Podcast Summary: The Fame Game with Heidi & Spencer

Episode: Breaking News, Political Noise & the LA Times Story with Matthew Seedorff
Date: February 12, 2026
Host(s): Spencer Pratt (Heidi Montag absent due to illness)
Guest: Matthew Seedorff (LA journalist, Fox 11)

Episode Overview

This episode features Spencer Pratt in a candid, wide-ranging conversation with LA field reporter Matthew Seedorff. The discussion dives deep into local journalism, recent government scandals around the Palisades Fire, homelessness policy in LA, Spencer’s mayoral aspirations, and what real accountability looks like in city leadership. Expect unfiltered banter, heated critiques of current officials, inside scoops about ongoing investigations, and a thorough takedown of the city’s handling of basic quality-of-life issues.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role of Independent Journalism and Matthew’s Career

(00:58–04:15)

• Spencer introduces Matthew as “one of Los Angeles two best journalists,” celebrating his down-to-earth, unbiased approach:

  “There’s never a spin. You don’t put a spin to it. You ask the questions people want to know.” (01:13, Spencer)

• Matthew shares his background—college baseball, work in various news markets before settling in LA, and how new technology enables faster, more direct reporting.

  “My primary focus is TV...[but] sometimes [the phone] is faster. People contact me with stories all the time.” (03:41, Matthew)

2. The Palisades Fire and Cover-Up Allegations

(04:15–06:34)

• Spencer recounts Matthew’s hard-hitting question at the mayor’s Olympic event, pressing LA’s new fire chief about an “after action report” many believe was “watered down.”

  “You got him on camera saying just like the mayor said, it’s time to move forward and people just want to point fingers...” (04:15, Spencer)

• Breaking news: An LA Times article (published two hours before this recording) indicates the report was indeed altered by city leadership, confirming long-standing suspicions in the community.

3. A Call for Accountability & Spencer’s Mayoral Platform

(07:12–09:27)

• Spencer is clear:

  “If you don’t acknowledge the failures and fire people—people need to be fired, that’s the point...Day one, you’re fired...” (07:12–07:46, Spencer on city department heads)

• Spencer lays out a vision of proactive leadership—removing failed department heads, bringing in outside investigators, and prioritizing transparency.

4. Fraud & Bringing in the IRS

(09:27–11:06)

• Spencer claims he’s ready to invite the IRS Criminal Investigation Division to LA:

  “As mayor of LA, that’s the first thing I would do, because I don’t trust the city attorneys…I don’t trust any…What I do trust is the criminal investigators at the IRS…” (09:47, Spencer)

• He sees this as a way to bypass entrenched local bureaucracies and root out financial fraud, particularly regarding homelessness funds.

5. Homelessness: Policy, Failures, and Spencer’s Hardline Approach

(11:20–18:48)

• Both agree official numbers understate the crisis:

  “They say the numbers have decreased...I’m out on the street...and they say they don’t experience that, that’s not their reality.” (11:20, Matthew)

• Spencer is critical of existing nonprofit contracts, city spending, and the “homeless industrial complex.”
• On encampments and shelters, Spencer’s approach is uncompromising:

  “As mayor, you’re being removed. We’re gonna play that game. Eventually…you’re gonna have to go somewhere you don’t want to go.” (15:09, Spencer)

• No more “clean needles”:

  “If you’re handing paraphernalia to drug addicts. So that’s done...” (15:46, Spencer)

• On criminal behavior among the unhoused:

  “There’s no...they should be able to break the laws that the taxpayers are having to live under...We’re all Americans. We’re all going to follow the laws...” (17:10, Spencer)

6. Public Safety, Prostitution, and Everyday Lawlessness

(21:01–23:13)

• Both cite examples where residents’ safety concerns are ignored, contrasting minor infractions (parking tickets) with open drug use or prostitution near schools.
• Spencer’s solution:

  “Oh, you go arrest everyone. You literally park police cars where everyone’s having sex and be like, jail, jail, jail.” (22:01, Spencer)

7. City Leadership, “Experience,” and Political Cynicism

(18:48–20:31; 30:29–31:19)

• Spencer rejects the argument that his lack of political experience is a barrier:

  “I’m the least experienced in all this is this guy…Why they’re so successful is the teams that I have in those rooms.” (19:26, paraphrased Spencer)

• He challenges the notion that he’s only fighting for affluent areas, explaining that failures in places like the Palisades mirror bigger neglect citywide.

