After rumors that comedian Bernie Mac was in a “very very critical” condition, came the reassuring that he is still alive and undergoing treatment. According to People magazine, the actor-comedian’s rep said that Bernie Mac was “expected to make a full recovery,” highlighting the fact that he asked for his privacy to be respected.

“Bernie Mac is still alive and being treated at a Chicago hospital for pneumonia and is expected to make a full recovery.”

Danica Smith, the comedian’s publicist, said that the 50-year-old comedian was “responding well to treatment and will be released soon.” She added that his current condition was not related to or caused by his disease sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the lungs, lymph nodes and other organs. The disease has been in remission since 2005, when he revealed his health problems.

“I've had sarcoidosis since 1983, and it has not altered or limited my lifestyle. No one knows where sarcoidosis comes from or where it starts, and there's no known cause for this condition that effects primarily minorities,” told Bernie Mac to Star magazine's Website in 2005.

Smith announced Friday that Bernie Mac (Bernard Jeffery McCullough) was undergoing treatment for pneumonia at a Chicago hospital.

Bernie Mac had his own show “The Bernie Mac Show” from 2001 to 2006. He is known for his part in “Ocean’s Eleven,” where he played alongside Brad Pitt and George Clooney and the subsequent “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen.”

The comedian appeared in the news last week after he made some jokes during a Chicago fundraiser for the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The disease that he has sarcoidosis can become fatal in about 5% of the cases. Allegedly, Bill Russell, the basketball player, also suffers from the disorder.