It's too bad that today's society can be a bit too politically correct.

It's that type of "concern" that kept many an "Our Gang/Little Rascals" short from being re-released or broadcast/seen since their original debut in the 1930's, including one Our Gang short from 1930 featuring Stepin Fetchit himself (Fetchit being the "responsible adult" in that one short? Now that's FUNNY! Not racism or stereotyping. :D).

Thankfully, in the last decade, all of those shorts have since been released by Cabin Fever/Hallmark and now Chan's films will, God willing be released in their entirety (8 and counting for Fox, 6 so far for MGM).

I, too, enjoy the Stepin Fetchit character. He is supposed to look "foolish" and cowardly but he was the only one who was really making any sense. He kept warning Tom and Charlie about the dangers in the tomb and look what happens--Tom gets shot 3 times (or was it 4?). So much for bravery.

Only the foolhearted would not pay heed to the Egpytian 'ghosts' that pervaded that scary archeological dig. Remember the Egyptian who drops dead in the beginning by merely gazing into the tomb.
No wonder Stepin was nervous and acared--anybody with any sense would be too.

I agree with your take on Streamline--that was a much more degrading role perpetuating a negative sterotype.