In a recent development, CBS News unveiled the full interview with Spencer Pratt, a Los Angeles mayoral contender, following his criticism of the network for what he described as a “comical 5-minute hit piece.” The initial segment aired earlier this week, drawing Pratt’s ire.
Pratt expressed his discontent with the network, pointing out that they had recorded over an hour of footage at his burned-out property in Pacific Palisades. However, the broadcast only included brief excerpts, some of which featured moments from his stint on MTV’s reality series “The Hills.”
Reacting on social media platform X, Pratt accused the network of trying to undermine his campaign by reducing it to a spectacle. “They can’t beat my ideas, they can’t beat me in the debates, so they gotta try to turn my campaign into a sideshow,” he stated in one of his posts directed at CBS.
In response to Pratt’s claims, CBS News released the entire 28-minute interview less than a day later. This comprehensive version allowed viewers to hear Pratt elaborate on his campaign, articulate his vision for Los Angeles, and explain the strong appeal his ideas have garnered among social media users.
Pratt reacted positively to the full release, praising the network for what he termed a “new era of responsible journalism.” He thanked CBS for enabling voters to listen to the complete discussion with their prospective mayor.
The network’s earlier, 4-minute clip featured a tidbit in which Pratt he compared himself to former President Barack Obama.
“I mean, look at Obama. He was a community organizer,” he said. “I’ve won two community advocate awards…Nobody thought, ‘Why can Obama become a senator and then the president?’ He had no experience running the whole entire country, which is way bigger than LA.”
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The California Post contacted CBS News for comment.
The network has a history of political candidates targeting its news division over edited interviews.
Last year, CBS New corporate owner, Paramount Global, paid $16 million to settle with President Donald Trump over a “deceptively edited” interview it aired with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The company and CBS had called Trump’s case “completely without merit,” though later settled.
