Jonathan Hirsch on Losing His Father to ‘A Cult and Dementia’

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KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In his popular podcast “Dear Franklin Jones,” radio producer Jonathan Hirsch tried to make sense of a Northern California childhood dominated by his parents’ spiritual guru. In a new memoir he more deeply explores his relationship with his father and the complexity of providing care for a parent who didn’t take care of him. We talk to him about his audio memoir, “The Mind is Burning: Losing My Father to a Cult and Dementia” Guests: Jonathan Hirsch, author of the audiobook memoir, "The Mind Is Burning: Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia"; podcast producer, "Dear Franklin Jones"; founder, Neon Hum Media, a partner company with Sony Music Entertainment; creator, original series "Smoke Screen" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's so funny because when you look at the guys, that's never a topic of conversation. Yeah. What you look like? Yeah. Did you watch the football last night? It's never about, I'll watch your skincare routine. Whereas women walk into a room and because we've been taught to be pitted against each other. Yeah. Not always, but sometimes there's, oh my God, you know, I can't. It's a bit of a barrier. Yeah, yeah. and it shouldn't be there.
0:01.1	We should be trying to change that stereotype. always, but sometimes there's, oh my God, you know, I can't. It's a bit of a barrier. Yeah, yeah, and it shouldn't be there.
0:22.2	We should be trying to change that stereotype, believing that there is space for everybody.
0:27.7	There are some things you should always check, like the hygiene rating on your local takeaway,
0:33.8	the setting on your razor, and whether the party actually is fancy dress.
0:38.8	The other thing you should check is your Experian credit report,
0:42.5	especially if you're looking to borrow money.
0:44.8	It lets you understand what lenders see
0:46.8	so you can increase your chances of getting the best deals.
0:50.5	It's dead easy to check it and completely free.
0:54.3	See it in seconds. Download the Experian app today.
0:58.7	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:15.6	The Bay Area was awash with spiritual seekers during the 1960s and 70s, but the gurus didn't
1:23.2	just disappear when the age of Aquarius became the Reagan era.
1:32.2	Our guest this morning, Jonathan Hirsch, knows this well because he grew up in what many would call a cult here in San Francisco and Marin.
1:36.1	His parents felt their allegiance was to their guru, and their son suffered because of it.
1:41.9	Then just as his own family and life were blooming, his estranged
1:46.3	father was diagnosed with dementia and Hirsch was faced with a stark set of choices. It's all
1:52.4	coming up next right after this news.
2:05.6	Welcome to Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal.
2:14.1	Jonathan Hirsch is an award-winning radio and podcast producer, the founder of Neon Hum, which has made a huge number of hit podcasts.
2:17.2	He also did work for NPR and most germane to this show. He produced a podcast
	...

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