Smoke Screen: I Am Rama
Rama was a spiritual teacher in the 80s and 90s who inspired many of his students while helming what many of his detractors would describe as a cult. He defied society’s archetypal vision of a New Age leader, eschewing minimalism for wealth and celebrity. He was also a man ahead of his time, encouraging his followers to develop careers in computer science before that was mainstream. For some of his students, following Rama's lead worked out spiritually, and financially too. But for others, Rama's actions contradicted his cool persona; some eventually came forward with accusations of abuse. Others vanished. Whistleblowers went to the media, and the group began to shrink and splinter. In this investigative series, Jonathan Hirsch explores the life, death and impact of Rama.
Meet the Host
As an independent producer, reporter, and sound designer, Jonathan Hirsch produced hundreds of longform audio works for NPR, Vox, NBC, Fusion Media Group, and many others. He is a recipient of the Green Eyeshade, Edward R. Murrow and duPont Awards. His 7-part documentary podcast series Dear Franklin Jones debuted #1 on the iTunes podcast charts. In April of 2018, Jonathan launched Neon Hum Media, an LA-based podcast production company, specializing in narrative-driven, high production value, “audio first” documentaries, talk shows, and partner content.
