Bernie Mac Hospitalized with Pneumonia

While Bernie Mac (real name: Bernard Jeffery McCullough) remains in a Chicago hospital with pneumonia, his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement that the 50-year-old actor/comedian is responding well to treatment and should be released soon.

The pneumonia is not related to an inflammatory lung disease known as sarcoidosis which causes inflammation in the lungs, lymph nodes and other organs. That condition has been in remission since 2005.

Most recently Mac made headlines when he attended a Barack Obama fundraiser and made a few lighthearted comments about the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. "I'm proud of him because politics is dirty, especially with Republicans," he said. "People like rumors. They are going to say things like, you know, 'You was in the club with Lil' Kim, and you and Kanye West got in a fistfight.' "

In addition to his appearance in last year's hit "Transformers," Mac has recently been working on the TV series "Starting Under," as well as several films, including the Samuel L. Jackson flick "Soul Men" (slated for release later this year) and the John Travolta comedy "Old Dogs," which is scheduled for a 2009 release.

Herbie Shocks Music World

Herbie Hancock shocked just about anyone who was watching the Grammy Awards Show when the jazz veteran won the night's big prize for best-album with his "River: The Joni Letters." The album, a collection of Joni Mitchell's music, features various singers, including Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Ray, and Tina Turner.
Herbie was as surprised as anyone. "It's immeasurable how surprised I am," Hancock said Sunday night after the show. "I didn't even hear my name at first," he continued. "Then I heard the word 'River' and I said, 'Is this true? Is this happening?'"

It was the 11th Grammy for the 67-year-old jazz great. He also won for best contemporary jazz album. But his win was a surprise for most music industry watchers, who saw the best-album category as a duel between Kanye West and Amy Winehouse.

Both performers won more that there fair share though. Kanye West won four Grammy awards and Amy Winehouse won five awards. Recording academy president Neil Portnow said, "I don't think sales have anything to do with what the academy decides in awarding albums or records. It's about excellence in music. "I think it was a very respectable choice."

Country singer Vince Gill, a 19-time winner and fellow nominee for album of the year, said Hancock deserved the award. "I think Herbie Hancock, hands down," he said, "is a better musician than all of us here put together."

Other highlights of the show included Alicia Keys opening the show with a duet with “Old Blue Eyes,” Frank Sinatra. I loved the old school – new school collaboration of Morris Day and the Time and Rhanna. But the show stopper was the duet with Beyonce and Tina Turner, with the 68 year old Tina showing that she could still move.

Herbie Hancock ended his acceptance speech with Senator Barack Obama slogan “Yes We Can”.