Bernie Mac Makes Off-Color Joke At Obama Event

CHICAGO (AP) _ Comedian Bernie Mac endured some heckling and a campaign rebuke during a surprise appearance Friday night at a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Chicago, the 50-year-old star of "The Bernie Mac Show" joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language.

"My little nephew came to me and he said, 'Uncle, what's the difference between a hypothetical question and a realistic question?'" Mac said. "I said, I don't know, but I said, 'Go upstairs and ask your mother if she'd make love to the mailman for $50,000.'"

As the joke continued, the punchline evoked an angry response from at least one person in the audience, who said it was offensive to women.

"It's not funny. Let's get Barack on," a man shouted from the crowd, which paid $2,300 each to support the Illinois senator.

About 15 minutes later, Obama tried to smooth things over with a joke of his own.

"We can't afford to be divided by race. We can't afford to be divided by region or by class and we can't afford to be divided by gender, which by the way, that means, Bernie, you've got to clean up your act next time," Obama said. "This is a family affair. By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."

The incident drew response from Obama's campaign, which criticized Mac for his choice of material.

"Sen. Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement after the event.

Mac, a Chicago native, said he's a longtime Obama supporter and called the presumptive Democratic nominee a "man's man" while offering him advice for the duration of the campaign trail.

"People like rumors. They're going to say things like you was at the club with Lil' Kim, and you and Kanye West got into a fist fight," he said. "You can't get upset. You've got to keep hope alive."

Mac's appearance was Obama's first celebrity event of the evening. Later at a Lincoln Park nightclub, Obama spoke to a raucous crowd of music fans, who paid up to $500 per person to see a performance by Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy, and two other band members.

"Before these guys go, I want them to know that I had heard a rumor that they had suggested that I had nothing by them on my iPod," Obama said. "That is not true. I love Wilco."

Comments

[superduperandy]

The sad truth is that professional stand-up comedy doesn't mix with politics. Remember Randi Rhodes?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/03/air-america-host-randi-rh_n_94863.html

Standup comedy is supposed to be outrageous and cutting but with an element of truth, right? That's the whole idea. The audience won't agree with everything, but that isn't the point - it's still funny.

In politics, everything they say must be agreeable to everyone (or at least phrased so that it's hard to disagree with) and though they have to speak constantly, they must avoid any small phrase that can be taken out of context and put in a sound bite that is intentionally designed to misinterpret the message and make them sound like jerks.

But at the same time, politicians needs to connect with the people and looking like a humorless square doesn't help that (in truth, many ARE squares ). So it's a tough game.

So, for some fun, Obama brought in Bernie Mac with the necessary small print "I don't agree with everything this guy says". But then again, it was one event, one audience, and some people who like Obama aren't necessarily comedy aficionados - and would be better entertained by puns and "Laffy Taffy" wrappers.

[1099]

"The sad truth is that professional stand-up comedy doesn't mix with politics. Remember Randi Rhodes?"

Incorrect sir.

Bill Maher, Dennis Miller, Lewis Black, and Jon Stewart all rely heavily on politics in their stand-up and make it work regardless of how one feels about their particular political leanings.

The difference between those mentioned above and Randi Rhodes is that they are professional comedians and she is just a loudmouth radio host who makes wise cracks and on rare occassion clever, snarky comments.

There are many people in this world who are funny (can tell a funny story or joke) or are very witty but that certainly doesn't mean they can do stand-up. Stand-up is extremely difficuly and when people who aren't qualified to do it give it a shot you get Randi Rhodes.

Also all these Obama supporters need to grow a pair and get some thicker skin.

[knixphan]

Don't book Bernie Mac if what you really want is Jay Leno.

[superduperandy]

OMG! so true! Tragically, whereas conservatives are very easily fooled - I think liberals are more easily offended. (though i'm sure everyone who reads this message is an exception)

[hereitis]

I don't know why so many people are trying to make Barack respnsible for everything that someone else says. He is no more responsible for what anyone else says than I am responsible for what some of you type. Bernie Mac is a comedian. He can be crude at times. Get over it.

