TMZ tried to post a “gotcha” story about Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, only to have it completely backfire.
It all started on Wednesday when the entertainment outlet published an <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/05/13/spencer-pratt-staying-at-bel-air-hotel/">exclusive piece</a> revealing that Pratt, whose house burned down during the Palisades fire in January 2025, had been staying at the “swanky Hotel Bel Air” rather than living in the airstream trailer featured in his first viral political ad. 
The ad contrasted his Airstream trailer sitting on an empty lot with sprawling mansions inhabited by his opponents Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.
The outlet noted that Hotel Bel Air is “as luxurious as it gets” and said you “can&#8217;t get a room for less than $1,500 a night.”
Pratt hit back hard by calling TMZ founder Harvey Levin directly and refuting the claims made in the article. The former reality star appeared on TMZ Live that same day to state his case.
“I don&#8217;t live at the hotel Bel Air. I don&#8217;t live in the Airstream. I don&#8217;t live in Santa Barbara. I don&#8217;t have a house. They burned it down,” Pratt argued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Spencer Pratt is firing back at claims he misled voters about living in a trailer after critics called him out for staying at Hotel Bel-Air. 🗣️ <a href="https://t.co/P1BM1A71zx">pic.twitter.com/P1BM1A71zx</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/2054631479947182514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
Levin kept mentioning the ad, during which Pratt stood in front of the trailer saying, “I live here.” But the mayoral hopeful was adamant that he doesn’t really live anywhere due to the failings of current leadership.
&#8220;That is where I live, period. I don&#8217;t need to sleep there every night. I don&#8217;t need to go number two on that toilet. That is where I live,” he repeated, insisting that because it was his address, and the hotel was a temporary solution, his wording still made sense for the ad.
Pratt further described his life since launching his campaign, saying he’d received death threats and was forced to hire private security and move his family from where they had been staying. He also claimed he was only sleeping four hours per night due to stress. 
&#8220;I&#8217;m at a hotel because these psychopaths are messaging me every day saying they’re going to kill me,” Pratt said.
Commenters on social media were strongly on Pratt’s side, saying TMZ’s attempted takedown was a massive fail. 
The gossip outlet put out a <a href="https://x.com/TMZ/status/2054642791129690193">poll</a> asking if the article had convinced people to turn on Pratt, and even their audience said they were still on his side, with 93.7% of respondents saying, “No, his house is gone!”
Many of the reactions to TMZ Live were strongly in favor of Pratt.
“Most embarrassing thing I’ve ever watched,” one person <a href="https://x.com/BDHerren/status/2054729281662554387">said</a>. 
“Living in a hotel obviously means you’re homeless right? Stationing a small trailer on your property where your house was let burn down and is located in the middle of nowhere is a tragedy,” another <a href="https://x.com/MagaMexicano/status/2054771122479173875">agreed</a>.
“This is terrible, TMZ. The dude is homeless because Karen Bass let his house burn down due to gargantuan incompetence. His airstream is all he owns right now. He’s a fire victim. You really tried to do a hit piece here,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/SunDhillon/status/2054690605113184323">agreed</a>.
Pratt’s mayoral campaign has blown up nationwide as viewers react to his willingness to bluntly call out failed progressive policies in Los Angeles. While he’s currently the underdog in the polls, he’s going all out with ads and interviews to make his case.
The former star of the MTV reality show “The Hills” is set to face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and far-Left Councilwoman Nithya Raman in the June 2 mayoral primary.

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Hit Piece Against Spencer Pratt Backfires Miserably

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Hit Piece Against Spencer Pratt Backfires Miserably