For over a decade since his passing in 2008, Bernie Mac fans have discovered shocking details about his working relationship with fellow comedian Steve Harvey.
Many who believed the two “Original Kings of Comedy” were good friends found it shocking that the “Family Feud” host allegedly stole Mac’s jokes and attempted to have him removed from a movie role.
Those stealing allegations were brought up again after Katt Williams’ scathing interview on “Club Shay Shay” in January months after Harvey battled with criticism over his wife, Marjorie allegedly cheating on him and wanting a divorce.
Harvey seems to be moving forward and leaving the past in the past, according to his most recent post.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending,” he wrote on X. The post received praise from social media users, but one in particular seems to not be able to forget.
“That’s what you did with The Mac and y’all forgot about that,” the user wrote.
But Harvey’s post did receive some praise from others who said, “I know that’s right!!!” and “You’re the author of your own story: write a new chapter and rise above the past negativity.”
Thats what you did with The Mac and y’all forgot about that
— Doctor Ahued 𝕏 (@mauricio_ahued) April 14, 2024
Harvey and the Chicago native’s beef has been discussed by many entertainers and fellow comedians who admired both of their funny skills on the mic. The two allegedly did not get along on the tour for “The Original Kings of Comedy” film with Cedric The Entertainer and D.L. Hughley in 2000.
Over a decade later, the star of “The Steve Harvey Show” was reportedly vying for Mac’s role in “Ocean’s Eleven. Apparently, Harvey was willing to take less money than Mac to play the role of blackjack-dealing conman Frank Catton.
“The Hollywood game that we are in, it’s a cold game,” Bernie stated in a 2003 Ebony magazine interview. “And the sad thing about it is all of us are doing well, so I don’t really see the problem.”
Hip-hop pioneer Ed Lover confirmed that he was told the same story on “The Culture Club Uncensored” earlier this month, noting that the legendary comic never switched up.
“My guy… After ‘The Kings of Comedy’, Bernie never changed. Bernie didn’t let Hollywood or success or anything go to his head. He was always the Mac Man,” said Lover.
“All I can say is what Bernie told me,” he continued. “And he was upset with Steve because he said Steve tried to get him taken off of Ocean’s — the Ocean’s movie he did … and tried to vie for his part after he already got hired. And, uh, Bernie never lied to me. That’s all I’m going to say. He was my friend. I loved him.”
“The Original Kings of Comedy,” which followed the four comics as they went state to state selling out 25,000-seat arenas with Harvey acting more as host, is still one of the most talked-about and successful documentaries of its kind.
People were left in tears from jokes about their lives, money, music and families. Many recall Mac’s jokes about Black funerals and his sister’s kids who wanted milk and cookies before bed in the footage from their live show at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I am CACKLING, I love Bernie Mac, the milk and cookies joke is my favorite 😂😭😭 pic.twitter.com/uSKKjv0omN
— Azula’s Protege ⚡️ (@Yes_Your_Grace) January 2, 2020
Of course, some of these jokes would be considered offensive to some today, but the film was amazing for each of their personal careers.
“The times we live in…what’s acceptable in society,” Cedric began on “Club Shay Shay” in 2022. “And we just got to a point again we just have a lot more exposure to each other. We have a lot more growth that’s happened as people. So sensitivity, awareness about things that just wouldn’t be acceptable.”
But when it came time to discuss a part 2 of the tour, Cedric said the tension between Mac and Harvey was so thick it became one of the reasons he didn’t want to participate.
“They both alpha males. They both … they just saw it different,” he said. “But at the end of the day, they was able to get through it.”
The “Proud Family” star continued, “I think of course that was definitely a contributing circumstance but I also think it had a lot to do with the promoters on the thing. Because he got a bigger head than all of us. So the dude that put us all together started to really think it was really about him.”
Mac, born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, passed away in 2008 at the age of 50 after a three-year fight with the inflammatory disease sarcoidosis. That same year Harvey dropped his comedy special, “Steve Harvey: Still Trippin.'”
During Williams’ interview with Shannon Sharpe, he also explained why he turned down a role in “The Original Kings of Comedy.”
“I know the truth. You think I’mma let you s—t on Bernie and then come get me? I’m the next king?” Williams asked. “Why, because the whole time Bernie was here you was acting like you was funnier than him. The reason you was supposed to go last was because it was your tour. Tell the truth. It was Steve’s tour.”
“You can’t beat the king,” Williams’ continued before suggesting that Harvey’s career as an actor took off after Bernie’s death.
“The Steve Harvey Show” ran from 1997-2002, leading to Harvey’s small roles in “The Fighting Temptations” alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé and “You Got Served” with B2K. “Think Like a Man,” a movie based on his book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” was released in 2012, followed by a sequel two years later.
