Hear me out for …

Now, I am a huge Mac Man fan and think he’s hilarious but let’s be real about this right here.Now, why would I call him overrated if I think he’s funny?I always see him in top stand-up comedy list really high. The latest, I think Rolling Stone placed him at #41 All-Time.But his rap sheet as a stand up comic is short. Let’s look at the numbers.

Bernie Mac has no solo specials, None. Nada. No Hour long HBO Specials, not even a HBO One Night Stand 30 minute special or anything. He came up in the era of the HBO/Showtime Specials and EVERYONE had a special out. Bernie didn’t have one.

His only special is The Kings of Comedy with 3 other comics. Those other 3 comics hosted the likes of Showtime at the Apollo (which Bernie also never appeared on), BET Comic View and Def Comedy Jam. They have countless Hour and Half-Hour specials that have aired on HBO, Showtime and released straight to video.

Bernie didn’t have too many appearances as a stand up on television either. This was also in the era known as the comedy boom. There were Stand Up television shows on just about every network when he was coming up. I want to say Bernie has about five stand up appearances on TV, Two from Def Comedy Jam, two from the Arsenio Hall Show and another from a show called the Uptown Comedy Club.

Now, did have a short live variety/talk show on HBO in 1995 “Midnight Mac” that lasted 4 episodes. But, it didn’t really show off his strengths as a stand up. He also had his own solo tour “Who You Wit?” in 1994 that went across the country before the Kings of Comedy begin in 1997.

Is it fair to have someone with such a small showing in his field be so high up? And the Jimi Hendrix effect of dying at a young age can’t be used here. Now, it could be used for someone who a lot say Mac got his styling from, Robin Harris. Harris made his stand up television debut in 1988 and was gone by 1990. And in between that time, he released two comedy specials, a comedy album and did stand up on TV a few times.

This is no stab on uncle Bernie, I just rank stand up comics like I rank music artist and sports stars. Body of work and his is low.

Thoughts?

I never understood why they were called the "Original" kings of comedy

kpowers said:

I never understood why they were called the "Original" kings of comedy

It's just a name. I see no problem with the name. The Original part people mistake for being a jab at the old school guys like Pryor and Foxx and Cosby. It was actually meant for, say another group of comics wouldn't travel the county also being billed as the Kings of Comedy.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

kpowers said:

I never understood why they were called the "Original" kings of comedy

It's just a name. I see no problem with the name. The Original part people mistake for being a jab at the old school guys like Pryor and Foxx and Cosby. It was actually meant for, say another group of comics wouldn't travel the county also being billed as the Kings of Comedy.

He passed to soon. I think Foxx, Pryor, and Rock are better comedians.

Nope. Bernie Mac in so many ways was a late bloomer. Mac played the local clubs in and around the Chicago area for a decade plus. Mac didn't do the comedy circuit for a minute because he only worked weekends. Ones wonder why he didn't locate to either coast but he never did.

I agree with Emma, comedy shows are the end all to be all to validate a career or talent. Besides, these types of shows are a numbers game, not everyone can have a comedy special. (IMHO)

EmmaMcG said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

EmmaMcG said:

No, he's not overrated. At least not in my opinion. Comedians don't need HBO specials or any of that to be held in high regard. They just need to make people laugh. And if you look at the audience reaction to him on his Def Comedy Jam appearances or the Kings of Comedy show you can see that he always got the best reception. The reason being that he was funnier than the other guys. And "funny comedian" = "good comedian". Which is why he's remembered so fondly. I don't think it's fair to judge him on his body of work either. Eddie Murphy didn't really do all that much as a stand-up once he figured out that he'd make more money in movies but he's still considered to be one of the best comedians of all time.

Eddie WAS comsidered the funniest comic in the game right from the bat. And he has 2 high ratee specials and retired in 88. Murphy had a shorter time as a comic and a larger body of work. You csn basically watch all of Bernie's stand up appearances in about an hour. And like I said in my OP, Bernie is my dude.

I hear you LBC but your definition of "body of work" is inaccurate. Bernie Mac worked as a comic -- shows, tours, specials -- for the last few decades of his career. Eddie was a standup for maybe what, 6-8 years?

You make valid points but I don't see Bernie as overrated. He's in the right range.

