Vivica A. Fox had a blunt warning for anyone thinking a reality star belongs in politics. Caught by TMZ in New York City on Wednesday, May 20, Fox reacted to Spencer Pratt's run for mayor of Los Angeles with a shrug and a joke: “Well, we see where reality stars get us, right?”
She did not stop there. said, “That's why the economy is in trouble right now, so y'all be careful with trusting these reality stars in political arenas,” before adding, “Karen Bass is gonna win!” Her comments landed as Pratt, best known from The Hills, tries to turn celebrity into a serious campaign in a city where image and politics often collide.
The race is crowded. There are 16 people running for mayor in Los Angeles, but Bass has consistently led the polls. Pratt, meanwhile, has been polling strongly in second and third place in most major surveys, keeping him in the conversation even if he remains a long shot in a city that is heavily Democratic and where Republicans make up less than 15% of the registered voting base.
Pratt has not been shy about selling himself as a candidate focused on public safety. On Wednesday, he told TMZ, “Everybody wants me to succeed because L.A. is the most important city in the country,” and added, “The only support I need is from moms that wanna feel safe in Los Angeles.” He has said he is laser focused on safety in Los Angeles, and he has also said he would leave the city if he loses his bid for mayor.
The reaction from the top of the Republican orbit was warmer than Fox's. While at Joint Base Andrews for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Commencement on Wednesday, Donald Trump said he would like to see Pratt do well, calling him “a character” and adding, “I heard he's a big MAGA person. He's doing well.”
What happens next is already on the calendar. Pratt and Nithya Raman are fighting for a spot in the runoff on Nov. 3, and the fight now looks less like a novelty act than a test of whether celebrity, message discipline and voter frustration can break through in one of the country's most difficult political climates. Fox's warning may be the cleanest summary of the race so far: fame gets attention, but Los Angeles will decide whether it gets a seat at the table.
