How the Machine Buried Spencer Pratt

Spencer Pratt 2.0? Actor Michael Rapaport eyes run against NYC Mayor Mamdani

From Spencer Pratt to Mayor Michael Rapaport?All eyes have been on Spencer Pratt, the reality show alum vying to wrest the City of Angels from Mayor Karen Bass.While Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum.Pratt’s insurgent campaign was felt from coast to coast. Now, as L.A.’s curious voting system seems to have sent him to a third-place finish, another actor turned candidate could take his place.Did Pratt walk so Michael Rapaport could run?'Soft launch'Rapaport is a familiar face from dozens of movies and TV shows since his 1992 film debut in “Zebrahead.” He recently joined Peacock’s “The Traitors,” a reality-show affair hosted by Alan Cumming. His brash persona proved a snug fit for the series, alienating some while bringing fresh friction to the game.And, as he told the Hollywood Reporter in January, the show was part of his “soft launch” to unseat New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.I think that if you can have a mayor of New York who is a failed rapper, a failed actor, a failed music supervisor and who’s rapped and said so many regrettable things that he did … if nothing else, I have shown once again, especially on "Traitors," that I am what you see and you’ll get an honest mayor.Pratt didn’t lean on MAGA messaging or GOP-friendly talking points in his campaign. He played the outsider, a man motivated by losing his home in the Palisades fires and demanding that the person who let it happen be held accountable.For Rapaport, Mamdani’s socialist policies and perceived animosity toward Jewish New Yorkers sparked his campaign, not any Republican fervor.Accidental politiciansCall them accidental politicians. The facts on the ground made them do it. Rapaport explained his change of heart to Fox News."I never thought that I would even consider running for mayor of New York City, and I will do it with the best intentions.”Rapaport leans to the left, but he has defied some of his party’s groupthink, particularly when it comes to his strong support of Israel.Pratt and Rapaport share a grasp not just of social media but of media training in general. They have been around cameras for years, aware of the power video brings and how to weaponize it for a cause.We’ve seen Pratt leverage those viral campaign videos, playing the frazzled Everyman eager to save his hometown. Rapaport, a trained comic in addition to his acting experience, could do the same.Rapaport has some advantages over Pratt. He announced his campaign years before any voting happens, as opposed to Pratt's abrupt decision. That gives Rapaport time to build his base, criticize Mamdani in real time, and let New Yorkers see what a democratic socialist can do to the Big Apple.Rapaport is betting they won’t like the results.RELATED: Trump DOJ opens multiple investigations into possible election fraud in California L-R: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images; ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty ImagesSharp elbowsPlus, Rapaport isn’t merely a reality show villain like Pratt, with all the baggage that entails. He has delivered memorable performances on FX’s “Justified” and Netflix’s “Atypical,” plus classic films like “Beautiful Girls,” “True Romance,” and “Cop Land.”The veteran actor recently segued back to comedy, appearing in clubs across the country with a genuinely funny set built around his garrulous persona.The downsides for the New York native, beyond the fear that he’s another actor playing the part of political savior? Rapaport throws plenty of sharp elbows on social media and podcasts. He famously teed off on President Donald Trump a few years ago, a potential boost to his New York candidacy.But he softened that stance considerably post-October 7, re-evaluating the president’s policies and the lies spread in the media. That speaks to his maturation, but it might not play well in a cobalt blue city.Relishing a fightWhile Pratt promoted his family-man brand, Rapaport lives for the social media scrum. He’s naturally combative, willing to muck it up about sports, culture, and politics on any platform possible.His “I Am Rapaport: Stereo Podcast” lets him weigh in on the New York Knicks, free speech, and much more. Here’s betting Team Mamdani will be combing through past episodes for potentially damaging material.And they just might find some.Pratt proved competitive in his upstart campaign, and even if the vote totals keep him in third place, he still gave the Democratic establishment a major scare.Could Rapaport learn from Pratt’s bold run and write his own Hollywood ending?