[akryan]

Still though, Bernie was at a fundraiser for a presidential candidate. He should have shown some discretion. The campaign should have made sure beforehand that he did too.

[belief08]

So all of a sudden sensorship is important to you, where's that outrage at the Faux , CNN, MSNBC, GBeck cable channels, Limpbug, and media, etc. This is sooo ignorant, all this crap the white owned cable channels are spewing; yet, when B. Mac says something it's soooo offensive. Give me a break people, show that kind of backbone for all the crap that's being done in this campaign, not just for one comedic thing.

Look at the negative comic strips in the NYT and elsewhere. I have seen this kind of hatred before, during the slavery period, it's sick, depraved and those people will have to answer to a higher authority. You see how a lot of these Rethugs are succumbing to ailments, before this is over, we will see a lot more do the same. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they have to answer to all their evil doings. They had their chance to make their life right, they chose to continue that evil to the end.

[steamboat]

All I say is hold Mac to same standard as Imus....

Hey, all you liberals: Go on Daily Kos. See what Jackson said that they don't want to report. James Mtume on a radio show in NYC has mentioned it. WOW, thats all I'll say. All , go see for yourselves.

[meanguy]

if you HIRE bernie mac, you GET bernie mac!

[Yuma]

Because, he is a black man.

[1099]

So then I assume that McCain's feet should not be held to the fire on what Phil Gramm said about the recession last week?

Get real.

[VSamuels]

Phil Gramm is McCain's senior economic advisor, Bernie Mac was hired to entertain guests at a funraiser, but leave it you to confuse the differences.

[LeftCoastLefthandedLefty]

I am pretty sure that Bernie Mac will not be Sec of the Treasury should Obama be elected though.

Get realistic.

[duze]

Wright, Jackson now Mac, expected, crabs in a basket. Original Three Stooges.

[SwingingFromCenter]

I don't know which I hate more: People without a sense of humor that can't laugh at themselves, or the fact that Obama had to pander to these people by acting offended.

It's Bernie Mac. You know what you're getting right out of the gate with him.

[missviv]

The pandering is making him look quite... er... quite... quite your everyday politician who will do whatever it takes to get with the majority.

[meanguy]

ahhh...the bright light of reality!

[nobullshit]

I like how Bill Maher puts it, he calls "fake outrage". It usually come from the right but here lately the left is starting to take on some of the rights charactoristics!

[WeNeedSomethingBetter]

Maybe someone should have seen Bernie's stand up, befor booking him if they are that offended.
Were there kids there? and if so whats wrong with these parents having them out so late on a friday night? Somumabitch.

[DJ23]

I wonder whose comments with be a headline longer Phil Gramm's or Bernie Mac's?

[Snerdgronk]

Whining already, I see!

Snerd

[INDmind]

Oh the spin! Oh the quick forgiveness! This coming from the same people who are always on the gotcha attacks should this happen on the right. If Bernie Mac's material is well known, then it was poor judgement by the Obama campaign to use him. Sure, he is a comedian who uses this kind of material, then for this forum, he should not have been chosen. And the comment that Imus has a daily radio show and Bernie Mac doesn't being the reason that it is ok for Bernie Mac to use the H-term and Imus not so much is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard. It was Barack who just gave a speech on men being responsible to their children and to respect their women....t­his "joke" has no place in an Obama forum and the quick forgiveness makes me wonder if many know exactly why they are his supporters at all.

[3rdEye]

The quick response is because people like you will murder him for it, because there is noone with a real conscious. They just use every verbal faus paux and mistake to advance their own agendas. I'm sure he's not the first comedian to say something controversial at a Presidential nominee's fund raiser.

Plus, Bernie is from Chi-town, famous, and a long-time supporter of the man. Why wouldn't you let him speak? Maybe you hear the set list before he gets up there, but Bernie wasn't on the radio or his t.v. show (which was very vanilla), but at a fund raiser. It's not like Bernie is his women's rights policy chief or something!! He's a comedian speaking at an event; get over yourself.

