Bernie Mac hospitalized in Chicago with pneumonia

August 4, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

CHICAGO — Bernie Mac is in a Chicago hospital with pneumonia.

His publicist, Danica Smith, says in a statement that the 50-year-old comedian is responding well to treatment and should be released soon. He remained hospitalized Saturday.

Smith says the pneumonia isn’t related to an inflammatory lung disease that Mac also has. That condition has been in remission since 2005.

Mac is a Chicago native who lives in the southern suburbs. He made waves last month with off-color jokes during a Chicago fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Frankie Ford is 69. Actress Tina Cole (“My Three Sons”) is 65. Actor-comedian Richard Belzer (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Homicide”) is 64. Actor Billy Bob Thornton is 53. Actress Kym Karath (Gretl von Trapp in “The Sound of Music”) is 50. Actress Lauren Tom (“Joy Luck Club,” “Men In Trees”) is 49. Producer Michael Gelman (“Live with Regis and Kelly”) is 47. Drummer Rob Cieka of Boo Radleys is 40. Actor Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost”) is 40. Rapper Yo-Yo (“Miss Rap Supreme”) is 37. Actor Andy Hallett (“Angel”) is 33. Singer-actor Marques Houston of Immature is 27. Actors Dylan and Cole Sprouse (“Big Daddy,” “Grace Under Fire”) are 16.