Behind the Bastards – Part Two: Buford Pusser: The Worst Sheriff Ever
Host: Robert Evans | Guest: Daniel O’Brien
Date: September 25, 2025
Podcast: Behind the Bastards (Cool Zone Media & iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

This episode is the second installment of Behind the Bastards’ deep dive into the life and myth of Buford Pusser, the small-town Tennessee sheriff idolized by “Walking Tall”—and, as Robert Evans and Daniel O’Brien argue, perhaps the country’s most overrated, myth-laden, and corrupt lawman. Moving beyond Pusser’s Hollywood legacy, the hosts expose the reality: a man notorious less for bravery and justice than for violence, corruption, self-serving lies, and perhaps murder. Along the way, they explore the real organized crime landscape of the American South in the 1960s, the mechanics of mythmaking, and the tragic fate of women—including Pusser’s own wife—who crossed his path.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Buford Pusser’s Image vs. Reality

• The Hollywood Myth (00:55–05:18)

  • The films "Walking Tall" and their misleading hero-worship of Pusser are discussed:
    • The original movie presents Pusser as a noble sheriff fighting crime with a giant stick, complete with the tagline: “The measure of a man is how tall he walks.”
    • Robert and Dan ridicule the vacuity of this phrase.
      “‘Shut up. Just shut the fuck up. What is that?’” — Robert Evans (03:15)
    • The Rock’s modern reboot is even less connected to reality: “It notes that it’s inspired by a true story, which it wasn’t. As we’ll discuss today.” — Robert (04:50)

• Origin of the “Big Stick” (07:51–09:36)

  • The legend starts with Buford hitting W.O. Hathcock Jr. with a fence post—an actual moment of violence, but inflated in the retelling and movies.
  • Pusser's daughter, Dwana, frames violent crimes as harmless pranks in her memoir.
    • “‘That’s one way to describe a criminal conspiracy. Yeah, a stroke of really smart planning.’” — Robert (10:52)

2. Buford’s Pre-Policing Life: Crime, Wrestling, and Connections

• Early Criminal Activity (09:36–11:36)

  • Pusser and friends commit assault and likely robbery, evade justice with faked alibis—his family celebrates this “cleverness.”

• Pro Wrestling Stint (11:36–14:43)

  • Briefly a professional wrestler; learned showmanship and selling fake injuries, useful for mythmaking later.
    • “He had made a living pretending to suffer serious injuries and even faking injuries for the entertainment of a crowd.” — Robert (48:08)

3. Rise to Power in Adamsville

• Chief of Police by Nepotism (15:15–16:39)

  • Pusser’s father, likely a crooked cop himself, passes the position down to Buford.
  • Robert suspects “the money from being crooked cops in this mafia town could continue to stay in the family.”

• Corruption and Turf Wars (16:39–18:15; 18:57–21:56)

  • Law enforcement’s relationships with the State Line Gang and Dixie Mafia were deeply corrupt.
  • Pusser may not have wanted to end crime, but to control the rackets and cut out competitors.
    • “He was just kind of trying to edge these other law enforcement guys out of the racket. Right. Because they were all getting cuts and he wanted more money for himself.” — Robert (17:50)
    • The infamous “raid” stories are often self-promoted or inflated.

4. The State Line Gang & Louise Hathcock

• Louise Hathcock: Crime Matriarch (26:07–29:26)

  • After divorcing her husband (and allegedly orchestrating his murder), Louise continues to run organized crime operations.
  • Louise’s resilience and cunning are praised:
    • “This is a smart, tough lady. Orchestrates the murder of her husband and then keeps her boyfriend at arm’s length…” — Robert (29:09)
  • Speculation: Buford targeted the organization in part because a woman was in charge.

• Pusser’s Infamous Stabbing and the Growth of His Legend (31:33–33:17)

  • After surviving a high-profile stabbing (possibly a real assassination attempt, possibly staged/faked), his press coverage intensifies and so does the Pusser legend.

5. Murder of Louise Hathcock

• Questionable Self-Defense (33:17–34:38)
  • Official story: Buford killed Louise during an arrest in self-defense.
  • Hathcock family and many locals maintain she was “shot in the back”; more likely a murder than self-defense.

6. The Pauline Pusser Murder: Fact vs. Fiction

• “Assassination Attempt” and Media Mythmaking (38:59–43:06)

  • Official lore: Buford and wife Pauline are ambushed by assassins trying to avenge Louise’s death. Pauline is killed, Buford is grievously wounded in the jaw, but survives.
    • “I cradled Pauline’s head in my lap and prayed over and over again, oh God, don’t let her die.” — Robert (quoting Pusser, 41:45)
  • Guest Dan questions the scenario’s logic; the narrative seems designed to separate Buford’s injury from Pauline’s murder.

