Reality check: Spencer Pratt seeks to convert online attention to real-life votes in L.A.

ElectionsReality check: Will online attention translate to real-life votes for Spencer Pratt in Los Angeles?Ahead of the June 2 primary, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has high disapproval ratings and has drawn broad criticism for her handling of the Palisades fires.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Spencer Pratt, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman. Getty; APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 24, 2026, 5:00 AM EDTBy Alexandra MarquezThe now-viral, AI-generated video opens with the iconic Hollywood sign on fire and features Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wearing makeup to look like the Joker. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris feast with elites while a Batman-like figure moves through city streets fighting armed agents.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The video, which now has over 5 million views on X alone, is just one of many produced to boost Republican Spencer Pratt’s candidacy in the Los Angeles mayoral race, where the former “The Hills” cast member has become the latest reality-TV star seeking to use his fame to propel him in politics.Republicans are cheering him on, pointing to the videos that they say are building enthusiasm on the ground in a city where their party doesn’t often gain traction in local or statewide elections.Pratt even appears to have caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who recently told reporters, “I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character.”Some Democrats, meanwhile, are dismissing Pratt’s internet virality, saying that the majority of users cheering for him online don’t live in Los Angeles and won’t have a say in the upcoming mayoral primary.What they can’t dismiss, though, is that Bass is in political trouble, facing challenges from the left and right in the upcoming all-party primary for mayor. And in recent polls, Pratt has gained ground, increasing the likelihood that he and Bass, a Democrat who is ru...