary Beale Street in Memphis. He also played gigs in rural Southern juke joints where at times he had to hit the floor because someone began shooting.

600 gather for funeral of First Nations bus slaying victim

600 gather for funeral of bus slaying victim

Family and friends gathered Saturday afternoon to bid farewell to Tim McLean, 22, who was brutally killed aboard a Greyhound bus just over a week ago near Portage la Prairie, Man.

About 600 mourners packed a church in Winnipeg for the funeral service.

His uncle, Alex McLean, told them that his nephew was "friendly, kind, sweet and caring."

The young man, a travelling carnival worker, loved making new friends on his many journeys, his uncle said.

But "he never left behind the ones he made in high school," McLean said. "His love of his friends was easy to see."

McLean also remembered his nephew's tremendous sense of humour, recalling that the last time he saw him, he was shirtless and flexing his muscles.

"That was your trademark," McLean said.

Before the service began, John Jorgensen, 19, who lived in the same Winnipeg neighbourhood as Tim McLean, remembered him as an "uplifting, positive guy."

"If you were in a bad mood, he would make you in a great mood," Jorgensen said.

McLean grew up in Winnipeg and Elie, Man., with what his obituary describes as "more family than he could shake a stick at."

Bernie Mac, RIP (1957-2008)

Bernie Mac, you'll be truly missed!

My favorite comedian Bernie Mac has died. He was only 50 years old. His jokes about family life has made him famous. He'll be missed by everyone all over the globe.
________________________________________

Comedian and actor Bernie Mac dies at 50


Comedian and actor Bernie Mac, who starred in one of U.S. TV's few black sitcoms and appeared in the "Ocean's 11" movies, died in Chicago on Saturday after a bout with pneumonia. He was 50.

Publicist Danica Smith confirmed the death in a statement but gave no further details. "We ask that his family's privacy continues to be respected," she said.

Reactions poured in from Hollywood, which was taken by surprise because two days ago, Smith said he was "responding well to treatment" and remained in "stable condition."

"The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed," said George Clooney, who starred with Mac in the "Ocean's" trilogy of hit box office films.

Mac was hospitalized in Chicago on August 1, and Smith said then his illness was unrelated to a chronic tissue inflammation called sarcoidosis, which had been in remission since 2005.

The Chicago-born comedian, whose given name was Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, was best known for his TV comedy "The Bernie Mac Show," which ran for five seasons until 2006.
Along with the "Ocean's" capers, he appeared in movies such as comedy "Guess Who" and "Mr. 3000." He recently worked on a new TV show "Starting Under" and an upcoming film "Soul Men."

With his beefy frame and bulging eyes, Mac cut an imposing figure. His scathing comedic observations were inspired by his impoverished childhood in Chicago and honed by years on the stand-up circuit.

"I reflect on my childhood, my young adulthood, the disappointments of life -- the problems I brought on myself, the self-pity I went through before I became a man," he told Playboy magazine in 2003.

ONE OF THE "KINGS OF COMEDY"

Mac achieved national prominence after joining the Kings of Comedy stand-up tour in 1997 with Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer. Tapping into an under-served market of middle-class blacks, the dapper quartet sold out arenas across the country during their annual treks.

In 2000, director Spike Lee shot a hugely profitable documentary about the tour.
The following year, "The Bernie Mac Show" debuted on Fox, drawing from Mac's personal life.

He played a married stand-up comic reluctantly thrust into parenthood when he takes custody of his sister's three children after she enters rehab.

Mac's character often turned to the camera, addressing "America" with such observations as "I hate my loved ones. They make me sick" or "I love my wife, but I hate her (golf) game."

While many contemporary TV dads get cheap laughs by playing clueless, Mac portrayed a level-headed family man unafraid to exert authority. He earned two Emmy nominations for his role.

"Losing him is like losing 12 people because he absolutely filled up any room he was in. I'm gonna miss the Mac Man," said comic actor Chris Rock in a story at E! Online.

