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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

Turns out the TN sheriff who inspired Walking Tall (and carried a big stick) murdered his wife. www.wkrn.com/news/local-n...

aug 29, 2025, 5:56 pm • 383 149

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nancyfriel.bsky.social @nancyfriel.bsky.social

The only time in my life I have ever walked out of a movie was when I went to the original Walking Tall in the 70's. Audience members were laughing and clapping when Pusser perpetrated violence - which made me sick. I am glad I am made such that gratuitous violence is always revolting to me.

aug 30, 2025, 12:44 am • 5 0 • view
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Andrew Miller @heyapm.bsky.social

Time for an update from Drive By Truckers

aug 29, 2025, 6:08 pm • 6 0 • view
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Aunt Lollins @theauntnanny.bsky.social

No way, a cop?!

aug 29, 2025, 7:34 pm • 0 0 • view
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YesBiscuit @yesbiscuit.bsky.social

So she was a victim of domestic violence which ended in murder. No justice for her beyond the truth finally being admitted six decades later.

aug 29, 2025, 10:08 pm • 4 0 • view
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smol bolz @groboudo.bsky.social

Hey, i have an idea Let’s get an AI chatbot wearing Buford’s skin to “defend” “himself” on @jimacosta.bsky.social ‘s show

aug 31, 2025, 4:12 pm • 0 0 • view
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Sleestak @sleestak.bsky.social

"This case is not about tearing down a legend" Nah, tear him down.

aug 29, 2025, 9:59 pm • 8 0 • view
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Movie Vigilante 📼 🇨🇦 @movievigilante.com

I have no reservation about tearing down "legends" that are not deserved.

sep 1, 2025, 1:54 am • 1 0 • view
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msdobalina.bsky.social @msdobalina.bsky.social

Immaculate conservative poster boy right there. Every time the political-religious right anoints a new "model of upstanding masculinity", the only question is whether spousal abuse/murder is in future tense or past tense (or both).

aug 29, 2025, 9:40 pm • 10 1 • view
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italianstylemeats @blagueplague.bsky.social

"Watch out for Buford!" is what they keep on telling me But to me he's just another crooked lawman up in Tennessee He gets a new hot car to keep us on our toes And that ridiculous stick where the press corp goes And some big time Hollywood actors playing him on the big screen" Drive by Truckers

aug 29, 2025, 8:38 pm • 20 2 • view
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Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦 @merz.bsky.social

Cops are great, eh, @gregdoucette.bsky.social ?

aug 29, 2025, 6:08 pm • 4 0 • view
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✨️KittyKatPrincess✨️ @kittykatprincess.bsky.social

👀👀👀

aug 30, 2025, 1:47 am • 0 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

every year some sheriff gets big stick and an award at the Buford Pusser Festival. oh i see a recent honoree.

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aug 29, 2025, 5:59 pm • 57 7 • view
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bluechupacabra.bsky.social @bluechupacabra.bsky.social

The museum there is a jerk off fest for police/law and order. Joe Arpaio and David Clarke were past “honorees”.

aug 29, 2025, 6:11 pm • 6 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

go figure

aug 29, 2025, 6:12 pm • 4 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

Who wants to tell her?

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aug 29, 2025, 6:00 pm • 57 5 • view
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Sooz Bee @soozbee.bsky.social

There's at least 40% chance she already knows.

aug 29, 2025, 6:38 pm • 4 0 • view
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bobson-dugnut.bsky.social @bobson-dugnut.bsky.social

Nice. Just Google " 40% of cops " 🫠

aug 29, 2025, 6:41 pm • 3 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

The story is even worse because Pusser and his fan boys have claimed for 60 years that she was killed in an "ambush" when her husband appears to have shot and killed her, then staged an ambush.

aug 29, 2025, 6:02 pm • 97 13 • view
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En Buen Ora @enbuenora.bsky.social

great, now I have to find another big white cop who beats people with a stick to admire, surely an impossible task

aug 29, 2025, 7:40 pm • 10 0 • view
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estarianne @estarianne.bsky.social

But he was that kind of guy who always got the benefit of the doubt.

aug 29, 2025, 6:04 pm • 18 0 • view
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WhiteRoseAFA @whiteroseafa.bsky.social

He died by drunk driving without a seatbelt and, like now, his family has run in to defend his name/brand.

Death Buford Pusser died on August 21, 1974, of injuries sustained in a one-car automobile accident 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Adamsville.[23][9] Earlier that day, he had contracted with Bing Crosby Productions in Memphis to portray himself in the sequel to Walking Tall. That evening, returning home alone from the McNairy County Fair in his specially modified Corvette, Pusser struck an embankment at high speed that ejected him from the vehicle. The car caught fire and burned.[23][9] Local speculation as to the cause included rumors of sabotage to the steering mechanism and the tie rods. The state trooper who worked the accident, Paul Ervin, later became the sheriff of McNairy County. Ervin claimed that Pusser's death was caused by drunk driving without a seat belt. Buford’s daughter, Dwana Pusser, a passenger in another car, came upon the scene of the accident minutes later. No autopsy of Pusser's body was performed. As sheriff, Pusser was credited with surviving seven stabbings and eight shootings. Pusser's memorial service was held at the Adamsville Church of Christ.[24]
aug 31, 2025, 4:35 pm • 5 2 • view
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Bob Calhoun @bobcalhoun.bsky.social

The trailers for that movie are positively creepy too. archive.org/details/walk...

aug 29, 2025, 6:05 pm • 4 0 • view
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Jumpin’ Punkin @jumpinpunkin.bsky.social

Who’s gonna tell the Rock??

aug 29, 2025, 7:14 pm • 1 0 • view
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Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social

Of course Kevin Sorbo was the star of one of the remakes of/sequels to that film. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking...

