The end of my vacation in Raleigh comes on a sad note: This past weekend marks the deaths of comedian Bernie Mac and singer Isaac Hayes. Ever since I first saw Mac in The Original Kings of Comedy with Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer and D.L. Hughley, I've become a huge fan of his, and I loved his work on The Bernie Mac Show, because he always told it like it was. He was so lucky to go from performing on the El-Trains of Chicago to hitting the big time, first in standup comedy and then in Hollywood. As for Hayes, I've also become a big fan of his from the moment I first heard his most famous work, the theme song to Shaft. In the 1970s, when most of his contemporaries wore Afros, Hayes defied convention by going bald, and his reputation as a ladies' man was rivaled by very few, with Barry White coming the closest to matching him. In addition to singing, Hayes was also a gifted musician (he played piano and some saxophone) and accomplished songwriter, composing hits for his fellow Memphis acts, such as Sam & Dave, Johnnie Taylor and Carla Thomas. Also, he was the forefather of what would become known as hip-hop, so it's no wonder that many of the genre's top artists have sampled his works. Finally, he was a fine actor, having voiced the Chef on the animated series South Park. Although I'm excited that my cousin Natasha is going back to school next week, I'm now in deep sympathy because two great entertainers died on back-to-back days. There'll never be another act like Bernie Mac or Isaac Hayes, and I know that they're in heaven now, with Mac bringing the jokes and Hayes bringing the funk. These two acts were one of a kind in their respective fields, and they will both be sorely missed.