Michael Wohl: His Darkly Funny And Insightful Memoir Examines Faith, Funerals, Family, F*cked Up Fathers And Forgiveness

Published: April 19, 2023, 10 a.m.

Michael is an award-winning filmmaker who has authored fifteen nonfiction books on filmmaking and post-production technology. He is perhaps most well known as one of the original designers of Apple\u2019s Emmy award-winning software Final Cut Pro, and he taught film editing for eight years at UCLA\u2019s School of Film & TV. In Herschel\u2019s Wake is about Michael\u2019s charismatic and irresponsible father named Herschel who was a twice-divorced astrologer, a pharmacology professor, a failed novelist, an on-the-lam drug-runner, a manual typewriter thief, an Aikido white belt, a possible communist, and a temporary resident of the little-known island of Statia. When Herschel died unexpectedly just before his 71st birthday, Michael had to travel four thousand miles and overcome four decades of resentment to pick up his father\u2019s pieces. Along the way he reconnected with his forgotten half-brother, reconciled with his overeducated, underachieving sister, and even reckoned with his ambivalence about religion.


IN THIS EPISODE, YOU\u2019LL HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE:

\xb7        How Michael\u2019s relationship with his father evolved and soured before his father\u2019s death.

\xb7        The lurid and upsetting secret Michael discovered upon his arrival in Statia.

\xb7        Michael\u2019s sister\u2019s need to follow Judaic custom for the burial and the affect that had on Michael.

\xb7        The unique grieving process that comes with the death of a difficult parent.


SOME QUESTIONS IRENE ASKS MICHAEL:

\xb7        Why did you and your siblings decide to bury your father yourselves?

\xb7        How did you finally come around to accepting and forgiving your father?

\xb7        How has forgiving your father changed your life?