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."

Bernie Mac has ALWAYS had a filthy mouth so why would Barack's people get offended when he does what he does??? He's a "blue" comedian. Rather than expect him to change his act, they shoulda known better than to invite him to perform.


[Edited 7/13/08 13:46pm]

Bernie Mac has ALWAYS had a filthy mouth so why would Barack's people get offended when he does what he does??? He's a "blue" comedian. Rather than expect him to change his act, they shoulda known better than to invite him to perform.


[Edited 7/13/08 13:46pm]

white people who thought they were getting Uncle Bernie but got "I aint scared of you Muthafuckas" instead. Good for they ass for not having a more well rounded understanding of Black culture...

SCNDLS said:

[Racist/homophobic remarks snipped. --Matt]

Marrysharronsluvchild said:

This gets my vote for most ignorant post of the year.

white people who thought they were getting Uncle Bernie but got "I aint scared of you Muthafuckas" instead. Good for they ass for not having a more well rounded understanding of Black culture...

He shits on the Constitution, but it takes Bernie Mac to get people riled up.

Our society needs a colossal enema.

He shits on the Constitution, but it takes Bernie Mac to get people riled up.

Our society needs a colossal enema.

Didn't they already do this on The West Wing?

Marrysharronsluvchild said:

funny I didn't see the word "white" anywhere in the article.

Who in the fuck in Barack's camp didn't know what type of comedian Bernie was? Did they tell him what type of jokes not to tell? Who tha fuck was in the audience that was this uptight that they could pick up a quarter with their asscheeks?

Tempest in a teapot.

Who in the fuck in Barack's camp didn't know what type of comedian Bernie was? Did they tell him what type of jokes not to tell? Who tha fuck was in the audience that was this uptight that they could pick up a quarter with their asscheeks?

Mars23 said:

In your eyes, Senator Barack Obama shit on the constitution?

So let me ask you this, in your eyes what is the sitting President, George W. Bush doing and has been doing for years now to the constitution that you love so dearly?

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

You hit the nail on the head. Why is Obama siding with and granting additional power to Bush?

deebee said:

I thought the same thing. Rocky Carroll played the comedian I think.

Mars23 said:

You just don't like Obama, I get that and really couldn't care any less. However, if you are going to feign contempt at Obama for "shitting on the Constitution", at least have the decency to pretend like you have a little contempt for the man really responsible for "shitting on the Constitution" and that's George W. Bush NOT Barack Obama!

Otherwise, I'm going to feel that your disdain for Obama is more racial than anything else and you're just trying to hide it behind that "my rights are being taken away" bullshit.

Mars23 said:

You just don't like Obama, I get that and really couldn't care any less. However, if you are going to feign contempt at Obama for "shitting on the Constitution", at least have the decency to pretend like you have a little contempt for the man really responsible for "shitting on the Constitution" and that's George W. Bush NOT Barack Obama!

Otherwise, I'm going to feel that your disdain for Obama is more racial than anything else and you're just trying to hide it behind that "my rights are being taken away" bullshit.