Fact vs Fiction: Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 9 — Did Joe Bonanno not like Joe Colombo?

In Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 9, "Black and White," Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) desperately tries to figure out what’s next now that Joe Colombo (Michael Raymond-James) has taken the St. Clair. Not wanting to get back in the drug business to provide for his family, but also not wanting to lose what he has left, Bumpy decides to align himself with an old enemy — Joe Bonanno (Chazz Palminteri).

Bonanno still isn’t happy with Bumpy over their last encounter, but he loathes Colombo even more and would rather not see Colombo continue to get more powerful in Harlem. After Bumpy acquires the unlikely ally, he shockingly loses a lieutenant and best friend in Nat Pettigrew (Elvis Nolasco), who ultimately betrays him for Colombo.

Elsewhere, Mayme (Ilfenesh Hadera) becomes the belle of the ball at Truman Capote’s (Steven Boyer) annual soiree, when she does the impossible. She strikes a truce between Capote and James Baldwin (Michael Benjamin Washington).

So, did Joe Bonanno really dislike Joe Colombo? And were Truman Capote and James Baldwin at odds in real life? Here’s what happened in Godfather of Harlem season 4 episode 9.

Did Joe Bonanno dislike Joe Colombo?

The fiction
Running out of options, Bumpy meets Bonanno at a park bench, as Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn), Chance (Erik LaRay Harvey) and Nat look on. Bumpy explains to Bonanno that Colombo is making a play for Harlem. Bonanno asks if he has proof, and Bumpy says he stole the St. Clair. Furthermore, without Bumpy around in Harlem, Colombo has no guardrails. Bumpy asks for Bonanno’s help in stopping Colombo, claiming that while the other families may not like Bonanno, they fear him.

Later, Bonanno and Bumpy meet with The Commission, sans Colombo. Bonanno blasts Colombo for being on TV with The Italian-American Civil Rights League and accuses him of trying to control all of Harlem. Additionally, Bonanno thinks the overall publicity Colombo is attracting will be bad for business. Unfortunately for Bumpy and Bonanno, The Commission doesn’t appear apt to make a move against Colombo.

By episode’s end, Bumpy meets Bonanno again and they discuss Bumpy taking Colombo out. Bumpy isn’t thrilled by the idea of killing a mob boss and says that he needs someone else to have his back if the hit goes sideways. Bonano asks who, and that’s when Stella (Lucy Fry) arrives.

The fact
As the story goes, back in 1962, mob boss Joe Profaci died, creating a bit of chaos for the crime family. Joe Magliocco ultimately stepped into Profaci’s role as the boss of the family, but as instability with the crew lingered, Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino, bosses of two of the other Five Families, came together and formed an alliance of sorts. Not to be “alone” in The Commission, Bonanno aligned with the newly cemented Magliocco, and the two allegedly devised a plot to murder Lucchese and Gambino.

Then, as The New York Times reports, Magliocco’s underling at the time, Colombo, was assigned the task of carrying out the killing. However, Colombo decided to betray his boss and Bonanno and tell Lucchese and Gambino of the ordered hit. The plot was ultimately spoiled, and Colombo became head of the Profaci family, which eventually became known as the Colombo Family.

Having said all of that, it sounds as if there was certainly reason for there to be bad blood between Colombo and Bonanno.

Did Truman Capote and James Baldwin not like each other?

The fiction
Mayme is in the company of her new art society socialites as they talk with Capote about his upcoming masquerade gala. She eventually interjects and suggests amending the guest list to include more Black artists, as Sammie Davis Jr. and Ralph Ellison are the only two invited. Capote happens to agree with her and extends her an invitation.

Later, Mayme tells Baldwin about the invitation, and he says he once had a friendship with Capote until it soured as Baldwin started becoming more popular. Baldwin also recalls Capote calling his work “boring and crude,” and believes Capote is just jealous. Mayme then gets the idea to take Baldwin as her plus one to make peace between the two gentlemen. Mayme meets with Capote at the diner and pitches James being her plus one, but he flatly turns her down, requesting she bring Bumpy Johnson instead.

At the gala, Mayme arrives with James in a mask anyway. James unveils his face, and Capote is outraged. However, cooler heads prevail, and Mayme forces them to call a truce and shake hands in front of the press.

The fact
For starters, it does appear that Baldwin and Capote had some interactions with each other, even if it was limited. One story in The New York Times recounts that Baldwin and his friend Thomas Maltais met at a bar called Le Montana with Capote, and Capote dished out “high-pitched but serious advice.”

With that being said, we didn’t find concrete proof to suggest the two were huge rivals. But, in a letter to American literary scholar Newton Arvin, Capote wrote of Baldwin:

“I loathe Jimmy’s fiction: it is crudely written and of a balls-aching boredom. I do sometimes think his essays are at least intelligent, although they almost invariably end on a fakely hopeful, hymn-singing note.”

Godfather of Harlem season 4 continues to air on Sundays on MGM Plus.