The Unspeakeasy With Meghan Daum Can Spencer Pratt Save Los Angeles?
May 5, 2026
Spencer Pratt, reality TV figure turned Los Angeles mayoral candidate who lost his Palisades home in the 2025 fire, recounts the blaze and his political awakening. He dives into wildfire response failures, homelessness and alleged nonprofit profiteering, public-safety enforcement proposals, controversial compulsory treatment ideas, and plans to revitalize downtown and protect animals.
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Seeing The Fire Start On His Property
- Spencer Pratt describes watching the Palisades fire start near his home and initially misjudging its danger because local reservoirs and firefighting assets had been drained or redeployed.
- He recounts calling 911, being told "no assets are coming," and later realizing California Fair Plan limits meant he may not get coverage if he stayed.
Infrastructure Neglect Amplified The Fire
- Pratt argues failures that worsened the fire included drained reservoirs, neglected brush management, and negligence around century-old utility wires.
- He ties these infrastructure missteps to broader institutional neglect rather than just extreme winds.
Recent Spending Made The City Worse
- Pratt identifies the last four years as a steep downturn for Los Angeles and blames billions in spending that, he says, funded harmful programs.
- He contrasts earlier eras (he cites 2018) with recent policies that he says created incentives worsening public disorder.