Mac was born in Chicago on October 3, 1957, and raised in a tenement. His mother died when he was 15, and his father -- whom he met only a dozen times -- three years later. He credited his grandmother for keeping him grounded.

Married for more than 30 years, Mac largely eschewed Hollywood, choosing to live in Chicago.

He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a granddaughter.
____________________________________________
Rest in peace, Bernie Mac!

Links and Tributes:

Original King Dies- CNN

Bernie Mac bio at Wikipedia

The Bernie Mac Show at IMDB

Bernie Mac Images at Yahoo!

Bernie Mac Tribute at AOL

Movies Bernie Mac Starred In:

Actor Credits

Old Dogs (2009)
Johnny Lunchbox
Soul Men (2008)
Floyd
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Frank Catton
Pride (2007)
Elston
Transformers (2007)
Bobby Bolivia
Guess Who (2005)
Percy Jones
Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever (2005)
Lil' Pimp (2005)
Voice of Fruit Juice
Mr. 3000 (2004)
Stan Ross
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Frank Catton
The Robin Harris Story: We Don't Die, We Multiply (2004)
Bad Santa (2003)
Gin Slagel
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
Jimmy Bosley
Head of State (2003)
Mitch Gilliam
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Frank Catton
What's The Worst That Could Happen? (2001)
Uncle Jack Caffrey
The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)
Himself
Life (1999)
Jangle Leg
The Players Club (1998)
Dollar Bill
B.A.P.S. (1997)
Mr Johnson
Booty Call (1997)
Judge Peabody
How to Be A Player (1997)
Buster
Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
Get on the Bus (1996)
Jay
Friday (1995)
Pastor Clever
The Walking Dead (1995)
Ray
Above the Rim (1994)
Flip
House Party 3 (1994)
Uncle Vester
Def Comedy Jam 2 (1993)
Who's the Man? (1993)
G-George
Mo' Money (1992)
Club Doorman
_____________________________________________________________

A Full Bernie Mac Bio:

Stand-up comic and actor Bernie Mac exploded onto the screen with “The Original Kings of Comedy” (2001) after years of working comedy stages in his native Chicago. His edgy and largely autobiographical material about his background and African-American culture fell in step with a new wave of high-profile black comedians like fellow “Kings,” D.L. Hughley and Steve Harvey. And like his “Comedy Kings” co-stars, his hilariously frank material led to Mac’s own successful sitcom, “The Bernie Mac Show” (Fox, 2001-06). An increasing presence on the big screen as well, Mac’s sometimes gruff but always memorable character roles began to give way to more challenging dramatic work. With the feature film, “Pride” (2007), it was clear Mac as artist had the depth and humanity to bring to the table, and was intent on raising the bar of what audiences and critics had come to expect from run-of-the-mill stand-ups-turned-actors. At the same time, Mac was promoting “Pride,” he shocked the comedy world by announcing his retirement from stand-up, devoting himself to screen acting and producing after years of success on the comedy club circuit.

Bernie Mac was born Bernard McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago’s south side neighborhood. He grew up with an extended family — an environment that would provide endless material for his future career as a stand-up comic. Early on, his funny voices and vivid imagination earned him the reputation as the family clown, so under the guidance of a supportive school teacher, Mac started channeling his energy by acting in school plays in fourth grade. Before long, he was soon staging his own productions for neighborhood kids. His first lesson in the controversial nature of comedy came after he performed a dead-on impression of his grandmother for a church audience, receiving a great reception from the audience but punishment at home. When he was not entertaining the south side, the powerful young kid – he would grow to six feet three inches – was hanging out at the recreation center, boxing and playing sports; thriving under an especially encouraging group of coaches and leaders he credited for his drive to succeed. His most inspirational force, his mother, died of cancer when Mac was he was only 16 years old.
Mac took some vocational career training after high school, working as a delivery driver and furniture mover, before returning to the South Central Community center as its athletic director. After hours, he honed his comedy act on the platforms of the El train and at local parks, launching his own weekly variety show at Chicago’s Regal Theater. In 1977, he began hitting the stages on the local comedy circuit, unknowingly beginning a 30-year career as a stand-up comic. For over a decade, Mac developed his edgy style of commentary and endured the grueling lifestyle of the wannabe comic – being away from home and his new wife for nights at a time, performing for little or no money to gain exposure, and dodging the arrows of fickle late night audiences.

