Accusations Fly Between LA Mayor and Reality Star Over Palisades Fire

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has publicly criticized reality TV personality Spencer Pratt for allegedly disregarding his status as a victim of the Palisades fire. She accused him of trying to “exploit the grief” of other fire victims in a bid to push her out of office.

Pratt, who gained fame from the show The Hills, saw a surge in attention for his mayoral campaign last week following a record donation from billionaire Jeanie Buss, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. His campaign ad, which targeted Bass for living in luxury homes while residents struggled, amassed over 12 million views, boosting his popularity among affected voters.

Part of what makes Pratt’s message resonate is his personal connection to the fire; his home with fellow reality star Heidi Montag was destroyed in the 2025 disaster. This tragedy played a significant role in his decision to engage in public affairs.

On an MSNOW segment with Katie Huang, Bass labeled Pratt a “reprehensible person” and claimed he was dismissing the grief he himself experienced when his home was lost along with many others in the community.

“Honestly, I had never even heard of Spencer Pratt before this,” she remarked.

She continued, “But my concern is that he’s leveraging the pain of the people in the Palisades. That’s simply wrong. I think he’s focused more on his own celebrity than on the people who are hurting,” she added.

Bass attributed the fires to “climate change” and suggested that Pratt would benefit from taking a “basic civics course.” She stated, “I don’t think he grasps how government operates, so perhaps a civics course might enlighten him,” emphasizing that the recent fires were among the worst disasters the city had faced.

In response, Pratt made appearances on Fox News, describing Bass’ comments as “satanic.” He said, “Karen Bass burned down my house, burned down my parents’ house, and took away the lives of my neighbors.” He emphasized that the sadness he feels is on behalf of his community, which is why he stood up in the first place.

Pratt concluded, “This is one of the most absurd and psychotic stories I’ve come across in a long time.”