8. Immigration, ICE, and Criminal Justice

(23:13–28:37)

• In response to political posturing around ICE and immigration enforcement:

  “Karen Bass has failed every single person in Los Angeles, but all she gets to do is look like she’s this warrior fighting the feds...” (24:03, Spencer)

• Spencer proposes a targeted, pragmatic approach:

  “ICE doesn’t have to come into Los Angeles. I will go out of the city limit and drop all these illegal murder, criminal felons off out in the desert...I would take the elite Metro division, LAPD detectives, and I would say we have a priority now. Add illegal murder, felons...work with the new sheriff...” (25:35–25:52, Spencer)

• He dismisses critics concerned about police-ICE cooperation eroding community trust:

  “If you have a problem with a murderer...being taken out of your community, then you should maybe go with that person out of the community also.” (27:14, Spencer)

9. Civic Pride, Decay, and Frustration

(34:01–34:50)

• Matthew and Spencer mourn what’s been lost:

  “You almost have to put your blinders on, and people have done this for so long that they have to act like this is not their LA.” (34:01, Matthew)

10. Transparency, Political Theater, and Spencer’s Promise

(36:37–37:29)

• Spencer commits to transparency and rejecting influencer-style politics:

  “I’m not going to be an influencer politician...So no more TikToks. Not as mayor...People don’t want that. They just want results.” (36:51–37:25, Spencer)

• Final shots at the current mayor:

  “I’ve been asking the mayor since before Christmas for a one on one interview. Still hasn’t happened.” (37:30, Matthew)
  “No, you’re never gonna get it...They have PR teams.” (37:36, Spencer)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Palisades fire report scandal:

  “At the mayor's Olympic thing, you went up to the new chief...and you asked the question that every fire victim...continues asking...” (04:15, Spencer; [04:15])

• On leadership and accountability:

  “Day one, you’re fired. So enjoy this, all the little photo ops and figure out…your retirement plan…” (07:50, Spencer; [07:50])

• On being dismissed as inexperienced:

  “The least experienced person in every one of my successful businesses, company’s rooms. And why they’re so successful is the teams that I have in those rooms.” (19:22, Spencer; [19:22])

• On aggressive action against lawlessness:

  “Oh, you go arrest everyone. You literally park police cars where everyone’s having sex and be like, jail, jail, jail.” (22:01, Spencer; [22:01])

• On LA’s decline:

  “You almost have to put your blinders on…that they have to act like this is not their LA.” (34:01, Matthew; [34:01])

• On local vs. national political focus:

  “Everyone is a worry about what's going on on their block, in their town, in their city, with their police department, with their fire department.” (23:02, Spencer; [23:02])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Matthew’s Bio & Shift in Journalism: 02:09–03:41
• Palisades Fire & City Cover-Up Discussion: 04:15–06:34
• After Action Report Breaking News: 05:12–06:03
• Spencer’s Plans for City Leadership: 07:46–09:47
• IRS Fraud Investigation Proposal: 09:47–11:06
• Critique of Homelessness and Policy: 11:20–18:48
• On Law Enforcement, Double Standards: 16:22–17:46
• Prostitution & Resident Complaints: 21:19–23:13
• Immigration/ICE Policy Debate: 23:40–28:37
• LA’s Decay and Loss of Civic Pride: 34:01–34:50
• Transparency & Media Access: 36:37–37:36

Tone and Style

The episode is deeply candid, sometimes fiery, always unapologetically direct. Spencer is passionate, confrontational, and driven; Matthew is the calm counterpoint—a steady, fact-finding journalist. Both touch on the emotional currents of frustration, pride, and hope for change. Expect sarcasm, humor, and moments of surprising vulnerability about the difficulties of living in LA.

Closing

The episode wraps with Spencer heading to his campaign kickoff and celebrating his new book reaching the bestseller list. The mutual respect between Spencer and Matthew underlines the episode’s core theme: demanding honest conversations, real transparency, and fundamental competence from those in power.