TIL In 1926 the famous pianist Fats Waller (then 21) was kidnapped by Al Capone’s gang to play piano for his birthday. He basically went missing for 3 days and was returned unharmed but drunk.
via reddit.com
What this headline leaves out is that they kidnapped him by doing the standard mob thing of driving a car up, pointing a gun at him, and saying “get in”. Fats thought he was gonna be killed until Al told him he was a huge fan
Unharmed, heavily intoxicated, and I believe something like $1,500 wealthier.
Nonono we don’t get to ignore what was just said prior. What the fuck DO YOU MEAN THE OPPOSITE OF YOUR MOTHER SELLING YOU TO ONE DIRECTION????!
so easily we forget the lore of our forefathers.
It bears noting that Fats being $1500 wealthier in 1926 dollars is the equivalent of being about $25,000 wealthier in 2022 dollars
back when criminals had a respect for the arts
The funny thing is I read MULTIPLE fanfic with this premise before I learned it was a real thing that happened. So it very much is on the opposite end of the spectrum from “mom sells you to one direction.”


































