A public dispute has erupted in the Los Angeles mayoral race, involving candidate Spencer Pratt, television personalities Drew Carey and Chelsea Handler, and drawing comments from President Donald Trump. The controversy escalated this week after Pratt responded to celebrity criticisms by alleging connections between his detractors and documents related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
"Isn’t it weird how the two comedians historically lashing out against me are both in the ‘Epstein files’? What are the odds?" — Spencer Pratt, Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate
The exchange began last Friday when Drew Carey, host of "The Price Is Right," posted on Threads, urging Los Angeles voters to reconsider supporting Pratt. Carey described Pratt as "some serial scammer without a soul or moral compass" and concluded with a strong dismissal, "F*** this guy already," ahead of the June 2 primary election. Comedian Chelsea Handler had previously voiced similar concerns in an Instagram video, stating, "this is a reminder that a straight, white male, former reality star that has no previous experience in government should not be a legitimate political candidate."
By Monday, Spencer Pratt, a 42-year-old former reality television star, took to X to address these criticisms. He publicly questioned the timing and nature of the attacks, writing, "Isn’t it weird how the two comedians historically lashing out against me are both in the ‘Epstein files’? What are the odds?" Pratt supported his claim by sharing two pieces of evidence. He posted what he identified as a 2002 email from TV writer Jeff Davis to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted co-conspirator. The email mentioned Davis having "dinner tonight with Drew Carey and the guys from ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway'" and discussing "our encounter with you." Pratt also shared a video clip from "The Roast of Kevin Hart," where comedian Shane Gillis referenced Handler attending a dinner with Epstein in 2010. Jeffrey Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Neither representatives for Carey nor Pratt have responded to requests for comment regarding the recent exchanges.
Pratt announced his candidacy for Los Angeles mayor in January, making the removal of incumbent Mayor Karen Bass a central objective of his campaign. His decision to run was heavily influenced by the 2025 Palisades wildfire, which destroyed his home. Pratt and his wife, Heidi Montag, along with over a dozen other property owners, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and its Department of Water and Power (LADWP). Court documents suggest the plaintiffs accused LADWP of making a "conscious decision to operate the water supply system with the reservoir drained and unusable as a ‘cost-saving’ measure" during the fire.
President Donald Trump briefly weighed in on Pratt's candidacy last week during remarks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews. President Trump stated, "Oh, I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character," before inquiring whether Pratt supported him. President Trump then shifted his focus to the broader electoral system in California, asserting, "The votes are rigged. You have a really rigged vote in California. You have all the mail-in ballots, everything else. Very hard to win because the elections are very dishonest. If we had Jesus Christ come down and count the votes, I would have won California because I do great with Hispanics. But it’s a rigged vote."
Despite carrying a Republican voter registration, Pratt has emphasized his nonpartisan approach to the mayoral race, which Los Angeles conducts on a nonpartisan basis. He addressed attempts to align him with a specific political party, stating on Saturday, "Everyone is trying to claim me for their tribe. There’s no R next to my name, there’s no D next to my name. I’m not part of a political party, because I hate politicians." Pratt further elaborated on his motivation, adding, "I’m just Spencer, husband to Heidi, father to Ryker and Gunner, and I’m a pissed off Angeleno who loves my city and is fed up with what corrupt politicians have done to her."
With the June 2 primary election approaching, Pratt issued a rallying call to voters on Sunday, urging them to reject what he described as "filth and the decline." He stated, "We have the greatest slice of heaven on Earth with our city, and we deserve better. Vote for Pratt. Vote for LA. Vote TODAY. Let’s clean this city together." If no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff election in November. The ongoing public exchanges and high-profile endorsements continue to shape the narrative of this local election with national implications.
