Radiolab: "Oliver Sipple"
Episode Date: September 22, 2017
Hosted by: Jad Abumrad, Robert Krulwich | Reporter: Latif Nasser

Overview

This episode of Radiolab explores the life and legacy of Oliver Sipple, the man who prevented an assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford in 1975. The show delves into Sipple's heroism, the sensationalization and outing of his sexuality in the media, the fallout with his family, the impact on the LGBTQ+ movement, and the ongoing debate over privacy and public interest.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Assassination Attempt (01:36–07:14)

• Sarah Jane Moore describes the scene on September 22, 1975, in San Francisco, planning to shoot President Ford.
• As Ford exits the hotel, Moore pulls a gun but is thwarted when Oliver Sipple, a bystander, grabs her arm.
  • “I felt a man come up against me... I spun around to slap his face.” (03:11, Sarah Jane Moore)
  • The gunshot misses Ford, and Moore is tackled by police.

2. Who Was Oliver Sipple? (07:25–16:08)

• Sipple is described as an all-American, Vietnam veteran, and ex-Marine.
• He experienced PTSD and preferred to remain private after the incident.
  • “I'm a coward. I don't know why I did it. It was the thing to do at the time." (09:02, Sipple's quote relayed by a reporter)
• Sipple's quick action was chalked up to instinct rather than his military training.

3. Media Spotlight & Outing (10:43–20:09)

• Sipple becomes a national hero. The press paints him as an ex-Marine and Vietnam vet.
• The very next day, gossip columnist Herb Caen receives tips that Sipple is gay ("the hero who saved the President’s life is gay!” 11:12).
• Sipple was "out" in San Francisco but not to his family in Michigan.

4. The Role of Harvey Milk (13:05–18:34)

• Milk, a friend and political activist, informs Caen of Sipple’s sexuality in hopes of challenging stereotypes.
  • “It's too good an opportunity. For once we can show that gays do heroic things. Not just all that caca about molesting children and hanging out in bathrooms.” (18:08, paraphrasing Harvey Milk)
• Sipple is outed in the media without his consent.

5. The Fallout: Family, Identity, and Pain (20:44–33:40)

• Sipple faces intrusive questions from the press.
  • “My sexuality is a part of my private life... and has no bearing on my response to the act...” (32:45, Sipple at a press conference)
• His mother tells him she never wants to speak to him again, and his father says, “The next person that even said he had a son named Oliver, he was going to literally break their damn neck.” (36:09, Sipple’s brother relaying)

6. The President’s Response (37:18–40:56)

• After a press conference, President Ford finally sends Sipple a thank-you letter.
• Sipple writes back, pleading for Ford to call his family, hoping presidential contact might restore his relationship.

7. The Lawsuit and the Limits of Privacy (41:26–47:51)

• Sipple sues the newspapers for invasion of privacy.
  • Argument: Although Sipple was semi-openly gay in SF, the detail was private from his family and unwanted in the national spotlight.
  • Media contends it is newsworthy due to political context and Sipple’s public prominence post-heroism.
  • After years of litigation, the court rules against Sipple: “The value of that [newsworthiness] is more than the value of... this individual person's privacy.” (47:43, verdict summarized)

8. Legacy and Tragedy (49:31–End)

• Sipple loses support from his family and is marginalized by some in both the press and the gay community.
• Sipple’s later years are marked by isolation, alcoholism, and emotional pain.
  • “After this thing with Ford, it really fucked his mind up. Sipple was a broken guy after that... He was just down to nothing.” (52:17, Wayne Friday recollecting Sipple’s final years)
• Sipple dies alone at 47; his funeral is sparsely attended.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Sarah Jane Moore (on her plan):
  "I tried to stay back in the crowd, but I got pushed up almost onto the ropes in the front." (03:24)
• Oliver Sipple at press conference:
  “My sexuality is a part of my private life... has no bearing on my response to the act.” (32:45)
• Harvey Milk's rationale:
  “For once we can show that gays do heroic things.” (18:08, paraphrased)
• Sipple’s plea to Ford:
  "It is a very hard thing to have your mother and family not want to have any contact with you. I love my family, and I do not want to be separated from their love and companionship." (39:07, from Sipple’s letter to Ford)
• Daniel Lutzer on media ethics:
  “What makes something not an invasion of privacy is not that it's okay. It's that it's politically, you know, relevant… It doesn't mean that it isn't rude or that it doesn't hurt.” (48:13)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Assassination attempt and heroism: 01:36–07:14
• Media exposure & outing: 10:43–20:09
• Harvey Milk and community context: 13:05–18:34
• Press conference & Sipple’s own words: 30:50–32:52
• Falls out with his family: 33:09–36:09
• Lawsuit and legal debate: 41:26–47:51
• Final years and death: 51:41–58:29

Episode Reflections & Tone

• The episode weaves empathy, investigative rigor, and a humanistic lens.
• There is a sense of heartbreak and injustice throughout; the tone is respectful yet mournful of how Sipple was swept up by politics, media, and the era’s prejudices.
  • "It feels like there's this one kind of man in the middle... and then there are all these forces around him... he's trampled by all of them." (49:50)

Summary

Radiolab’s "Oliver Sipple" examines the unforeseen consequences of heroism and the public outing of a gay man in 1970s America. After preventing President Ford’s assassination, Sipple’s sexuality becomes front-page news—against his wishes—leading to familial estrangement, national conversation, and a landmark privacy lawsuit he ultimately loses. The episode thoughtfully explores individual dignity amidst the tidal forces of politics, activism, media, and history, raising profound questions about privacy, identity, and who pays the price for social progress.