• The Real Evidence: Domestic Violence and Coverup (43:06–48:03)

  • Modern forensics and reopened investigations (2022 TBI cold case) reveal the reality:
    • Gun and forensic evidence suggests Pauline was killed outside the car and placed inside afterward.
    • An autopsy in 2024 shows Pauline had suffered a broken nose (domestic violence) prior to her death; all evidence points to a domestic murder, not a mob hit.
    • “This appears to be a domestic violence homicide, rather than this notion that they were ambushed in the middle of the night…” — Robert quoting investigators (46:14)
  • Buford’s supposed “grievous wound” was a superficial, self-inflicted gunshot to the (numb) side of his face, a trick learned from wrestling.

7. Aftermath and the Power of Myth

• The Cover-Up and Continued Violence (55:03–61:46)

  • Pusser publicly accuses several criminals of the “hit” on Pauline; those same men die suspiciously soon after, likely at Buford’s command—a fact often accepted or even cheered locally.

• Legacy and Tourism (65:03–66:26)

  • Despite local suspicions, the Hollywood-fueled myth prevails; he’s still honored and even memorialized locally.
  • Buford dies in a car crash in 1974 while on the cusp of playing himself in his own movie—an ending the hosts find oddly fitting.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Taglines and Hero-Making:

  • “‘The measure of a man is how tall he walks.’ I mean, does it just mean… the taller you are, the better you are? Shut up. Just shut the fuck up.” — Robert Evans (03:15)

• On Corruption:

  • “He was made chief of police. Right. And the way Dwana describes it, they had to beg him to be the chief of police. Like he really didn’t want it and they had to force it on him. There’s a lot that we just don’t have here.” — Robert (15:21)

• On Louise Hathcock’s Bribery Skills:

  • “‘Since Louise was still in her bathrobe, she asked the deputy to wait while she changed… Once she was dressed… the deputy allowed Louise to drive to the sheriff’s office in her own vehicle.’ That’s just— you’re paying a bribe on your way to work to the cops.” — Robert (20:15)

• On Faked Legend:

  • “He gives a lot of interviews, he likes talking to the press. He’s good at working the media… He really likes the image of himself as this badass log wielding juggernaut of justice.” — Robert (31:51)

• On the “Assassination Attempt”:

  • “The only parts… that have proven accurate with time is that Pauline Pusser was shot and killed and Buford was shot but not killed. Everything else… has been shown to have been a lie.” — Robert (43:11)

• On Wrestling, Myth, and Injury:

  • “Buford Pusser was a pro wrestler. He had made a living pretending to suffer serious injuries and even faking injuries for the entertainment of a crowd.” — Robert (48:08)

• On Cultural Acceptance of Lawman Violence:

  • “The average assumption of a normal person in Tennessee is like, ‘Well, he definitely had three guys murdered, but it’s fine. They killed his wife. So I get it.’” — Robert (60:23)

• On Tragedy and Buffoonery:

  • “‘He sure got Pauline good. She didn’t see that coming at all. Prank the whole town. Classic Buford Pusser prank: murdering his wife and staging it as an assassination attempt by the mob.’” — Robert (70:54)

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Introduction, Walking Tall & Movie Myth: 00:55–05:18
• Legend of the “Big Stick”: 07:51–09:36
• Police Chief Ascension: 15:15–16:39
• Corruption, Organized Crime, and the State Line Gang: 16:39–21:56
• Louise Hathcock’s Reign & Murder: 26:07–34:38
• The “Assassination Attempt” & Pauline’s Death: 38:59–48:03
• Forensic Reality & Cold Case Reopening: 46:03–48:03
• Mythmaking, Public Acclaim, and Death: 65:03–68:08

Tone

The episode blends dark humor, incredulity, and sharp critique, using banter and sarcasm to underscore the absurdities—and the violence—of Pusser’s life and legend. The hosts are irreverent and deeply skeptical of the conventional “hero” narrative, frequently mocking both the subject and the society that lionized him.

Conclusion

This episode dismantles the “Walking Tall” myth, revealing Buford Pusser not as a courageous folk hero but as a violent, corrupt, and abusive figure who leveraged media, small-town corruption, and American hunger for “tough on crime” legends to hide his crimes—and even murder. The story, through contemporary forensic re-examination, is laid bare: Pusser’s own worst crime wasn’t simply brutality against gangsters, but the murder of his wife and the manipulation of mass sympathy to shield himself. As Robert sums up, his legacy is more about myth than justice, and his legend persists because people—then and now—prefer the Hollywood story to the ugly, inconvenient truth.