Finally, in 1990, Mac started seeing rewards for all of his hard work when he won the Miller Lite Comedy Search. The honor led to unimaginable opportunities, like opening for headliners Dionne Warwick, Redd Foxx and Natalie Cole. He made his feature debut as a club doorman in "Mo' Money" (1992), and guested on the HBO specials, "Rosie Perez Presents Society's Ride" (1993) and "Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam" (HBO 1992-97; 2006- ). In 1994, he snared a bit as the ribald Uncle Vester in “House Party 3” and also put together his own "Who Ya Wit Tour," which included a 10-piece band and the five “Mac-A-Roni Dancers.” The following year, HBO thought Mac’s in-your-face persona lent itself to late night programming, but after a month of the network taming down his material, “Midnight Mac” (1995) was cancelled. He knew he wanted to return to TV with a series of his own someday, but he turned his attention back to film work, bulking up his acting resume with appearances as a preacher in "Friday" (1995) and one of the funnier members of the ensemble cast of Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus" (1996). A recurring role in the popular UPN series "Moesha" (UPN, 1996-2001) earned him even more mainstream recognition.

The year 2000 had audiences finally asking, “Who IS this guy?” The hulking frame and bulging-eyed funnyman who had been popping up everywhere, knocked it out of the park, comedically speaking, as part of the “Kings of Comedy” tour. Starring alongside fellow African-American stand-ups Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley, the tour was captured by director Spike Lee and released as the documentary "The Original Kings Of Comedy" (2000). For the first time, millions of viewers got to see what Bernie Mac was all about – hilarious tales of self-deprecation, family life, tough love, and the etymology of his favorite curse word. The documentary was a smash, earning over $38 million at the box office, and Mac seemed closer than ever to his dream of landing his own show. He had been developing a sitcom idea based on the real life experience of raising his sister’s three children while she was in rehab. His re-telling of the tale in “Kings of Comedy” was enough to convince producers at Fox, who signed on for "The Bernie Mac Show" in 2001.

In his self-titled sitcom, Mac played the husband of a professional, childless couple who suddenly become guardians of his sister's three children. Risky and outrageously funny for Mac’s often politically incorrect ideas of child rearing, the show also incorporated a creative twist – Mac regularly breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly. These pieces were a way to incorporate his material into the show, and his character’s career as a stand-up comic was also a way to incorporate real life comedians and actors into the show as guests. The show earned a Peabody Award, an Emmy for writing, and honored Mac’s acting with several Golden Globe nominations and four NAACP Image Awards. The departure of key creative personnel and Mac's burgeoning film career caused “The Bernie Mac Show” to recede into the background – to say nothing of moving the series into no less than 12 different timeslots, vexing even the most loyal viewers – and production was slowed when Mac came down with a bout of double pneumonia. The show was finally cancelled in 2006.

