Bernie Mac Remembered on What Would Be His 68th Birthday

CHICAGO — Bernie Mac, a legendary figure in comedy and a cherished presence in early 2000s sitcoms, is fondly remembered this weekend. On what would have been his 68th birthday, his daughter, Je’Niece McCullough, spoke to Sean Lewis about the impact of her father. “If he were alive today, he would still be in Chicago,” McCullough said. “He loved Chicago. He would tell anybody that Chicago was the best city in the world.”

Born and raised in Chicago, Mac’s journey began long before he became Mr. 3000 on the big screen. He starred in the influential sitcom The Bernie Mac Show for five seasons, which remains beloved by many. McCullough shared how fans often believed in the authenticity of his on-screen children. “People really believe that they’re real kids,” she recounted. “I have to tell them that, ‘No, it’s just a joke’ and you can see them deflate in front of your eyes.”

Despite his outward success, Mac faced significant health issues. He battled sarcoidosis, a serious inflammatory disease, for years before he passed away in 2008 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital at the age of 50. In a tribute to his legacy, the street where he grew up in Englewood was renamed in his honor in 2012.

<p"He had that tough, rough, rugged exterior on the South Side of Chicago in the ’60s and ’70s, but he had a heart of gold,” McCullough said, reflecting on her father's character and legacy. For her, Mac’s influence is found not only in his humor but also in the joy he brought to countless lives. “He wanted people to laugh because he truly believed that laughter was healing,” she said. “So, if his stuff lives on forever, generations from now when I and my daughter are gone, and people are still looking back and laughing, that’s what his legacy will be.”