Today In Pop Culture: When Gerry Met Squeaky

By Jeffery X Martin

It’s September 5, 1975, and President Gerald R. Ford is visiting California. Appointed rather than elected, Ford has not been the greatest President. He’s already been repeatedly made fun of by Chevy Chase on SNL for being clumsy. He is also dealing with the public relations nightmare that occurred when he pardoned former President Richard Nixon for his part in the Watergate burglary and other crimes. He is seen as a stooge, a puppet, a leader who would rather play golf than deal with the issues.

Even so, it’s a bit of a surprise when a woman starts waving a gun at him. Secret Service agents rush the woman and take her into custody. When the dust settles, agents realize this isn’t just any girl with a gun.

This is Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, former member of the Manson Family.

Charles Manson and his followers gained notoriety when Charles and some members of the Family went on trial for the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders. Pregnant actress Sharon Tate and her friends were killed in a gruesome fashion, and while Manson himself claimed he was never at the house, he and his adopted children went to the big house for a long time.

Even now, decades after their crimes, Charles Manson and his followers inspire a measure of fear and fascination. How could one guy become a spiritual touchstone for wayward flower children and get them to kill for him? They were like the anti-hippies, screeching for race wars and annihilation, instead of peace, love, and understanding.

Fromme wasn’t one of those accused of the Tate-LaBianca murders, but she did carve an “X” in her forehead and proclaim her undying devotion to Charlie. She was often used for sound bites on news reports, as she and others would dance and sing in the hallways of the court. Her devotion to Charlie was complete. In fact, to this day, she has yet to renounce Manson as her own personal savior.

On the day when Squeaky met Gerald Ford, she was dressed in a red robe and carrying a Colt .45 semi-automatic. She claimed that she wanted to speak with President Ford about the effect of pollution on the California redwood trees. Obviously, the best way to get the attention of the President of the United States is to wave your gun at him. Presidents like that. They often wave back. And if they don’t, Secret Service agents do.

Fromme was handcuffed and then told television news reporters that she had ejected the bullet from the chamber, so the gun did not and could not go off. However, her affiliation with the Manson Family followed her into court, where she was given a life sentence. Upon hearing that news, Fromme threw an apple at US Attorney Dwayne Keyes. The blow knocked the glasses right off his face.

The date of her sentencing was December 17, 1975.

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who as a child appeared as a dancer on The Lawrence Welk Show, was released on parole in 2009 and is reportedly living somewhere in New York.

All of this… because she met a musician. Yes, Charles Manson was a frustrated guitarist who hung around with the Beach Boys for a while, but never caught that magical musical break. But the girls of the Family, including Squeaky, sure loved to hear Charlie sing.

A cautionary tale? Perhaps. I’m certainly not here to tell you how to raise your children. However, I am here to give you the opportunity to listen to the Manson Family, including Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. Let’s call it an extreme version of indie rock.