Rochester in Google Books preview:

[scottp]

http://books.google.com/books?id=JriYpu ... 22&f=false

I was looking up something else and came upon excerpts from Sambo: Rise and Demise of an American
starting on page 175

[scottp]

"Sambo: Rise and Demise of an American Jester" that is...

[helloagain]

I gotta respect anybody whose first name is Hotcha.

[mackdaddyg]

Thanks for reminding me of this book. I read it years ago and enjoyed it very much. Reading this chapter on Rochester made me realize just how daring some of these jokes were for the time.

[helloagain]

I never thought of Rochester as an Uncle Tom stereotype. He was intelligent, hip, and usually got the best of Mr. Benny. I think he made the most of working within the restrictions of the times. It was an employer/employee relationship and Jack always treated him with respect. It was a subservient position, but if he was British instead of black, it would have been the same. One of my favorite Benny shows, on both radio and TV, was when they spent New Years Eve together.

[scottp]

"It was a subservient position, but if he was British instead of black, it would have been the same."

Yeah pretty much... but what's the British equivalent of dice games and razor fights? Crumpets and mushy peas?

Fortunately, references to razor fights fell away fairly quickly.

[helloagain]

Good point. There are some stereotypical jokes here and there, mostly in the early shows. I have read that after the war, Jack advised his writers to minimize those references.