Bernie Mac died early Saturday 9 August from complications due to pneumonia. The Emmy-nominated comedian-actor was 50.

His career, which began in comedy clubs in 1977, and continues with the fall movie Soul Men, costarring his friend Samuel L. Jackson.

He always knew the secret of his success was his willingness to speak the truth about his life — without fear. When he was eight, and performing his first stand-up at a church function, the honesty earned him a spanking from his grandmother (whom he'd impersonated).
In 2000, it garnered him a mainstream audience after the R-rated, Spike-Lee directed concert film The Original Kings of Comedy hit theaters. (One of the funniest routines ever?)
In 2001, it scored him a hit Fox sitcom, The Bernie Mac Show, which lasted five seasons. ''I want to speak directly to the audience,'' Mac told EW, ''to say I'm like you — I'm frustrated, I'm not an expert, I don't have a manual on parenting, I make mistakes, I'm selfish too. Now all of a sudden I have kids — they break stuff, they talk back, one kid pees on himself. It's not a Black show; everybody has these problems.''