RIP Bernie Mac

Bernie Mac died this morning at age 50. I had the privilege of literally working with Bernie Mac when I was an extra in the film 'Head of State'. It was my job to walk ahead of him while he shoved the stuntmen behind me out of his way. It was nightmarishly hot in the train station, well over 100 degrees and humid to boot. For the second half of the day's shoot, we worked upstairs where it was a little cooler in the station lobby but the extras were still pretty wiped out from the morning shoot. Bernie spent the afternoon going from group to group of extras, teasing us and joking around to try to keep us awake and functional between takes. He was a big help.

The scary thing is that Bernie Mac is the fourth person to die this summer whom I met one time, very briefly. The others being Jim McKay, Tim Russert & George Carlin. I hope this is all just really morbid coincidence. :/