By BOB THOMPSON --

HOLLYWOOD -- The former Foxy Brown isn't offended easily, but she can be offensive quickly, if she has to be.

"I come from a long line of skillet-throwing women," says the feisty five-foot-eight Pam Grier.

Those are just two of the reasons Grier has survived three decades of showbiz with a pleasant personality and a wise sense of humor.

Rather than be bitter or get cynical about her "alleged comeback" from her '70s blaxploitation days as the super-bad mama Coffy and the hard-fightin' Foxy Brown, the 48-year-old puts her recent Jackie Brown fame in perspective.

"I do a movie once every four years and they call it a comeback," Grier says chuckling.

"A comeback means I must have been big once. So I'm not going to worry about it."

Actually, she should be rejoicing in the New Year.

Unlike goofy cameos in Posse, Escape From L.A. and Mars Attacks, Grier is called upon big time in Quentin Tarantino's movie version of Elmore Leonard's popular novel Rum Punch.

"I bumped into Quentin two years ago and he told me he was writing something for me," she recalls of the caper picture also starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert

De Niro, Robert Forster and Bridget Fonda.

"I thought Quentin was being so nice to me, saying those things because he's a big fan.

"I politely said, 'Thank you and thank you for thinking of me,' never expecting to hear from him again."

More than a year later, the Denver-based actor couldn't believe it.

She was reading the Tarantino script at her home. It outlined her as the featured attraction -- the desperate air attendant.

"I think I did have to pay postage to get that mailed script," she adds sardonically. "It was good to get a job though. It's better than doing the dishes any time."

After her recent Golden Globe nomination for the part, some suggest she might even complete her "comeback" at the March Oscar awards for her well-received Jackie Brown portrayal.

Grier, although acknowledging "the positive talk," is not that convinced of the nomination possibility.

She's already celebrating for other reasons, anyway.

"I look at Jackie Brown as a gift from Quentin, and that's good enough for me," she says.

"What I'm doing right now is enjoying everybody enjoying my success."


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