As you all might know, Comeback Girl loves numbers, especially when they represent dollars and cents. American Gangster’s estimated NOv 2-4 weekend numbers was approx. 50 million, final count will be available tomorrow afternoon.

Comeback Girl loved ‘American Gangster’. Washington and Crowe’s characters were excellent. Shout out to Ms. Ruby Dee. Hell add an extra few points for Director Ridley Scott’s perseverance in wanting the movie to get made and pushing through 2 failed attempts. Yes its true, Comeback Girl made the movie her first date with “D”. Comeback Girl isn’t a fan of first dates at the movies, but thought “D” was hella fine and smart. And Hella fine. Did I say fine?

(Date/Movie recap)

1. “D” liked his popcorn EXTRA buttery and ordered an “insane amount”, with cashier dipping into butter with a large cup and pouring it over large popcorn. Just for the grossness and cholesterol count, Comeback Girl must deduct ( minus 1/2 point)

2. “D” was 6′5 (plus 5) Comeback Girl isn’t that shallow but Comeback Girl who is 5′8 also likes to wear a boot with heels in mid autumn.

3. “D” was you guessed it FINE with dimples (plus 10)

3a. “D” is a  Capricorn: Comeback Girl has a weak spot for earth and water signs including: Virgos, Capricorns, Cancers, Pisces, and Scorpios. (see best astrologer who ever lived)

4.“D” was a little closed lipped on what he did. Apparently he is a consultant in the government and works with computers. Comeback Girl asked about a clearance. “D” said it was up there. Comeback Girl asked if it was Top Secret. “D” replied he had a Top Secret Clearance more than 7 years ago in the Army. Comeback Girl could only assume that it must be higher than Top Secret. And after much prodding, “D” finally said what gov’t agency he consulted for. ”D” took all the questions in stride and with humor  ( minus-10 No comeback Girl should EVER have to probe this hard on a first date-even after googling the hell out of him. I am slightly disappointed in his previous Comeback Girls he dated saying that “Worked With Computers” always suited them just fine. Ladies we have to do better. This ain’t the Spanish Inquisition but “Works with Computers” is not a profession).

5. Comeback Girl felt major chemistry and attraction (plus 25)

6. “D” commented that even on some weird level he wished Frank had of gotten away with something.(minus 3- Yes I’m Sorry Comeback Girl had to deduct points. Frank got a reduced sentence and actually got out earlier than 1991 (as BET’s American Gangster illustrated) but Frank found himself right back in the slammer for the same drug selling behavior-this time on a “Walmart scale”.

7. “D” and Comeback Girl sat about half way through the credits and “D” gestured to get up and said “You Ready ?”. (0 points deducted THIS TIME) Comeback Girl was impressed that “D” sat this long. Everyone in the theatre had left.But Comeback Girl has this thing she likes to do at the movies and that is wait until the last credit (yes even Kodak Camera) is rolled. I think watching ALL the credits honors the film-making process.

The date ended at a local diner 7 hours later. So yes I guess it’s obvious that Comeback Girl and “D” hit it off even after the popcorn and credits hiccup.

Comeback Girl was going to launch an All Points bulletin last night about the new episode of American Gangster on BET featuring Frank Lucas, infamous crime boss.

And then she was going to wax philosophical about TV One’s  smart programming (founded by Comeback Girl Cathy Hughes) with a new “Black Enterprise” show featuring: you guessed it enterprising black folks, leaders of legitimate industry inspired by the great publication. But Comeback Girl watched American Gangster and was REVITTED and INTRIGUED. And has put her “Why is BET always seduced by easy sexy demoralizing, brainless programming, when they promised to start taking the high road?” to rest for now.

(please note: I was revitted even through the subtitles and Comeback Girl gets really frustrated when subtitles are used for 21st century black Americans. But Lucas’ southern accent is at times indecipherable-amazing for his time spent up north and Comeback Girl’s ability to translate North and South Carolina circa mid 1900s-thanks Grandma.)

I combed the internet for pictures of Lucas. There are only three floating around, two of which I’ve posted. As you know Lucas hated taking photos. As the documentary recounted it was his public appearance at an Ali-Frasier fight in full pimped out mink regalia that caused cops to take notice. And when Lucas headed to sit in a front row seat ahead of mob bosses and high ranking cops-the investigation began-and his self imposed invisibility ended.

$1,000,000 a day is a large sum of money now-BUT BIG MONEY in the late 60s early 70s -and thats how much Lucas was commanding daily (fascinating given Lucas lack of ability to read or count-but he COULD weigh his money and hell has no fury like a man who’s millions come up a few pounds short). His bank account had 250 million dollars at one time. What shocked Comeback Girl even more was how he found himself doing deals  directly with South East Asia-though his role in the deal making is up for debate. Mayme Johnson (Bumpy Johnson’s wife and mentor to Lucas) has already discredited him on one major account. So its hard to know exactly what to believe. The money, the hits, the power, the resourcefulness (shipping heroin to the states in Vietnam body-bags) is verifiable.

Remember the cliche of the 80s? It went something like this:  if a drug dealer could make millions on the street imagine what he could do in a boardroom. The question is even more resounding with Lucas. 250 million in 1970s money has to be close to a billion in 2007 (factoring inflation).

Just my thoughts. I believe this movie (from the out takes and behind the scenes footage)  is BRILLIANT even with the juxtaposition of Lucas (the family man crook) and how that plays out with Russell Crow’s whorish cop character. And how Lucas’ empire slowly began to unravel.

As the world awaits the unveiling of American Gangster, Comeback Girl did a little digging to find some notable women behind this story, and she is a Comeback Girl in her own right, albeit of the underworld. She’s 90 plus now, so I suppose Comeback Girl #1 can have a little amnesia and some fascination along with her espresso this morning right?

Her name is Mayme Johnson (pictured far left). And she has always asserted that Frank Lucas was a liar. That her husband Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson (pictured middle and far right) whom many people describe as Harlem’s best kept secret and true crime boss, has never been depicted correctly nor is Lucas’ account of Bumpy dying in his arms true. It will be interesting to see how much of what Mayme proports as a lie will make it into this movie, for the simple fact that Lucas sold the rights to the film and this is “his” story.

 Bumpy is everything that Lucas wishes he was-by Mayme’s account. She even wrote a book called, Harlem Godfather. Hoodlum, released in 1997, starring Lawrence Fishburn, was inspired by Johnson’s life.

Comeback Girl would give her right arm to see Mayme and Frank sitting side by side on Tavis Smiley’s couch. But alas I suppose its not cool for black intellectuals to find this story and way of life publicly intriguing.

The answer if you were scratching your head is Frank Lucas, recent inspiration of Denzel Washington’s protrayal in “American Gangster” and BET’s episodic recount of the most famed in Black History. Got to love black history especially when the roughest toughest crime lords get glamorized. It all made hip hop what it is today.

(more to come)