Viewers, as subjective, learning, developing beings, cannot go into communication without their background and expectations behind them. Who you are and what you have seen paints your identification with how you are going to relate with out human beings. Media, as a way of communication, is large enough now where there are broad strokes painted to the masses. Via mass forms of communication--literature, television, music, films, comic books, the internet--have various trends that ebb and flow with the society at large, absorbing what we want to see (and what we think we want to see), assimilating it, and sending it back, where we assimilate it, and broadcast back. It's communication at large and it's completely fucking moronic to believe that there is not a history of this communication which gives us expectations.
So, to even begin scratching the question that you posed, bowie, it's a little of both: our cultural and social history has taught us these racial stereotypes and racial norms. There was a time people accepted these things as truth (some people still do). However, as culture has evolved, we've shed these ancient ideas (hopefully) for better ones. But we still know these ideas have existed. It's naive to think that we are in an age where equality is completely prevalent. Culture is a growing, brooding thing, and there are no stopping points and no abrupt ends. It continues, and we develop with it. So collectively we DO have expectations of what to see and what not to see. And when we see a red flag being aired, it's not because we are inherently racist (or have some bullshit white guilt that A-dogg keeps dicking on about), but because we are seeing something that is consciously regressive of where culture ~should~ be.
And yes, the writers of that movie should have goddamned no better. That whole movie is a lazy slop of film making that takes on the senses and sensibilities of its viewers and sets it on fire. I feel dumber for have watching it, and kind of feel bummed that the bar can be set so low, in 2009, for making the obviously black characters fucking clowns.
Addendum for Dave: Too bad the millions of idiots that go and love this movie won't know that it's goofing around. I can see Kenny being sarcastic about his voice for the character, but that's because I know who he is and where he's coming from. People are absorbing this face value--and, like TNG said, look how they fucking LOOK! At least when they did Jazz, he looked like the rest of the guys (fucking stupid jive talking assbaggery aside). People are watching this, and the sarcasm just isn't there on the screen So...it doesn't really help much for the people that don't know it's "jes goofin"!
@ C_K: I fucken love you man. FUCKEN MOONPEOPLE >: [
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