Chicago’s powerful comedian Bernie Mac died this past Saturday of complications from pneumonia. He had been considered to be in “remission” from sarcoidosis.

He was famous for being a stand-up comedian, being in a number of movies, and for having his own tv show “The Bernie Mac Show.” It was about a single man who reluctantly took in his sister’s children and the challenges he had in raising them. It revealed a rough up-bringing and approach to parenting to which he wanted to revert but which he avoided because it’s illegal — for instance beating and whipping. Are those two separate categories? He was specific about the latter. His character needed a lot of spiritual healing and parenting coaching.

I did not enjoy the raw brutality that from my perspective oozed from Bernie Mac’s pores. He was also more than a little misogynistic (hating, degrading and treating women badly), recently referring to female spouses as “ho’s”, which is American slang for whore. He even referred to Michelle Obama as a “ho.” I’m not psyched that Barak Obama chose Mac to be a headlining opener for his political rally.

May Bernie rest in peace and learn his lessons from the other side. May he be well and helpful in his new form.