The life and work of Michael Parenti: a tribute with his son, Christian

Christian Parenti joins The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal to discuss the revolutionary life and legacy of his father, the dissident political scientist Michael Parenti, who died on January 24, 2026 at age 92. Christian details how his father emerged from a working class family in East Harlem to become one of the country’s most outspoken Marxists, unapologetically defending socialist states across the globe while facing professional blacklisting and CIA surveillance. He surveys Michael Parenti’s major works, from “Democracy for the Few” to his groundbreaking study of corporate media, “Inventing Reality,” along with “To Kill A Nation,” which dismantled the Western propaganda deployed to justify NATO’s destruction of Yugoslavia. They also discuss his clash with fellow leftists Noam Chomsky and Alexander Cockburn, who glibly dismissed theories about a US intelligence role in JFK’s assassination.While Michael Parenti aggressively defied the anti-communist liberal consensus, Christian argues that his father was also a pragmatist who welcomed democratic reforms within his own society. His accessible writing, charismatic speaking style and sense of humor have earned him a committed following that will endure for generations. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegrayzone.substack.com/subscribe