Bernie Mac aspired to be as popular as actor Richard Pryor, according to comedian Steve Harvey.

The funnyman - real name Bernard Jeffrey McCullough - died on Saturday after losing his battle with pneumonia.

But Mac was desperate to achieve the same level of fame as Pryor, and often looked to his work for inspiration.

Speaking to talk show host Larry King as part of a special Tribute to Bernie Mac show, Mac's sidekick Steve Harvey says, "You know, (Mac) was a storyteller.
Pryor was the king of storytelling and in a very special cultural way.

“You know, Pryor, just like Bernie, whether you grew up in his neighbourhood or you were around his lifestyle, he painted the picture and made you see it.”

"And I don't see how Pryor couldn't have been an influence. He was an influence on all of us."

Pryor died of a heart attack in 2005.