Bernie Mac quotes

Born
October 5, 1957 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Died
August 9, 2008.

Occupation
Actor.

Bernie Mac was an American comedian, actor, and writer. He was known for his observational humor and his ability to connect with audiences from all backgrounds. In the early 2000s, Mac transitioned to a successful career in television and film.

That’s the whole key to anything: Don’t be afraid to fail. And Bernie Mac is not afraid to fail.
– Bernie Mac

I came from a place where there wasn’t a lot of joy.
– Bernie Mac

I can’t build myself by beating somebody down.
– Bernie Mac

My grandmother always told me how you start is how you finish.
– Bernie Mac

You’re never going to see me playing a buffoon.
– Bernie Mac

If I can tell someone a story that makes them bend over and laugh, that’s bigger than anything else.
– Bernie Mac

I’m funny. I’m a comedian. I’m not a clown.
– Bernie Mac

Fear is not one of my attributes.
– Bernie Mac

I’ve introduced myself with comedy, and once you’ve introduced yourself as something, that’s where people keep you. That’s where people like to hold you.
– Bernie Mac

I’ve been in training for stardom.
– Bernie Mac

There’s no success story. Everybody’s got a ghetto story. You always want to make it bigger than what it is.
– Bernie Mac

My family are police officers, detectives. My brother Mitch is FBI. Mitch is like that – a stern enforcer.
– Bernie Mac

I always wanted to scuba dive. I used to scuba dive undercover like black Aquaman.
– Bernie Mac

I hate to let people down. I was like that in sports and I was like that in comedy. I was like that at work. When I worked General Motors and stuff like that, when I say something, I mean it.
– Bernie Mac

I don’t ever watch myself. By watching, you try to perfect yourself, become a robot.
– Bernie Mac

I’m an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job.
– Bernie Mac

I want to have fun. Life ain’t no dress rehearsal. I want to have fun. I’m a comedian; I ain’t no politician. So everything I do is with humor, with love.
– Bernie Mac

I don’t have no story. Everybody wants this Hollywood story, but the world don’t owe you nothing, man. It’s what you owe the world.
– Bernie Mac

You can’t be a doctor if you don’t know the entire parts of the body.
– Bernie Mac

Black audiences are hard. They always think they’re better than you. So you got to come with a little extra to satisfy them.
– Bernie Mac

Bernie Mac just says what you think but are afraid to say.
– Bernie Mac

I love my daughter, but there’s a certain feeling, a certain emotion when you got a granddaughter, you know?
– Bernie Mac

As I got older, I got into all kinds of things in the streets – but for some reason, I never got caught up with the gangs growing up. Everybody dug me, man. I never had problems.
– Bernie Mac

You know you poor when you eatin’ breakfast food late. You fryin’ toast? At nine o’clock at night? With bacon? You’re broke.
– Bernie Mac

I hate to compare anything, especially while I’m promoting. I feel that’s another disrespect, but ‘Ocean’s 13‘ is the best movie I’ve ever done in my life. No question.
– Bernie Mac

I was a street performer for two years.
– Bernie Mac

I’ve never been no superficial cat.
– Bernie Mac

I want to do something that people can really say, ‘Hey, man, that was good, I’m proud of you, I’m proud of that.’ ‘Pride’ and ‘Transformers’ and things like that.
– Bernie Mac

I want to play a villain – I can’t wait to play a villain.
– Bernie Mac

I want to speak directly to the audience, 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.’
– Bernie Mac

I’m not a star, and I don’t want to be a star. Stars fall. I’m an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job.
– Bernie Mac

Only way you can you get upset is when you expecting something.
– Bernie Mac

I’m so black, I leave fingerprints on coal.
– Bernie Mac

Whatever success I’ve had, I always like to top it.
– Bernie Mac

I was good at keeping my mother from crying.
– Bernie Mac