Sunday, August 10, 2008

Of course I mourn for Bernie Mac. I too come from a family of loud shit-talkers, including at least a couple male figures who matched him for loudness and directness and crudeness. Many of the women I know on my mother's side fit those descriptions too, or did at one point; I still fit it now, something I've been acutely aware of the past week or so. I remember seeing The Original Kings of Comedy and being stunned by Mac's closing 25 or so minutes: the absolute bluntness of it, as well as how close it shaded to something much different than comedy, had me reeling. I thought it was horrifying because I recognized it a little too much. I'm sure if I turned on Comedy Central right now I'd be seeing some more of his work, so maybe I'll do that. In any event, a loss. R.I.P.