So how does one kill the stereotype? Jackie Chan all but abandoned American film due to perpetuated stereotypes, yet his Hong Kong fare is chock full of them.

One-dimensional caricatures are not going away, though I’m all for more three-dimensional, multi-facted renderings of anyone – but even the so-called politically correct heroes are nothing but cardboard. Angelina Jolie is a great actress, her tough-woman shtick is as skin deep as Ahnold or Sly in their prime. Law and Order is a parody of liberal preconceptions of crime and law enforcement – the tough guy with the heart of gold, the tough woman with a heart of gold, the tough boss with a heart of gold, the tough judge with a heart of gold – just slather the skin color and the sexual preferences about, with your typical white, religious corporate villain, it’s all set. The kids at the local public access station are more creative.

It’s always easier to do cardboard – if great film was easy, everyone would make a great film, the same with great characters. I just wonder what Kevin Smith of 1993 would think of the Kevin Smith of today doing a buddy-cop film with knock-knock jokes.

“… on the one side, [minorities] should be complex, deep, thoughtful characters, true to their ethnic heritage but not in an offensive way, but at the same time they’re supposed to be reasonable parts of often lightweight or even asinine cinema.”

Let’s put aside the question of whether Tracy Morgan’s artistic choices in “Cop Out” crossed the line of a “reasonable” portrayal of a black man in a piece of “lightweight or even asinine cinema.” Taylor’s remark, and this whole debate, reminded me immediately of the “Magic Negro” stereotype that Morgan Freeman has played in various movies such as “Bruce Almighty” and “Evan Almighty.” But Freeman’s Oscar-nominated turn in “The Shawshank Redemption” is probably not just his best performance, but the best contemporary example of the genre.

Briefly, the “Magic Negro” stereotype is that of the one-dimensional black character who’s only purpose is to serve as the moral conscience of the film — invariably teaching white folks the errors of their racist, backward-thinking ways. (Though Will Smith nailed two black stereotype characters in one with his almost Jar-Jar-level simple-talkin’ “Bagger Vance.” A cringe-worthy performance for which the NAACP nonetheless nominated him for an “Image Award.”)

The Magic Negro is a tiresome cliche — and insulting, in its own way — but liberal movie critics usually have little to criticize about it. I suppose that’s because Hollywood believes modern American audiences still need that wisdom delivered with a sledgehammer.

Frankly, I’m sick of it — almost as sick as I am of the tough-as-nails woman action hero who can knock heads just as well as the fellas … until near the end when she needs the male hero to rescue her. How about just once — once — that character gets in a little over her head and … well … dies. Or she at least loses the fight and emerges with a missing earring and her hair mussed in a non-attractive way.

Oh, and I chuckle every time I happen to stumble across “Law & Order” or any film that features a court scene and after the words “All rise! …” a black woman emerges from chambers and takes a seat at the bench. Hollywood seems so determined to atone for “Song of the South” and “Buckwheat” and other past cinematic “sins” that it has created a world where 75 percent of judges in America are black women. OK. We get it. You want to create role models for minorities. We’re paying attention, and it’s a good thing. But you’ve gone so overboard that you’ve practically created a drinking game one can play with the remote control. (One shot if a minority emerges from chambers. Two shots if the judge is black. Three shots if the judge is a black woman. And finish the bottle if she’s “feisty.”)

Wake me when Hollywood portrays the “psycho Marine scarred by Bush’s senseless wars!!!!!” as a black man from Chicago, and not a “redneck” from Texas or Alabama. That’s a damaging, hurtful stereotype Hollywood never gets sick of portraying on film, and seems to have not a twinge of guilt about.

I will say after seeing the previews Bruce Willis looks great for his age, he must of got on a new exercise regiment. Give that man another Die Hard movie.

1) Tracy Morgan has never acted brilliantly.

2) Interpretations aren’t fact or intention. They reveal more about the interpreter than anything.

3) What in Hollywood is NOT political these days?

Just sayin’.