aug 29, 2025, 9:25 pm • 19 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

lol I cannot say I’ve seen any of them!

aug 29, 2025, 9:35 pm • 10 0 • view
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mountainsstars.bsky.social @mountainsstars.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/moun...

aug 29, 2025, 10:36 pm • 2 0 • view
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Jonathan Aul @mudshark58.bsky.social

I think I saw the first one, but it was back in the 1970s and I remember next to nothing about it beyond the standard "southern cop does things his own way" slant of that time.

aug 29, 2025, 11:05 pm • 2 0 • view
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Jonathan Aul @mudshark58.bsky.social

Looks like the ones with Sorbo don't have much to do with the original Buford Pusser stories beyong the "Walking Tall" name. Just generic macho-man stuff.

aug 29, 2025, 11:12 pm • 1 0 • view
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Phil Klinkner @pklinkne.bsky.social

The original with Joe Don Baker has its moments.

aug 29, 2025, 9:36 pm • 9 0 • view
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Brian Broadus @cvilletgr.bsky.social

His only great role was "Mitchell." At least, that was the one I saw on MST3K.

aug 29, 2025, 9:38 pm • 8 0 • view
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Dean Booth 🦆🐇 @deanbooth.bsky.social

The MST3K crew received pushback from the film's star, Joe Don Baker, who reportedly was so angry about their treatment of his film that he threatened to "kick their asses". (AI)

aug 29, 2025, 11:43 pm • 6 0 • view
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Peter M. Sullivan @citizensullivan.bsky.social

Nothing says badass like kicking the ass of a puppet made out of a bubblegum machine.

aug 31, 2025, 4:18 pm • 5 0 • view
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Brian Broadus @cvilletgr.bsky.social

Tracks. But Linda Evans? Doubt she wanted more people to notice it.

aug 30, 2025, 2:11 am • 3 0 • view
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Phil Klinkner @pklinkne.bsky.social

He was a pretty good actor.

aug 29, 2025, 9:40 pm • 1 0 • view
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Brian Broadus @cvilletgr.bsky.social

He had his moments. "Cape Fear" wasn't bad. But, damn, that "Mitchell" was a role that he should've dodged.

aug 29, 2025, 9:43 pm • 1 0 • view
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Concentration Camp Barbie 🌮 @ljohn44.bsky.social

There’s a great podcast about this- podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

aug 29, 2025, 6:12 pm • 24 1 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

oh i will listen, thank you

aug 29, 2025, 6:13 pm • 3 0 • view
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ResistaSista76 @resistasista76.bsky.social

In another 60 years they’ll dig some lady up from a golf course and discover the same thing was true about her. 🤔

Golf course grave of the first wife of the rapist felon, Ivana Trump
aug 29, 2025, 7:38 pm • 16 1 • view
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DorisVader @dorisvader.bsky.social

OMG this guy even has a museum! Still! With a gift shop!!!

aug 30, 2025, 8:48 pm • 1 0 • view
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Movie Vigilante 📼 🇨🇦 @movievigilante.com

and an annual festival!

sep 1, 2025, 1:51 am • 0 0 • view
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DorisVader @dorisvader.bsky.social

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aug 30, 2025, 8:39 pm • 0 0 • view
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DorisVader @dorisvader.bsky.social

ahhhh...just another southern redneck 'hero' never brought to justice.

aug 30, 2025, 8:37 pm • 1 0 • view
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Brian Broadus @cvilletgr.bsky.social

Reading the story, there's apparently a Buford Pusser Museum. Sucks to be them, now.

aug 29, 2025, 9:42 pm • 3 0 • view
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chortles81.bsky.social @chortles81.bsky.social

📌

aug 31, 2025, 8:44 pm • 0 0 • view
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Movie Vigilante 📼 🇨🇦 @movievigilante.com

I'm expecting Kevin Sorbo to come to his defense, any minute now.

sep 1, 2025, 1:50 am • 0 0 • view
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Phil Klinkner @pklinkne.bsky.social

Those movies were a big part of the conservative backlash in 70s popular culture

aug 29, 2025, 6:04 pm • 17 0 • view
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Mike the Mad Biologist and Kalanick Professor of Vibe Physics @mikethemadbiol.bsky.social

📌

aug 31, 2025, 4:07 pm • 0 0 • view
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Andrew Quemere @andrewqmr.bsky.social

It's fascinating that he wasn't caught because no autopsy was performed on his wife's body. I guess not having to deal with an autopsy when your spouse is murdered and you're the only known witness to the murder is one of the unique job perks that cops enjoy.

aug 30, 2025, 3:41 pm • 8 0 • view
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Andrew Quemere @andrewqmr.bsky.social

Pretty sick that he used the cover story for his wife's murder as part of his hero narrative. Real serial killer vibes.

aug 30, 2025, 3:43 pm • 5 0 • view
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Piglet73 @piglet73.bsky.social

And that's bad? ✌️😎🍄

aug 29, 2025, 9:11 pm • 0 0 • view
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Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. @mirimg.bsky.social

😳

aug 29, 2025, 8:28 pm • 0 0 • view
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KB @sorrykb.bsky.social

Yes, ALL cops.

aug 31, 2025, 3:56 pm • 0 0 • view
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Mike Lowder @mclowder.bsky.social

Lawless sheriff? Who could see that coming?

aug 29, 2025, 6:04 pm • 14 0 • view
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Marc Reeve @cmraman.geek.org

I thought we already knew that (it’s why I’ve not watched any of those movies), but I guess they have a smoking gun now, as it were?

aug 29, 2025, 9:24 pm • 3 0 • view
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Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social

They did reopen the case last year. For a long time, his museum kept saying she died in an ambush on the sheriff…

aug 29, 2025, 9:31 pm • 0 0 • view