As Barack Obama closes in on his bid to become the first African-American US president, racial politics have burst into mainstream media with the release this month of two "news" shows anchored by black comedians.
But while some applaud the emergence of minority viewpoints in prime time, others worry that even in jest, the negative stereotypes show just how little has changed when it comes to racism in America.
On the debut of "Chocolate News," a half-hour sketch show on the Comedy Central cable channel, comedian David Alan Grier wasted no time joking about Obama's mixed race heritage.
"Would I like a black-black president? Well, of course," exclaimed Grier.
"I want can't-catch-a-cab-in-Manhattan black," he said. "So black that when he steps on the floor of the United Nations, foreign leaders say, 'Oh no, not this motherfucker.'
"But until that day, half will have to do. And to the white folks who still can't bring themselves to pull that lever? Just vote for the white half."
Ha ha - as Dave Chappel said, "this racism is killin' me."
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