Kelsey Grammer says he is certain of two things: The United States of America is the greatest nation in the world, and most Americans have never been taught its full history.
The six-time Emmy Award-winning actor spoke with Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek about his views on America, what he sees as shortcomings in the U.S. public education system, and a project he has undertaken to address some of those shortcomings.
Jekielek caught up with the actor at FreedomFest 2026, held from July 8 to 11, in Las Vegas. The event’s theme was “Think Independent,” and it focused on celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Grammer said he was raised by grandparents who were fiercely patriotic. His grandfather was a World War II veteran, and his grandmother inculcated within him a deep love and appreciation for his country.
When asked to assess the United States, Grammer responded quickly.
“Well, America is everything to me. There’s no place like it on the planet,” Grammer told Jekielek.
Grammer recently portrayed Lord Fairfax, a wealthy Virginian and mentor to George Washington, the future first president, in the film “Young Washington.” He said people have forgotten the brilliance of the Founding Fathers.
He said that popular culture and the public schools portray the United States as a “crap country” and that generations of young Americans who received inadequate history lessons have accepted what they were taught.
Grammer said this shortchanges some of the greatest political minds in human history.
He noted that Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
“Arguably the finest political document ever written,” Grammer said.
The American Revelation website describes the project as a “civics-led education program delivered via a mobile app, a daily video series and a book.”
Grammer said the program—which is still under development—is 251 stories to remind Americans of their history. The objective is not only to explain what our ancestors did, but also why they did it and how that’s connected to the present day.
Grammer said knowing one’s history is essential for knowing one’s identity, and that is essential for remaining free.
“If we know our history, know where we came from, we know who we are,” he said.
If “we don’t know who we are, we can be controlled by people who say things like, ‘We’re going to give it all to you for free.’ None of that’s true.”
That ignorance of history is why socialism is becoming so popular among young people, he said. Enough people have been lied to for long enough that they are beginning to accept its “hollow” promises, he added.
He called communism, which often results from socialist governments, “a poison pill” doomed to failure.
“There’s nothing good going to come of it,” Grammer said.
