Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Dennis Mark Prager (born August 2, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American conservative radio talk show host, author, columnist, theologian, and co-founder of PragerU, a nonprofit media organization that produces short educational videos promoting conservative viewpoints on political, economic, and cultural topics. These videos advocate for capitalism, Judeo-Christian values, pro-Israel views, and traditional social norms while critiquing leftist ideologies, socialism, and progressive policies. Raised in a Modern Orthodox Jewish family, Prager developed an early interest in theology, philosophy, Judaism, and Soviet affairs. His parents were Hilda (née Friedfeld; 1919–2009) and Max Prager (1918–2014), whose father was a Polish Jewish immigrant. While studying Russian at the University of Leeds in England in 1969, he was recruited to travel to the Soviet Union, where he smuggled Jewish religious objects, interviewed Soviet Jewish dissidents, and met with dissidents, launching his career as a public speaker lecturing on the plight of Jews in the Soviet Union. Prager began his radio career in Los Angeles in 1982, hosting The Dennis Prager Show, which became nationally syndicated in 1999 and airs weekdays, covering topics like politics, religion, culture, and morality from a conservative perspective. He is known as a prominent Jewish conservative voice and strong advocate for Israel, as well as for his advocacy of capitalism, promotion of traditional values, and critiques of progressive ideologies. Prager is a prolific author, with books like 'The Rational Bible' series interpreting the Torah/Hebrew Bible from a rationalist/conservative perspective, and 'Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph' (2012), which defends American exceptionalism. In 2009, Prager co-founded PragerU with Allen Estrin, aiming to counter perceived liberal bias in education and media; it has grown into a major conservative educational content platform focused on conservative values, with videos viewed millions of times, funded by conservative donors like the Wilks brothers and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, though it has faced criticism for promoting conservative ideologies under the guise of education, disseminating misleading information (including climate change denial), and being investigated for nonprofit compliance. Prager's work intersects with broader conservative networks; he has defended figures like Ann Coulter, collaborated with Jeremy Boreing, appeared on Sarah Stern's media, and has friendships with figures like Ben Shapiro and Hugh Hewitt. He serves as a trustee at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, contributing to anti-communist and pro-Israel advocacy. Prager has been involved in interfaith dialogues and consults for Israeli officials including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ron Dermer. His commentary has drawn criticism for promoting conservative causes, including opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and same-sex marriage, strong support for Israel, and controversial statements about Islam, leading to adversarial relationships with groups like the Anti-Defamation League. He has been accused of ties to foreign funding via Miriam Adelson and intermediaries like Morton A. Klein. Prager conducts an orchestra and has appeared in films like 'No Safe Spaces.' Married three times: first to Janice (divorced 1985, one son), second to Barbara Winter (divorced 2007), and currently to Susan Reed since 2008. He resides primarily in the Los Angeles area/California and remains active on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, engaging with audiences on current events. In late 2023, Prager suffered a severe spinal cord injury from a fall, resulting in paralysis from the neck down and damage to his diaphragm nerves, requiring medical interventions to improve breathing. Despite this, he has continued broadcasting daily, expressing gratitude and reflecting on moral issues in America. Prager opposes progressive figures like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, positioning him as a key voice in conservative networks.