During the lifespan of "The Bernie Mac Show," Mac made regular appearances on the big screen, stating in interviews that he held classic films and classic values seriously; that he did not want to take part in films with gratuitous sex and violence, preferring more quality, offbeat, films. In 2001, he co-starred as one of the 11 casino robbers in "Ocean's Eleven" (2001), bringing comic relief to Steven Soderbergh's crime caper piece and the subsequent sequels, “Ocean’s Twelve” (2004) and “Ocean’s 13” (2007). He supported fellow comedian Chris Rock in the misguided flop, "Head of State," (2003) and stepped into the role of TV’s Bosley in "Charlie's Angels 2" (2003), before taking on the weirdly hilarious role of a chain-smoking, vitamin C-craving, department store detective in the cynical Christmas comedy "Bad Santa" (2003). After supporting a number of A-listers, Mac took on his first starring role with the well-received "Mr. 3000" (2004), playing an aging major leaguer whose hit record is revoked after retirement, inspiring him to return to the game to reclaim his title. He teamed with Ashton Kutcher in "Guess Who?" (2005), a broad-comedy reversal of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" but threw critics for a loop with his impressive turn in the drama “Pride.” In the “Rocky”-like (1976) take on swim meets, Mac revisited his past by playing a municipal worker at a recreation center that housed an inspirational sports program.

While promoting “Pride” in March of 2007, Mac appeared on “Late Night With David Letterman” (CBS, 1993- ) and announced that he would retire from doing stand-up comedy after he completed filming “The Whole Truth, Nothing But the Truth, So Help Me Mac” in the fall of that year. His announcement was met by saddened fans who had hoped to still catch him on a stage or cable special in the future. But Mac insisted he needed a “real life,” choosing instead, to focus on films and producing TV programs.

Part of the pull toward retirement was due to wanting to spend time with his family. Married to wife Rhonda McCullough since 1970, the couple had one daughter, Je’Niece, who was earning a Masters degree in mental health counseling. On his own health front, Mac suffered from a tissue inflammation disease called sarcoidosis, which thankfully did not affect his daily life. In addition to his work onscreen, Mac was also a successful author, with his tomes I Ain't Scared of You: Bernie Mac on How Life Is (2001) and the memoir Maybe You Never Cry Again (2003) to his credit.

Also Credited As:
Bernard Jeffery McCullough
Born:
October 5, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois
Job Titles:
Actor, Comedian, UPS agent, Bread delivery sales rep, Furniture mover

Family
Daughter: Je'Niece McCullough. born c. 1978; has a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling
Significant Others
Wife: Rhonda McCullough. married c. 1977

Education: Chicago Vocational High School, Chicago, Illinois, 1976

Milestones

1990 Won the Miller Lite Comedy Search
1992 Feature film debut, bit part in "Mo' Money"
1994 Produced and starred in the comedy act, "Who Ya Wit Tour"
1995 Appeared in a supporting role in the feature "Friday"
1995 Had one-month comedy series on HBO, "Midnight Mac"
1996 Played recurring role on the UPN comedy series "Moesha"
1996 Was in ensemble cast of Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus"
1997 Had supporting roles in "B.A.P.S" and "How to Be a Player"
2000 Was featured in Spike Lee's documentary film "The Original Kings of Comedy"
2001 Headlined own TV sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show"; earned Emmy (2002, 2003), Golden Globe (2003, 2004) and SAG (2003) nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy
2001 Acted in Steven Soderbergh's"Ocean's Eleven" a remake of the 1960 heist film
2001 Co-starred as a fence in the Martin Lawrence-Danny DeVito comedy "What's the Worst That Could Happen?"
2003 Co-starred as Chris Rock's big brother and presidential running mate in " Head of State"
2003 Played Bosley in the comedy sequel "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"
2004 Reunited with the original cast for "Ocean's Twelve" directed by Steven Soderbergh
2004 Starred as an aging baseball star who retuns to baseball to reach his goal of 3,000 hits in "Mr. 3000"
2005 Co-starred with Ashton Kutcher in the comedy "Guess Who," loosely based on the 1967 film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
2007 Announced retirement from standup comedy; will continue producing, and acting in films
2007 Cast in director Michael Bay's live action film "Transformers"
2007 Re-teamed with the original cast for "Ocean's 13"
Became opening act for Redd Foxx, Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole, among others
Began appearing in nightclubs in the Chicago area
Participated in "The Kings of Comedy" tour