Bill Maher says he is 'supposed to hate' LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, but doesn't
The HBO host added, ‘It’s funny because he’s running as a Republican and doing quite well…. Everybody out here is like, ‘What do you think of Spencer Pratt?’’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bill Maher said Friday on "Real Time with Bill Maher" that he does not dislike, Spencer Pratt, the Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate and former reality television personality, as Pratt's campaign draws attention days before the June 2 primary.
Maher told former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that he recently interviewed Pratt on his podcast and came away with a different impression of him.
"You know what? I know I’m supposed to hate him. I don't." Maher said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bill Maher told Kevin McCarthy that he came away impressed after interviewing Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, saying the Republican outsider is "very honest" about the issues he focuses on. (Getty Images)
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Maher said Pratt’s campaign has become a topic of conversation in Los Angeles.
"It’s funny because he’s running as a Republican and doing quite well," Maher said. "Everybody out here is like, ‘What do you think of Spencer Pratt?’ He’s on everybody’s mind. I was asking him about that."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McCarthy, a California Republican who served as the 55th speaker of the House, pointed to Pratt’s campaign messaging.
During a discussion on "Real Time," Maher said Pratt has become a frequent topic of conversation in Los Angeles as the former reality television star gains attention in the city's mayoral race. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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"He runs great ads," McCarthy said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maher said Pratt’s outsider style stood out during their podcast conversation.
"Yeah, I mean, he’s a nice guy," Maher said. "What’s charming about him is he has no advisors. I confronted him on, like, this and this you’re going to have to think about. ‘No, I only care about the issues I care about.’ So, he’s very honest about that."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pratt is running in the nonpartisan Los Angeles mayoral jungle primary against incumbent Mayor Bass and LA city councilwoman Nithya Raman, along with a host of other candidates polling at 5% or below. If no candidate receives the majority, the top two finishers advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
A UC Berkeley-Los Angeles Times poll released Thursday showed Bass at 26%, Raman at 25% and Pratt at 22% among likely voters, with pollsters describing Bass’ lead as statistically insignificant.
Pratt's campaign also reported raising $2.72 million between April 19 and May 16, compared with $283,000 for Bass and about $401,000 for Raman during the same period, according to campaign finance filings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maher joked that while Pratt's campaign style feels "un-Californian," the candidate's crystal-selling business ultimately makes him a fitting representative of the Golden State. (Etienne Laurent)
Maher also joked that Pratt, who is from California, still carries some of the state’s cultural markers.
"He’s very un-Californian in that way for a guy who’s from California," Maher said. "But then I found out he’s actually very Californian because he sells crystals."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pratt’s campaign website says he entered politics after the 2025 Palisades fires destroyed his family home and says his platform focuses on emergency readiness, fiscal integrity, government reform and public safety.
Fox News Digital reached out to Spencer Pratt for comment, but did not immediately hear back.