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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives, State Representative Monique D. Davis, and
4 the members of the House Black Caucus, Esther Golar, Annazette
5 Collins, Marlow Colvin, William Davis, Kenneth Dunkin, Mary
6 Flowers, LaShawn Ford, Deborah Graham, Constance Howard,
7 Charles Jefferson, Elga Jefferies, Al Riley, David Miller,
8 Milton Patterson, Art Turner, Eddie Washington, Karen
9 Yarbrough, and Wyvetter Younge wish to express their
10 condolences to the family of Bernie Mac; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, more famously known
12 as the comedian Bernie Mac, was born on the Southside of
13 Chicago on October 5, 1957; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac attended the Chicago Vocational Career
15 Academy, where he produced talent shows for neighborhood
16 children and performed his own improvisation sketches; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac overcame many obstacles to make it from
18 the impoverished streets of Chicago's Englewood neighborhood
19 to a Hollywood success; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Although Bernie Mac became a professional
21 comedian in 1977 at the age of 19, when he took his act to

 

 

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1 comedy clubs in Chicago; before his professional breakthrough,
2 however, he had already been telling jokes in front of a crowd
3 since his childhood, entertaining people at church, in parks,
4 and even on trains; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac's career as an actor and comedian
6 spanned over 30 years and included roles in movies including,
7 but not limited to, "The Original Kings of Comedy", "Ocean's
8 Eleven", "Friday", "Guess Who?", "Mo' Money", "Transformers",
9 "Life", and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac's comedy routines offered both laughs
11 and insights into modern living and society that crossed over
12 racial boundaries and had a mainstream appeal; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac won a prestigious Peabody award for his
14 critically acclaimed performance in "The Bernie Mac Show",
15 which ran from 2001 to 2006; the show was also nominated for
16 Emmy and Golden Globe awards; and
 
17     WHEREAS, In 2004, Bernie Mac wrote an inspiring memoir,
18 titled "Maybe You Never Cry Again", which told the
19 hope-restoring humor of his poor childhood and his strict
20 upbringing being raised by his grandparents; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac was a loving and dedicated husband,

 

 

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1 father, and grandfather; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Bernie Mac, the "King of Comedy", will be greatly
3 missed by his family, friends, and his fans; the comedy scene
4 will never be the same without him; therefore, be it
 
5     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
7 mourn, with profound sorrow and deep regret, the death of the
8 great comedian and wonderful actor, Bernie Mac, at the young
9 age of 50; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That the memory of Bernie Mac will forever live
11 on and that we honor Bernie Mac for his work; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to Rhonda McCullough, the wife of Bernie Mac, as an
14 expression of our sympathy.