EXCLUSIVE: Spencer Pratt Being Backed by Secret String of Hollywood Elites — We Name Them as His 'Reality Show-Style Circus' Bid for LA Mayor Rolls On
Spencer Pratt's insurgent run for Los Angeles mayor is increasingly drawing support from a coterie of Hollywood figures.
May 15 2026, Published 10:55 a.m. ET
Spencer Pratt's insurgent run for Los Angeles mayor is increasingly drawing support from a coterie of Hollywood figures, as the former reality television "villain" leans into a chaotic outsider campaign critics told RadarOnline.com is resembling a reality show-style farce more than a political operation.
As RadarOnline.com has reported, the 42-year-old former The Hills regular launched his bid for mayor in January after losing his Pacific Palisades home in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Since then, Pratt has positioned himself as a blunt anti-establishment candidate railing against incumbent mayor Karen Bass, government spending and what he calls a "fundamentally broken" system.
Spencer Pratt launched an insurgent campaign for Los Angeles mayor in January.
Despite being branded "Trumpy" and "Trump-lite," his campaign has now begun attracting celebrity allies, including singer Katharine McPhee, producer David Foster, reality television personality Kristin Cavallari and hotel heiress Paris Hilton – even though questions swirl around the seriousness of his candidacy.
At a fundraiser held Monday, May 11, at McPhee and Foster's Los Angeles home, guests watched Pratt serenaded by one of his new fans with a rewritten version of Tina Turner's The Best.
In footage shared online by One America News Network host Alicia Summers, McPhee sang during her and Foster's duet: "Spencer, you're simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than Karen Bass and Nithya Raman."
Celebrity Politics Strategy Modeled On Donald Trump
Katharine McPhee and David Foster serenaded Pratt with a rewritten version of a popular song.
A source close to the campaign said Pratt's appeal lies in his willingness to weaponize celebrity culture against traditional politics.
The insider told us: "Spencer understands that a huge number of people in Los Angeles have completely tuned out traditional politicians because they all sound overly rehearsed and disconnected from ordinary voters.
"He believes the public has become numb to carefully managed press conferences and polished campaign slogans, so he's deliberately running a loud, unpredictable and highly theatrical campaign to cut through the noise.
"He thinks politics has effectively become entertainment now, whether people like it or not, and his view is that if you don't create moments that dominate social media, spark headlines and get people talking, voters simply stop paying attention. Spencer genuinely believes his reality TV background is an advantage because he already knows how to hold an audience's attention in a way career politicians can't."
Pratt's rise has coincided with growing frustration among some Los Angeles voters over homelessness, crime and the city's response to the killer 2025 wildfires.
According to a recent KTLA poll, Bass leads the race with 30% support, while Pratt has climbed to 22% – ahead of councilwoman Nithya Raman on 19%.
Kristin Cavallari And Paris Hilton Back Pratt
Kristin Cavallari defended Pratt's political ambitions during an episode of her podcast.
Cavallari recently enthusiastically defended Pratt on an April episode of her podcast Let's Be Honest.
She said: "I think Spencer running for mayor is f------ genius. Because I think everyone in politics – I don't care what side you're on – everyone is corrupt.
Cavallari added: "That's why I love Spencer running for mayor, because he is a real person who is going to call out the corruption."
Hilton also publicly endorsed Pratt after he posted footage of himself touring the silver Airstream trailer parked on the remains of his burned-out property.
"Spencer for Mayor," billionaire hotel heiress Hilton commented online.
But Pratt's unconventional campaign has also become mired in controversy after critics accused him of misleading voters about living in a trailer full-time.
In campaign footage, Pratt gestured toward the vehicle and declared: "This is where I live."
Reports later emerged claiming Pratt had instead been staying at a luxury hotel while his wife – fellow Hills alum Heidi Montag – and their two children were living in Santa Barbara.
Reality TV Circus Claims Swirl Around Campaign
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Pratt toured the silver Airstream trailer parked on his burned-out property.
Pratt denied misleading voters during an interview, saying: "That is where I live. That's where Karen Bass, Mayor Bass, burnt down my house. That is where I will live until I have a new house."
Another controversy erupted after reports claimed Pratt's mayoral campaign was secretly being filmed for an unscripted reality television series.
A spokesperson for Pratt has now denied the allegations, insisting: "There is no series in production and cameras have not been following the campaign."
Still, insiders said Pratt deliberately studies celebrity politicians – particularly Donald Trump – as he crafts his own media-heavy campaign persona.
One source said: "Spencer may have denied he is shooting this campaign for a reality show, but it is still a reality show-style circus of a campaign. He has spent years watching how celebrity culture and politics have merged together, and he genuinely believes the old rules no longer apply. In his mind, Trump proved that someone with a reality television background can turn fame, controversy and media attention into real political power.
"He honestly thinks voters are far more likely to connect with a recognizable personality than another polished establishment figure, especially in a city like Los Angeles, where celebrity status carries enormous influence. Spencer absolutely sees himself following a similar path – using his notoriety, his outsider image, and his ability to generate constant headlines to convince people he can shake up City Hall. And it is a genuinely worrying trend for America."
