Behind the Bastards Part One: Buford Pusser: The Worst Sheriff Ever
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Sep 23, 2025 In this engaging discussion, writer Dan O'Brien, known for his work with Last Week Tonight and Cracked, joins to dissect the tale of Buford Pusser. They explore how the 1973 film 'Walking Tall' immortalized Pusser as a mythic lawman, while also critiquing its glorification of vigilante justice. The conversation dives into bizarre family lore, Pusser's troubling childhood, and his chaotic early adulthood, including a wild bear story and a life-altering car crash, revealing the complex reality behind the legendary figure.
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Myth Versus Reality Of Buford Pusser
- The Walking Tall myth cast Buford Pusser as a vigilante hero who fought organized crime with a big hickory stick.
- Recent investigations show most of that legend is exaggerated or false, prompting reevaluation of his legacy.
Walking Tall Tapped 1970s Frustration
- Walking Tall tapped into 1970s public anger at rising crime and political corruption.
- The film popularized the fantasy of a lawman who breaks rules to deliver quick justice.
Family Lore Masks Childhood Violence
- Duana Pusser's memoir supplies most early-life details and presents violent events as lighthearted family lore.
- She recounts pranks that include Buford firing a shotgun at his grandfather and other childhood violence framed as "boys being boys."