[BEHM777]

If you want clean comedy, have Bill Cosby there. With Bernie Mac, what else could you possibly expect? I don't get Americans sometimes.­..

BEHusseinM777

[Snerdgronk]

Or good ole clean comedy, Rich Little ...

Snerd

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Obama did the right thing -- at first -- then said, "I'm just messin with you"?

Typical straddle.

I'd have voted "present" too.

[99hockeyman]

You know what joke offends me? A joke a guy told about trying to finding the missing WMD's. Just crawling around on the floor looking for them. The American sheep and the MSM just laughed right back with him. If you want to be offended by something, be offended by George Bush making light of that situation and get off Bernie Mac's back.

[Buddy McCue]

These days, there's no shortage of thin skins. Taking offense is just part of the political sport.

[azyuwish]

Agreed. It's called "taking a stand" or some such nonsense. Completely hypocritical.

[steamboat]

Buddy, did you accuse the folks of thin-skins after what Imus said?

Or do you practice a double-standard?

[Kalima]

There is a time and there is a place for everything but maybe this wasn't the time or the
place for this kind of humour.
It was a fundraiser for a nominee who should be the next POTUS and should have been
treated with the respect, it deserved.

[azyuwish]

Americans are becoming a nation of hypocrites. (Or perhaps always have been is more like it.)

Other than the absolute stodgiest people, most of us enjoy comedy shows, humor that pushes boundaries (Chris Rock for example). Our sports figures swear like there is no tomorrow. Who hasn't seen a head coach mouth the word "f**K!" on TV football games? Likewise players in baseball etc.

What about rap? Probably 98% of our kids love rap and have it on their computers, their iPods, CDs etc. and we all know the language contained therein.

Come on. Bernie Mac made that old, familiar (tired) joke about hypothetical question about the mom having sex with the mailman for $$. This is an ancient and by comparison to other jokes is TAME, people and we all know that. Why pretend we're "shocked" or offended by it when in the rest of our culture we're practically immune to just about everything?

I rather we be an honest people and tell it and hear it, like it truly IS. Not some papered-over, white-washed version of "reality". Don't we already get waaaaaaay too much of that from the propagandists in the White House. Aren't we sick of seeing the PR version of war, 9/11, Christians family "values"?

Let's be REAL.

[Kalima]

As I said there is a time and a place for everything and snickering about
the price of somebody's wife was not appropriate, given the reason for
the event. If you think it is, then that's not my problem.

[Snerdgronk]

... They shoulda hired Colbert?


Snerd

[meanguy]

okay, kalima...h­ere's a 'non-offensive' joke for you: "a person walked into a place and met another person. the other person said something mildly amusing, yet uplifiting, whereupon the first person responded in like fashion. then the two persons went their separate ways, refreshed and enlightened"

stop me if you've heard it before...

[kempis]

"By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."

Wow. Stern rebuke from Obama.

[rabrophy]

Just like Obama will go after Bush & Cheney but never say a word about Powell or Rice.

[mikekev58]

Yeah, that's what I found strange. After all the problems with misogyny and sexism on the part of part of the media, and from a particular female stand up comic turned liberal commentator, you'd think adding a "brush off" kind of comment would be the last thing to come from Obama.

That members of the audience weren't that happy with Mac says something. Expressing unhappiness with a stand up comedian's routine is not thin skinned. It's part and parcel of what taking the stage as a comic is about. And that the displeasure extends beyond those in attendance is also to be expected when one is performing - "a surprise visit" - at an event for a major political candidate, whose credibility on some key issues has already been called into question.

As someone posted, if you let Bernie Mac take the stage, you better expect Bernie Mac's take on humor. But the paying customers didn't invite Bernie, so I'd cut them a little slack as far as being off put by his routine in this setting. Bernie will be Bernie, and that's great; I'm a fan.

But if you're going to chide him, don't muddy the water with "I'm just messing with you, man."

[hank48188]

Obama wasn't offended at all, he agrees with bernie