r/Mafia • u/Pure-Lime8280 • 23h ago
Was Russell Bufalino really a nice guy?
I only really know him from the Irishman and snippets of what I remember people on the internet saying about him.
Obviously, he was a mob boss - so he wasn't a good guy.
But it sounds like in his interactions with others, he was polite, well mannered, even-tempered, good company and a generally likable (good)fella.
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u/wynnduffyisking 23h ago
I’m sure there were plenty of mobsters who were likable even though they were also cold blooded killers
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u/GuestAdventurous7586 22h ago
This.
I mean look at Sammy. I know everyone here hates him, but he is clearly charming, likeable, funny at times, tells amazing stories. I expect he’d be very personable and be able to win over your trust.
Which is what makes him so dangerous and not a nice guy, cause that life is all about betrayal and murder, and smiling to their face while you’re organising their murder behind their back.
It’s like the thing Larry Mazza says about Greg Scarpa. He’d be incredibly charismatic and charming; he’d buy you dinner, but for dessert he’d kill you.
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u/Pure-Lime8280 22h ago
What about Mikey Gas? He seems like a nice guy on the internet, but I bet that back in the day, he'd steal the eyes out of your head if you gave him the chance.
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u/IndrasArsenal 14h ago
he's a bit out of his line these days, he now sits there reading news and explaining , on the other hand his podcasts are pretty good ngl, i liked the one he did with cicale
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u/Pure-Lime8280 23h ago
True. Jimmy Burke was supposed to be the life and soul of the party - until he wasn't.
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u/GooseNYC 21h ago
He was supposed to be polite and gracious to visitors.
But a nice guy? He was a murderer. No.
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u/guerrillaactiontoe 20h ago
Being ruthless with others who are in the life is different than dealing with civilians. I'd say he was a "good" guy provided business isn't involved. In any of my interactions with gangsters, the rule was to treat them like a bear, keep respectful distance and don't feed them.
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u/Pure-Lime8280 20h ago
True story. There is someone I'm (vaguely) acquainted with who has gang (not mafia) ties. He likes to buy a lot of drinks for everyone and throw the cash around. This one time, before I knew who he really was, I bought him a beer and a shot back and brought them over.
He was like "thanks son, but I buy drinks for people I like because I want to buy them drinks - no need to get them back in future".
It was later pointed out to me that my actions could be considered as questioning his generosity in front of his associates.
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u/JonMardukasMidnight 19h ago
“Nice” is an outward personality thing. Criminologists call it superficial charm or mask of benevolence. But they’ll kill you, which isn’t nice.
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u/Sweet-Actuator9285 17h ago
Worked as the head doorman at a Hilton that Vito Rizzuto used to stay at occasionally. By all accounts, a well mannered guy who tipped well. Still not a "good guy." Pretty sure Buffalino would be in that category.
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u/PAE8791 Paisan 22h ago
John Gotti was the best guy around. His brother gave a homeless man 50$ and John said woaaaa , make it a Hundo.
Joe Massino used to treat whoever was in Brothers so he could skip the line . He was a swell fellow.
Until I hear a story about russ buying lunches and giving money to the homeless, he ain’t a nice guy .
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u/Aggravating_Ad2247 7h ago
When Russel was older, in his late 60s, he was seeing a woman from a wealthy family of Coal operators. She was married and her and her husband owned a home on Lake Ariel in PA. The husband heard Russ was at the house on the lake and went up to confront him. The story goes that the husband roughed up Russ a bit. After that happened, Russ had a couple of guys basically stalk the husband and his sons to intimidate them. There are records available now that show she was a CI for the FBI during all of this. He could have had everyone taken out but my opinion was he was making so much money and had so much attention at the time he let his ego step aside and didn't retaliate. I don't think he was as sociopathic as some other LCN members. I think he was more of an old-fashioned Sicilian who kept the rules. Leave the civilians out of it. Maybe im completely wrong, but that's my take. I know a lot of old timers who knew him through the IACRL which was big here in NEPA. None of them talk about him like he was crazy or anything. Just a poweful guy who had connections everywhere.
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u/EPL35 Bonanno 22h ago
Sheeran told that Buffalino once spotted three men working on a rooftop on a scorching hot summer day. He approached them, telling them that they in no way could work under such conditions. He didnt stop them from continuing their work but bought them refreshments.