Key Takeaways
- Scruncho blasted Aries Spears for criticizing Bernie Mac’s comedy and said Spears “need his a** whooped.”
- He praised Spears as a gifted impersonator but argued that audiences remember his impressions—not his original jokes.
- Spears maintained that he never disrespected Mac, whom he called a “genius,” while Scruncho placed Mac on his comedy Mount Rushmore with Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Eddie Griffin.
Scruncho heard Aries Spears’ criticism of Bernie Mac, and he’s not letting it slide quietly.
During an appearance on MRECK TV’s Shots Fired show, the cult-favorite comedian ripped into Spears over his recent comments about Mac’s comedy, arguing that Spears is comfortable dishing out harsh assessments but doesn’t always take criticism the same way.
Scruncho eventually put it in much stronger terms: “He do need his a** whooped.”
The response came after Spears named Bernie Mac as one of several celebrated comedians whose appeal he has never fully understood. On Live From The Green Room, Spears said Mac’s unmistakable voice and delivery made it difficult for him to focus on the jokes themselves.
He also criticized parts of Martin, saying the sitcom could become so exaggerated that it “bordered buffoonery.”
Scruncho took issue with both assessments, but Mac clearly struck the biggest nerve.
“What he said about Bernie Mac—here go the ironic part,” Scruncho said before turning Spears’ critique back on him. He argued that once a comedian starts publicly judging another comic’s work, that comedian’s own catalog becomes fair game for examination.
Scruncho then questioned how much of Spears’ reputation rests on stand-up material versus his ability to impersonate other celebrities.
And even while going after Spears, Scruncho gave him credit where he believed it was due.
“Aries Spears is one of the most talented impersonators out there,” he said, specifically praising Spears’ impressions of Mac and Tracy Morgan.
Later, Scruncho doubled down on the distinction, saying Spears can absolutely make people laugh but that audiences remember his impressions most. “Nobody remembers an Aries Spears’ joke,” he said. “They only remember great impersonations.”
Spears has already pushed back on the idea that his original comments were disrespectful. In a follow-up response, he said he was offering his personal opinion about Mac’s style rather than diminishing his accomplishments.
“I never disrespected Bernie in my assessment of his comedy,” Spears said, later calling Mac a “genius.” Spears similarly clarified that although he wasn’t a fan of Martin, he considers Martin Lawrence outstanding in films and specifically praised his work in the Bad Boys franchise.
But Scruncho’s view of Bernie Mac could hardly be further from Spears’.
Asked by MRECK to name his comedy Mount Rushmore, Scruncho placed Mac alongside Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Eddie Griffin. His reason had less to do with any single joke than Mac’s ability to take control of a room.
“Nobody could follow Bernie Mac,” Scruncho said. “As soon as he walked to the stage, as soon as he looked at you, his energy would take over the room before he even opened his mouth.”
“I talked to her every day during that time,” he said. “She was crying every day. You know, people turned their backs on her.”
