If spreading misinformation were a competitive sport, Dennis Prager would be the Lionel Messi of the internet lying game.
His media network PragerU, whose name implies that it has ties to a university, but is most definitely not an academic institution, was founded by the former conservative talk show host in 2009, and is known as a hotbed of propaganda.
The organization puts out tons of content, but is best known for its sleek 5-minute videos that try to tackle complex topics in a simplified manner, often missing out vital context or being edited to be intentionally misleading. So, conservatism in a nutshell.
Prager, like many right-wingers before him, believed that education was being undermined by left-wing views, and ironically wanted a safe space to spread his own misinformed ideas, hence the inception of PragerU. He did not seem to be curious why education turned people away from conservatism, instead falling into the standard American right-wing cliche of throwing a tantrum about people disagreeing with him.
PragerU has consistently spread lies about all sorts of topics, from climate change to economics, which explains why the American right has embraced it so emphatically. In fact, it is estimated that PragerU content has earned over a billion views worldwide, making it as influential as “Gangnam Style.”
This success has also allowed Prager to ascend to a respected position in right-wing circles, which is why it made news that he was recently hospitalized for a severe back injury. The injury was said to be the result of a fall.
PragerU took to Twitter/X to make a statement on their founder, posting:
“On Tuesday morning, PragerU founder and our dear friend, Dennis Prager, suffered a serious back injury following a fall. He’s resting in a local Los Angeles hospital as doctors assess treatment options. We will keep you informed of his condition. In the meantime, Dennis welcomes the healing power of your prayers.”
Prager’s injuries don’t appear to be life threatening, but they have led to a number of prominent conservative voices sounding their support for him. One of his current employers, the Salem News Channel, allowed Prager’s colleague Mark Davis to record a short video in which he stated that he hoped Prager gets better soon.
Prager is currently resting at a hospital in Los Angeles, a famously blue city. Nobody appears to have commented on why he hasn’t requested to be treated in a red state.