Former-Boxer Butterbean Turns Lawman In New TV Reality Show

Former boxer, kickboxer and MMA fighter Eric "Butterbean" Esch will be followed by cameras as a reserve deputy sheriff in his hometown of Jasper, Ala. on a new series premiering this August on the Investigation Discovery channel.

If you've been wondering what the popular, chicken and butterbean chomping, bald-headed Esch has been up to, you'll now be able to ride along the newly appointed lawman as the 400-plus former World Toughman Champion and his best friend and police partner, Adam Hadder, are followed by a camera crew as they patrol the streets of Jasper.

The two Walker County cops, Esch and Hadder, will be shown helping the sheriff's department making drug busts, working crowd control and performing other sheriff's duties, according to the New York Post.

"I don't get paid a dime to do the deputy sheriff stuff," said the 44 year-old Butterbean.  "But I love it because I want to make Jasper a better place to live for my grand kids and children."

Esch knows his size is scary, but claims he hasn't had to rough any one up yet.  "My size kind of intimidates people," he said.  "Normally, people realize that it's not a winning situation for them with me."

It looks like Esch has joined the ranks of another bigger-than-big tough-guy personality, actor Steven Seagal, in fighting crime; but Esch, the former-boxer with a pro record of 77-8-4, insists his gig is tougher.  Esch says A&E's "Steven Seagal: Lawman" is a lighter version of his reality show.

"It's like trying to compare the WWF to ballet," he said.  "There's no comparison, and my show is the WWF."

Butterbean is no stranger to the cameras.  His fight fame was built on his huge TV persona and American flag shorts.  He was one of the most televised fighters during his heyday and once knocked out Johnny Knoxville in a department store for the movie "Jackass: The Movie."