WATCH: Spencer Pratt Goes Scorched Earth On ‘Two Corrupt Communists,’ Declares ‘War’
Analysis Summary
This article covers a viral video by former reality star Spencer Pratt, who claims to be waging a one-man war against Los Angeles' political establishment by threatening to release a secret recording that could embarrass one of the two mayoral candidates, Karen Bass or Nithya Raman. The video uses harsh language, calls the candidates 'corrupt communists,' and portrays the city as collapsing under their leadership, while offering no proof for its claims or details about Pratt's own record. It frames Pratt as a daring outsider fighting a rigged system, encouraging viewers to see extreme tactics as justified to take down the political elite.
FATE Analysis
Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.
Focus signals
"I got in this to expose this corrupt machine. I don’t have the campaign laws hamstringing me now. It’s war."
The framing of a post-campaign 'war' with the dramatic declaration of 'It's war' creates a sudden escalation in narrative stakes, presenting the next phase as unprecedented and attention-grabbing.
"I am now 'moving on to the next, more interesting phase' of my mission, which includes a secret recording he claims implicates 'one of your exalted candidates.'"
The promise of a 'secret recording' that could force a resignation frames this as a dramatic, unfolding exposé, leveraging mystery and anticipation to capture sustained attention.
"Go ahead and pick your demon, certify your choice, and then you get to see it."
This taunting language is designed to provoke curiosity and suspense, holding audience attention by dangling a future revelation that promises political shock value.
Authority signals
"Former reality TV star turned Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt"
The article identifies Pratt’s fame as a reality TV star, which is a form of personal authority based on public recognition, but this is descriptive rather than manipulative. The writer does not amplify his credibility beyond his notoriety, and no false or inflated credentials are invoked.
Tribe signals
"I got in this to expose this corrupt machine... That’s not a choice. That’s the machine protecting the machine."
The repeated use of 'the machine' constructs a clear in-group (anti-establishment voters) versus out-group (corrupt politicians), framing the election as a battle between a righteous outsider and a rigged system.
"Angelenos are now stuck with two morons responsible for all of their problems, and they have to choose between dumb and dumber."
Pratt labels voters as passive victims of 'morons,' implying that supporting either opponent is a sign of poor judgment. This converts political preference into a tribal identity marker—only the enlightened reject 'the machine.'
"My goal hasn’t changed. I’ve been laser-focused on stopping these commie animals, and I will stop them."
The dehumanizing term 'commie animals' creates a stark tribal divide, casting opponents as not just wrong but subhuman and dangerous, which deepens in-group loyalty through exclusion and fear.
Emotion signals
"burned-out structures, shuttered businesses, drug activity, public defecation, rampant graffiti, garbage-strewn streets"
The article describes, via Pratt’s video, a litany of urban decay in emotionally charged, visceral imagery designed to provoke disgust and anger, amplifying outrage beyond policy critique.
"the city will tumble headlong into the abyss"
This apocalyptic language evokes existential fear, suggesting irreversible collapse if voters do not reject the 'corrupt communists,' using fear to override rational evaluation of policy or governance.
"I got in this to expose this corrupt machine... I’m going to be lighting you up every single day"
Pratt positions himself as a fearless truth-teller battling corruption, fostering a sense of moral righteousness in his audience that aligns opposition to the 'machine' with ethical virtue.
Narrative Analysis (PCP)
How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).
The article aims to convey that Spencer Pratt is a disruptive outsider waging a one-man campaign against a corrupt political establishment. It constructs the belief that the two candidates advancing to the runoff—Karen Bass and Nithya Raman—are not only fundamentally illegitimate but morally and intellectually bankrupt, painted as part of a self-serving machine that has failed Los Angeles. The reader is led to perceive Pratt as a truth-teller unbound by political constraints, framing his actions as a necessary rebellion against systemic corruption.
The article shifts the context from policy-driven electoral analysis to a moral and existential battle between a populist outsider and a dehumanized political elite. It normalizes extreme rhetoric and threats (e.g., secret recordings) by presenting them as justified resistance to entrenched corruption. The portrayal of urban decay through selected visuals suggests a city in collapse, making radical responses feel necessary and plausible.
The article omits any substantive policy positions or governance records of Bass and Raman beyond the label 'communist'—a term used pejoratively without evidence of its applicability. It also omits context about Pratt’s own credibility, past conduct, or qualifications, and offers no verification of the alleged secret recording or its claims. This absence allows the reader to accept the threat of scandal at face value, unmediated by journalistic scrutiny or counter-evidence.
The reader is nudged to view aggressive, unorthodox, and potentially unethical tactics—like threatening to release secret recordings—as justified and even heroic in the fight against 'the machine.' It implicitly grants permission to disregard electoral norms, dismiss opposing candidates as irredeemable, and embrace outrage-driven political engagement.
SMRP Pattern
Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.
""I’m going to be lighting you up every single day""
""That’s not a choice. That’s the machine protecting the machine.""
Red Flags
High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.
""Go ahead and pick your demon, certify your choice, and then you get to see it.""
""stop these commie animals""
Techniques Found(9)
Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.
"two corrupt communists"
Uses emotionally charged and ideologically loaded terms ('corrupt communists') to frame opponents negatively without engaging with policy positions, creating a strong negative connotation disproportionate to any documented evidence of corruption or alignment with communism.
"two morons responsible for all of their problems"
Directly labels opposing candidates as 'morons,' which serves to demean and discredit them personally rather than address their policies or records, fitting the pattern of name calling to undermine credibility.
"Angelenos are now stuck with two morons responsible for all of their problems"
Oversimplifies the complex urban challenges facing Los Angeles by attributing all of the city's problems to two individuals, ignoring systemic and multifactorial causes.
"That’s not a choice. That’s the machine protecting the machine."
Presents the outcome of the election as a foregone conclusion of self-serving continuity, implying voters have no real alternative and reducing democratic participation to an illusion, thus framing the situation as only having one negative outcome.
"the city will tumble headlong into the abyss"
Uses alarmist and catastrophic language to provoke fear about the future of Los Angeles under the current candidates, exaggerating consequences to manipulate emotional response rather than provide measured analysis.
"commie animals"
Combines ideological demonization ('commie') with dehumanizing language ('animals') to provoke disgust and moral condemnation, going beyond criticism to vilify opponents through emotionally charged, disproportionate wording.
"I’m moving on to the next, more interesting phase… a secret recording he claims implicates one of your exalted candidates"
Introduces the possibility of a secret recording as a diversion from substantive policy discussion, shifting focus to scandal and intrigue rather than platform or governance, thereby deflecting from the lack of electoral success.
"Go ahead and pick your demon, certify your choice, and then you get to see it"
Implies that regardless of voter choice, a hidden scandal will soon emerge, functioning to undermine both candidates equally and deflect scrutiny from Pratt’s own campaign by suggesting both are equally corrupt.
"Saving LA – Phase III"
Uses a branded, slogan-like title to frame his campaign as a heroic narrative, presenting his actions as part of a larger, urgent mission rather than a conventional political campaign, which simplifies complex governance issues into a dramatic storyline.