Spencer Pratt's run for mayor of Los Angeles was already unconventional. In recent weeks, though, the former reality television star has pushed the campaign into stranger and far darker territory, mixing celebrity feuds, AI-generated attack ads and inflammatory online rhetoric that critics say is dragging the city's politics into spectacle.
The 42-year-old former star of MTV's 'The Hills' entered the race after losing his Pacific Palisades home during the devastating 2025 wildfires. Pratt has repeatedly blamed city leadership, particularly incumbent mayor Karen Bass, for failures in emergency response during the fires.
Celebrity Politics Meets Personal Attacks
One of the clearest signs of how chaotic the race has become came during Pratt's escalating feud with comedian Chelsea Handler. Handler pointed on Instagram that Pratt's candidac, describing him as a 'straight, white male former reality star' with no governmental experience and questioning why voters should take him seriously.
Pratt retaliated by posting a clip of comedian Shane Gillis joking about Handler attending parties connected to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The exchange quickly spiralled beyond politics into outright character attacks, revealing what now defines Pratt's campaign style. It thrives on provocation, celebrity conflict and viral engagement rather than policy detail.
AI Ads Trigger Alarm Beyond Los Angeles
The backlash intensified after Pratt shared AI-generated political videos depicting Bass as villains, including Darth Vader and the Joker while presenting himself as a heroic saviour figure. The imagery alarmed political observers and several public figures who argued the campaign was crossing into dangerous territory.
LA is worth saving. Vote Spencer Pratt. pic.twitter.com/S9O8jvTz4I
— Charles Curran (@charliebcurran) May 11, 2026
Appearing on CNN, Bass said the ads represented a 'violent turn' in political messaging, warning that demonising opponents can encourage unstable behaviour. Whoopi Goldberg later echoed her criticism during a segment on 'The View.'
Goldberg said she was 'freaked out' by the AI content and criticised what she described as escalating hostility disguised as political campaigning. Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin called the material 'AI slop,' arguing it trivialised serious issues affecting wildfire victims.
Pratt, however, appears entirely comfortable inhabiting that environment. He continues posting heavily edited attack clips online, including a manipulated video using footage of Khloé Kardashian from 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' to brand Bass a liar during a televised debate.
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) May 12, 2026
Questions Over Image And Authenticity
Scrutiny has also intensified around Pratt's public portrayal of his personal circumstances following the fires.
Campaign messaging frequently highlighted claims that Pratt and his family were forced to live in a trailer after losing their home. But reports later revealed Pratt had been staying for weeks at the ultra-luxurious Hotel Bel-Air, where rooms can cost thousands of dollars per night.
Pratt defended the move, saying security concerns and death threats forced him to leave the trailer site. He claimed hostile supporters of Bass and fellow candidate Nithya Raman made the area unsafe.
The controversy fed criticism that Pratt's campaign often blurs performance and authenticity.
They not like us pic.twitter.com/78hducHDUE
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) April 29, 2026
Reality Television Never Really Left Him
TMZ has reported that Pratt has already signed a production deal to film his Los Angeles mayoral campaign. What makes the arrangement extraordinary is the reported clause stating cameras would continue rolling even if he actually wins office.
According to sources cited by TMZ, Pratt signed an agreement with Boardwalk Pictures, the Los Angeles-based studio behind documentary and unscripted television projects. Filming is expected to follow not only Pratt's campaign operation but also his family life with wife Heidi Montag and their children.
Production would reportedly continue if Pratt were sworn in as mayor.
Pratt, however, slammed these reports, saying it's untrue.
A spokesperson for Pratt told The Wrap, 'There is no series in production and cameras have not been following the campaign.'
'He does not have any signed contract,' they added. 'No contract exists related to this because it isn't true.'
Stephanie Pratt Slams Brother Spencer's LA Mayoral Campaign As Family Rift Explodes Again
Stephanie Pratt has publicly torn into brother Spencer Pratt over his increasingly controversial campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, branding support for him a 'vote for stupidity'.
The former The Hills star unleashed a series of posts on X over the weekend, calling Spencer 'unqualified and inexperienced' and accusing him of using the mayoral race to 'stay famous and sell his memoir'.
Stephanie Pratt has wiped much of her social media presence just days after publicly tearing into her brother over his controversial Los Angeles mayoral campaign. By Monday, Stephanie's Instagram account had disappeared entirely while her X account was switched to private, with recent posts removed.
'LA does not need another unqualified and inexperienced mayor,' Stephanie wrote. 'A vote for him is a vote for stupidity.'
Stephanie, who largely lives in London, suggested her brother's ambitions were better suited to the Palisades than a city of nearly four million people. 'I have no problem with Spencer playing government but our city needs help,' she wrote.
The siblings' relationship has been fractured for years. Stephanie previously described Spencer and his wife Heidi Montag as 'evil' and 'toxic' during earlier family disputes tied to their reality TV fame.
Old Scandals Return As Memoir Fuels Attention
At the same time, Pratt is promoting his memoir, 'The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain,' which revisits old Hollywood controversies from before his reality television fame.
Among the most striking revelations are Pratt's claims that he sold private photographs involving Mary-Kate Olsen for $50,000 after taking them from the home of her former boyfriend, Max Winkler. Pratt portrays the episode as youthful opportunism, though the story has resurfaced uncomfortable questions about his judgment as he seeks public office.
He has also openly embraced his image as television's 'villain,' framing much of his public career around notoriety rather than rehabilitation.
Still, the attention does not necessarily translate into political credibility. Bass has repeatedly questioned Pratt's understanding of governance, while critics argue the campaign reflects a broader erosion of seriousness in American political culture.