The fact he was the cleanup hitter on the oKoC tour should tell you what his peers thought of him. You can debate the quality of his material but there's no doubt he always brought the house down.

kewlschool said:

He passed to soon. I think Foxx, Pryor, and Rock are better comedians.

yep RIP

TD3 said:

no....next question.

Graycap23 said:

no....next question.

Is Cedric the entertainer over rated?

kpowers said:

Graycap23 said:

no....next question.

Is Cedric the entertainer over rated?

I didnt even know Cedric was rated..........lol.

kpowers said:

Graycap23 said:

kpowers said:

Is Cedric the entertainer over rated?

I didnt even know Cedric was rated..........lol.

Ced is just ok. He is funny but I'd call him an average comic at best.

No, I thought Bernie was the funniest in that "Kings of Comedy" line up... DL Hugley in a distant second. Honestly, Steve Harvey IMHO is overrated, so is Kat Williams.

UncleGrandpa said:

Nah... Bernie's rated just right as a stand up IMO

kpowers said:

Comedy is a "funny" thing (pardon the pun)

Murphy is considered one of the greats but his material doesn't stand up over time.

Listen to Eddie's work today, very dated and quite corney even though it was great at the time it was done. How do u guys see his work?

Certian guys stand up over time much better. Chappell, Rock, Pryor, Mac......and great over time.

[Edited 7/13/18 10:51am]

[Edited 7/13/18 11:52am]

Graycap23 said:

SuperFurryAnimal said:

Loved his standup. I think he was not on same level as Kat or Eddie and can't touch Pryor. Richard Pryor and Eddie are comedy God's. He is better than Cedric and Steve. I don't think Kat's material is as good as Eddie or Pryor and more or less sells routine with voice, talk but with that said does it well. Some of Bernie Macs stand up I'd regard as awesome but I don't know if it will hold up well in twenty years. Chris Rock is also many steps ahead Mac but he just kind of copied the classics, Eddie and Pryor. Wasn't groundbreaker.

I think Chris Rock was a bit more incisive than he gets credit for. He had good writers like Louis CK, but his material on politics, relationships and race were smarter in a lot of ways than Eddie's. There've been few true groundbreakers in comedy, and of all of the ones discussed here, Richard may be the only one.

EmmaMcG said:

Graycap23 said:

Comedy is a "funny" thing (pardon the pun)

Murphy is considered one of the greats but his material doesn't stand up over time.

Listen to Eddie's work today, very dated and quit corney even thought it was great atthe time it was done. How do u guys see his work?

Certian guys stand up over time musch better. Chappell, Rock, Pryor, Mac......and great over time.

I look at Delirious and Raw and I think they're hilarious. I don't see how they feel dated in any way. If something is funny at the time it was done, what makes it not funny years later? Laurel and Hardy movies are nearly 100 years old and they're still hilarious. Just curious, what makes you say Eddie Murphy's routines don't stand up anymore?

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

Comedy is a "funny" thing (pardon the pun)

Murphy is considered one of the greats but his material doesn't stand up over time.

Listen to Eddie's work today, very dated and quite corney even though it was great at the time it was done. How do u guys see his work?

Certian guys stand up over time much better. Chappell, Rock, Pryor, Mac......and great over time.

[Edited 7/13/18 10:51am]

[Edited 7/13/18 11:52am]

Delirious and Raw are still hilarious and were both groundbreaking. And Eddie has not dated or corny IMO. And all the guys you named. Chappelle, Pryor, Rock have a boatload of material to choose. You literally don't have that option with Mac. That was my whole premise of this thread.

I played Eddie for my kids (in their 20's)

They both looked at me like I was nuts.

Graycap23 said:

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said: Delirious and Raw are still hilarious and were both groundbreaking. And Eddie has not dated or corny IMO. And all the guys you named. Chappelle, Pryor, Rock have a boatload of material to choose. You literally don't have that option with Mac. That was my whole premise of this thread.

I played Eddie for my kids (in their 20's)

They both looked at me like I was nuts.

How old are your kids? Maybe when they get older they can understand Eddie's humour. I use to watch Rocky and Bullwinkle as a kid and watched it just because it was a cartoon. When I got older and watched it again I never realized how funny it was.