TLDR
Spencer Pratt’s long-shot LA mayor campaign has collided with Hollywood power, as he fires back at Drew Carey and Chelsea Handler with pointed Epstein-related posts after they publicly question his fitness for office.
What began as a celebrity reality star’s unlikely bid for Los Angeles mayor has spun into a heated three-way feud involving a game show institution, a late-night provocateur, and the dark shadow of Jeffrey Epstein’s legacy.
Spencer Pratt, best known from “The Hills,” is now a serious factor in the June 2026 LA mayoral race, according to online prediction markets. That new relevance drew sharp criticism from “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey and comedian Chelsea Handler, who both urged voters to reject his candidacy.
Carey went first, posting a blistering message on Threads that labeled Pratt a “serial scammer” with “no moral compass.” He added that “anyone who votes for, or endorses Spencer Pratt for Mayor of LA needs to get their head out of their [expletive].” The comments framed Pratt as a threat to a city already grappling with trust in leadership.
Handler then amplified the pushback. In an Instagram video, drink in hand, she told followers, “This is your reminder that a straight, white male, former reality star that has no previous experience in government should not be a legitimate political candidate.” She compared Pratt to Donald Trump and said the “bar is on the floor,” urging viewers to demand more from contenders for City Hall.
Pratt did not answer with policy. He answered with implication. Taking to X, he wrote, “Isn’t it weird how the two comedians histrionically lashing out against me are both in the Epstein files? What are the odds?”
To support his claim, Pratt resurfaced a 2002 email from comedian Jeff Davis to Ghislaine Maxwell that mentioned he was “having dinner with Drew Carey.” The email appears in court-released documents from the Epstein case. There is no evidence that Carey met Epstein, associated with him, or was involved in any criminal activity, and Carey has not been accused of wrongdoing in relation to the disgraced financier.
Pratt also shared a clip from “Roast for Kevin Hart,” in which comedian Shane Gillis brought up Chelsea Handler reportedly having dinner with Epstein in 2010. Handler herself addressed that dinner in a 2021 appearance on Rob Rowe’s podcast, saying she was young, did not know who Epstein was at the time, and described the evening as “awkward and weird.” She said she did not stay at his home for long and recalled seeing other public figures there, including Prince Andrew, Woody Allen, and Charlie Rose.
The clash lands at a delicate intersection of reputation, politics, and Hollywood memory. Carey and Handler framed their criticism in terms of character and qualifications, warning followers against elevating another fame-driven outsider. Pratt responded by trying to shift the spotlight onto their past proximity to a man whose name still reverberates across the industry.
On election night, voters will decide whether Pratt’s notoriety translates into political power against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and City Council member Nithya Raman. In the meantime, the battle over who is fit to lead Los Angeles is being fought in the most modern arena possible: social feeds, resurfaced documents, and old nights that some in Hollywood might prefer to forget.
Do public figures cross a line when they drag old associations into today’s political fights, or is that part of accountability in the spotlight? Share where you draw the line on celebrity pasts and present power.
