An AI-generated ad supporting Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral campaign is being hailed by conservatives as one of the best political ads ever made.
The Batman-inspired ad (below) depicts Los Angeles ruled by an elite cadre of party-loving, inconsiderate French aristocrats. They include current Mayor Karen Bass (wearing Joker makeup), California Governor Gavin Newsom eating cake, and Kamala Harris chugging vodka (Bass has already declared that she has solved crimes).
Inspired by Christopher Nolan’s mob-controlled trial scenes dark knight risingcitizens are dragged before state leaders and subjected to ridicule as they plead for help on issues such as homelessness and rebuilding homes destroyed by wildfires. after that The Hills Alum, dressed like a caped crusader, leads various groups of residents into court, throws tomatoes, and takes back the city.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush called the ad “probably the best political ad of the year.” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz posted an eye emoji about the video. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz wrote, “This is basically the ultimate expression of what political advertising can do.” One influencer wrote: “Best political ad I’ve ever seen. Not even close. This ad is brutal, hilarious and 100% on point.”
This ad was created by AI filmmaker Charlie Curran (See “Knowing Evil”), his previous parody videos have racked up tens of millions of views since he started posting them in January, including one about TikTok personality The Rizzler fighting in World War II. Pratt retweeted the video from his official account. According to audienceMr. Pratt did not commission the advertisement (Mr. Curran did not respond to a request for comment).
The video also raises questions about the ethics of using AI to realistically portray political opponents in campaign ads without their permission, even if the ads were not directly requested by the candidate. Author Robert Lufkin said: “The Los Angeles mayoral race is on another level, capturing the world’s attention with its bold, AI-powered and highly creative campaign ads. Could this be a glimpse into the future of political campaigns?”
Mr. Pratt is scheduled to face off against Mr. Bass and City Council member Nitya Raman in a mayoral debate Wednesday night at the Skirball Cultural Center (hopefully without getting tomatoes thrown at him).
This isn’t the first time Platt’s ads have garnered attention. An earlier ad commissioned by his campaign, “They Not Like Us,” went viral last month.
The home that Pratt owned with his wife, Heidi Montag, was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades fire. The former reality star has since become an evangelist for affected homeowners and launched a mayoral campaign. In an April opinion poll, Mr. Bass had an approval rating of 25%, followed by Mr. Pratt at 11% and Mr. Raman at 9%.
In an interview with free pressKaran, who is said to be a veteran of commercial filmmaking, said he uses tools like China’s controversial SeaDance 2.0. Karan said his videos always start with an interesting idea. “If you have an idea and you don’t do it right away, and you wake up the next morning and think, Wait, I have to do this, then it’s going to spread,” he said. Curran founded Menace Studio in Los Angeles and has a staff of four. “Hollywood’s crisis is a staggering example of this tilt. … The greater the cost of capital, the less risk there is,” he said. “The ultimate goal is to establish a film studio and be able to distribute independently.”