The Shocking Secrets of MSG's Surveillance Machine: Noah Shachtman on Knicks' Owner James Dolan

James Dolan, the billionaire owner of New York City’s Madison Square Garden and its affiliated sports teams, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, is under fire after a bombshell investigation by Wired magazine revealed the inner workings of the arena’s extensive surveillance network. Dolan employs facial recognition technology to track and profile arena attendees. This reportedly included a trans woman who, according to a former security staffer, was targeted solely due to her gender identity, as well as lawyers who have been banned because their firms are involved in lawsuits against him. Dolan’s “spy machine” feeds information to Madison Square Garden’s sizable security forces, who operate beyond the arena itself, “acting as a kind of second ersatz police force in Midtown Manhattan,” explains Noah Shachtman, one of the authors of the Wired investigation. “It captures everyone, and some people get labeled as threats, even when they’re clearly not.” Dolan’s blacklist also extends to his other venues, including Radio City Music Hall, also in New York City, and Sphere, in Las Vegas. Even for those who never step foot in Madison Square Garden, Shachtman says, the system there “isn’t an outlier. It’s a model.”

Jimmy Kimmel trolls Spencer Pratt with U-Haul after primary loss, and Pratt responds

Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel trolled Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt on Tuesday, renting him a U-Haul after his primary loss.  Kimmel’s monologue comes after Pratt said he would leave the city if incumbent Mayor Karen Bass or city councilwoman Nithya Raman were elected for mayor, and that he would be done “trying to […]

Mace endorses old foe Alan Wilson for South Carolina governor: ‘Buried the hatchet’

After placing fifth in her bid to be South Carolina‘s next governor, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) conceded and endorsed state Attorney General Alan Wilson, her political foe, for the seat. Mace and Wilson have gone head-to-head as political rivals over the past few years, with Wilson calling Mace an “entitled, spoiled brat” and Mace blasting […]

The Defeat of Spencer Pratt Is a Defeat of AI Slop

Spencer Pratt's AI-fueled Los Angeles mayoral campaign shows cheap viral slop may get views, but not votes.

Los Angeles mayor race called for far-left challenger after Pratt loses 40,000-vote lead

Far-left Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman defeated former reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the primary election for L.A. mayor, according to the Associated Press and NBC News.Raman will go head-to-head with incumbent Karen Bass in the November general election.'Not possible for Spencer Pratt to have lost the LA runoffs after the big lead he had.'Now, a week after Election Day and with 92% of the votes counted, Bass received 275,992 votes, Raman received 229,576, and Pratt received 207,757.Many have criticized California for running a "rigged" election after Pratt had a 40,000-vote lead and a nearly 10-point advantage over Raman, which shrank rapidly over the weekend. Raman, who gave a concession speech on election night, reacted on Monday to the latest vote-counting results.“I’m incredibly honored that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles,” Raman wrote in a post on social media. “Now our fight for a healthier, safer, more affordable, and more joyful Los Angeles continues. For too long, City Hall has prioritized giving political advantage to powerful interests that fund elections. Meanwhile, working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services, and a city that has stopped working for them.”RELATED: ‘Absolutely RIGGED’: Critics question Raman’s ‘statistically impossible’ surge past Pratt in LA mayor race HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images“If you’re as frustrated by the broken status quo as I am, I hope you’ll join our movement to build a city that works for everyone,” she added.Libs of TikTok replied to Raman’s post, calling her a “cheater.”New Mexico state Rep. John Block (R) wrote, “After you conceded, your handlers stuffed inconceivable amounts of statistically impossible fraudulent ballots, thereby successfully stealing another election in the Third World failed state — also known as Los Angeles, California.”RELATED: Spencer Pratt’s 40,000-vote lead vanishes in Los Angeles mayor race as California continues counting ballots Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump also called the election “rigged.” “Not possible for Spencer Pratt to have lost the L.A. runoffs after the big lead he had. 3rd World Nation. Rigged Elections!” he wrote.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Steve Hilton slams California election system for Spencer Pratt’s loss

Hilton also blasted the state's extremely slow vote-counting process.

Karen Bass Just Responded to Nithya Raman's Surge—and It Sounded a Lot Like Spencer Pratt