Remember the conniving Kingfish and the formidable Sapphire? The wise and even-tempered taxi-driver, Andy, who was always trying to rescue the gullible Amos from some scheme by Kingfish? (Although I might have Amos and Andy's names switched) I remember the characters as clownish, but appealing. Isn't the point of comedy to clown?
The problem with Amos and Andy was that the show was conceived and performed entirely by a white cast on the radio before T.V. even came on the scene and it was insulting to some listeners but nobody listened to the listeners.
When the show went on T.V. and the stars were cast as real blacks somehow the effect just wasn’t funny anymore; something like the first time you see your mother naked.