Los Angeles mayors usually coast to a second term — the last two defeated token opposition in the primary. Karen Bass‘ chances for a smooth reelection likely vanished on Jan. 7, 2025, when the Palisades fire destroyed some 6,800 structures, including the home of reality star Spencer Pratt.
Fueled by outrage, Pratt has leveraged his skills as an influencer to rally a campaign built on a revoltagainst homelessness and disorder. Though Bass will likely be forced into a runoff, she still doesn’tseem that worried about the former star of “The Hills.”
“Reality TV — that’s a good thing. Lots of jobs in reality TV,” Bass said at an appearance with Hollywood unions on May 21. “But being the star of a reality TV show is very different than running the nation’s second-largest city, and one does not qualify you for the other.”
There are fewer jobs than there used to be — reality TV production is down 71% from the five-year average, according to FilmLA. The decline in Hollywood production has been a major theme of the campaign, as both Pratt and Councilwoman Nithya Raman have accused Bass of standing by while the industry left town.
At the event at Sunset Las Palmas Studios, Bass touted her record of supporting industry tax incentives, slashing permit fees and appointing a film czar to help productions navigate the bureaucracy.
