Why do people find Jamaican mannerisms funny?

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Straight away I think of Spike Milligan as an Indian or Pakistani in comedy shows of the seventies.

Yes, he was (says http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Milligan) born in Ahmednagar, India, on 16 April 1918, the son of an Irish father, Captain Leo Alphonso Milligan, MSM, RA (1890–1969), who was serving in the British Indian Army. His mother, Florence Mary Winifred Kettleband (1893–1990), was born in England. He spent his childhood in Poona (India) and later in Rangoon, capital of Burma (Myanmar). He was educated at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Poona, and St Paul's Christian Brothers, de la Salle, Rangoon.

[Lounge Jay]

Yes, he was (says http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Milligan) born in Ahmednagar, India, on 16 April 1918, the son of an Irish father, Captain Leo Alphonso Milligan, MSM, RA (1890–1969), who was serving in the British Indian Army. His mother, Florence Mary Winifred Kettleband (1893–1990), was born in England. He spent his childhood in Poona (India) and later in Rangoon, capital of Burma (Myanmar). He was educated at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Poona, and St Paul's Christian Brothers, de la Salle, Rangoon.

 

Thing is, no one in the seventies was in awareness of this when they watched and laughed with Spike Milligan perpetuating racial steriotypes...I know it was a diferent era but this was poor by Milligan given his heritage.

[Green Web]

Straight away I think of Spike Milligan as an Indian or Pakistani in comedy shows of the seventies.

 

I meant in general, not when skits, exagerations of peoples mannerisms are puposely used for comedy sketches.

[Ms Macbeth]

Och aye the noo Jimmy. (Wearing garish tartan and a ginger wig).

 

Need I say more.