Actually most of the audience weren't students but West L.A. liberal "grownups." Students tend to be pretty apathetic when it comes to "furriners." This was one of the great memories I have. A room full of L.A. liberals sitting nervously because the speaker from the much heralded Soviet Union went "off-track" with his UN-PC denunciations of Communism. And this from an editor of the largest magazine in the USSR! This is why, after that evening, I was absolutely convinced that communism was finished in Russia. Also it was interesting to see the dynamics on the stage between the somewhat unruly Krokodil staff members and the KGB watcher who was immaculately groomed.
Somebody should track down Leonid Florentiev and award him with the Ronald Reagan Medal of Freedom for what he did that evening.
Communism is "finished" wherever there exists the FReedom to scrutinize Collectivist philosophy.
Great story, my FRiend...MUD