The Fame Game with Heidi & Spencer

Episode: Painting for Change and a Safer Future, One Crosswalk at a Time with Jonny Hale

Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Fame Game, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag dive into the world of community activism and urban safety with special guest Jonny Shott (Hale), a law student and former journalist. Jonny has gained viral attention for his work painting crosswalks in Los Angeles, drawing attention to pedestrian safety issues the city has neglected. The conversation covers Jonny’s grassroots initiatives, challenges with city bureaucracy, tactical urbanism, LA’s housing crisis, and the potential for community-driven change in America’s second largest city.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet Jonny Shott: Journalist, Advocate, Law Student

• Background: Jonny is from the Bay Area, attended Berkeley as a journalist/photographer, and is about to graduate from law school in LA ([04:09]).
• Motivation: “I saw things like the Palisades fire happening and affecting our community. I thought, what can I do... to make a difference in my community?” ([04:20]).

2. The Crosswalk Project & Tactical Urbanism

• Discovery of the Crosswalk Collective: Jonny learned from this group painting unmarked crosswalks around LA ([05:20]).
• Viral Moment: Jonny and others quietly painted crosswalks near Stoner Park, then tipped off the media to pressure the city for action ([06:40]).
• Outcome: Media coverage led to the city removing the unofficial crosswalks, but then—due to community pressure—installing official crosswalks within a week ([08:05]).
• Core Point: “We wanted to use that to make our point about this... to highlight how the city is underserving its residents with street safety.” ([05:43])

3. Legal & Civic Challenges of DIY Solutions

• Jonny’s Honesty: “I’m not going to sugarcoat my actions. This was vandalism, this was graffiti. I didn’t get a permit.” ([09:27])
• ADA Compliance: The city cites the lack of proper curb ramps and detectable warning surfaces (the yellow bumpy pads) as reasons to remove DIY crosswalks ([09:40]).
• City Liability: The city says visible crosswalks may invite false safety, leading to liability ([10:29]).
• Jonny’s Counter: “Anything, any marking that illustrates [a pedestrian's presence] to cars will make her [a visually-impaired neighbor] safer." ([10:41])

4. Residents’ Frustrations & Personal Stories

• Heidi’s Story: After moving into an area with speeding traffic and no city response, Heidi bought and installed speed bumps herself ([12:03]).
• City Resistance: LAPD forced the Pratts to remove DIY speed bumps, threatening them with unspecified penalties ([12:05]).
• Discussion on Barriers: “The problem with wanting things from the city... sometimes you don’t have that much time to wait... like, lives are at stake.” — Heidi ([13:25])

5. Broader Traffic Safety Solutions

• Beyond Crosswalks: Jonny sees physical road changes—speed bumps, traffic circles, curb extensions—as critical to slowing drivers ([16:43]).
• Shocking Statistic: “In Los Angeles, cars are the leading cause of death for kids ages 2 to 14.” — Jonny ([16:45])
• Spencer on Tech: He advocates for more flashing crosswalk lights, especially on roads like Wilshire ([17:35]).

6. Government Engagement & Roadblocks

• City Council Support: Mixed reactions; Heather Hutt (Koreatown) recognized their efforts, got a traffic circle installed after a child’s death ([20:08]).
• Task Force Proposal: Jonny wrote a white paper suggesting communities could use block-party-style permits for sanctioned safety paintwork ([21:47]).
• National Models: Other cities (Richmond, Chattanooga, Nashville) have successful tactical urbanism programs ([22:12]).
• Measure HLA: LA voters passed an initiative requiring safer streets, but the city has stalled implementation, even halting street repaving to avoid triggering the law's mandates ([23:46]).

7. Olympics, Tourism, and Foot Traffic

• Impending Needs: With the World Cup and Olympics coming, LA’s pedestrian infrastructure is more important than ever ([24:35]).
• Density Concerns: Higher-density housing without improved safety means greater risk for residents and visitors ([25:23]).

8. SB79, Zoning Reform, and Affordability

• What is SB79? New CA law that allows for denser, multi-family housing near major transit stops ([32:42]).
• Jonny’s Role: He actively fought for SB79’s passage, citing personal commitment to affordability ([25:50], [32:33]).
• Addressing Concerns: Spencer and Heidi raise fears about density in fire zones and potential evacuation issues. Jonny notes SB79 excludes high-risk fire zones and doesn’t apply to the Palisades ([36:45], [37:49]).
• Benefits Explained: SB79 unlocks the legal right to build up to a million and a half new housing units near transit, theoretically reducing car dependence and housing costs ([35:15]).

9. Criticisms and Developer “Conspiracies”

• Heard Accusations: “People accuse us of being bought out by greedy developers... [But] building more housing is actually against the [big] developers’ interests because it creates more competition.” — Jonny ([45:21])
• Developer Profits: Spencer points out that with only 11% affordable unit mandates, 90% could be luxury-priced ([50:43]).
• Jonny’s Response: Even market-rate housing helps affordability overall and prevents gentrification elsewhere. Over time, new units age and become more affordable ([48:56], [49:40]).

10. Homelessness, Nonprofits, and Misused Funds

• Homeless Crisis: Billions are poured into nonprofits, but Jonny says only the private sector can scale physical housing construction ([53:46]).
• Wasteful Spending: City spends millions fighting already-approved housing projects (e.g., Venice Dell) instead of building them ([54:07]).

11. Jonny’s Current Work and Next Moves

• People’s Vision Zero: Currently pausing on painting crosswalks, awaiting city response after proposing a collaborative legal avenue ([55:32]).
• New Tactics: Building public benches for transit riders, collaborating with local artists for Downtown LA Art Night ([55:45]).
• Get Involved: Listeners can join via a form in the People’s Vision Zero Instagram bio ([56:51]).

12. Reflections on LA’s Core Issues

• Jonny’s LA Top 5 Issues:
  • Affordability
  • Housing construction barriers
  • Weak transit infrastructure
  • Small business challenges
  • Disconnected city government ([28:34])

13. Personal Nuggets, Humor, & Memorable Moments

• Jonny’s Pedestrian/Bike Cred: “I’ve been hit by a car twice.” ([29:18])
• Biking Philosophy: Prefers bike over car for joy and city connection ([30:10]).
• Who Taught Jonny to Ride?: "My dad." ([30:40])
• YIMBY vs. NIMBY: Jonny explains “Yes In My Backyard” as living out progressive values in tangible ways ([58:31]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Anything that makes pedestrians more visible will make it safer for them.” — Jonny ([10:35])
• “In Los Angeles, cars are the leading cause of death for kids ages 2 to 14.” — Jonny ([16:45])
• “We wanted to use that to make our point about this... to highlight how the city is underserving its residents with street safety.” — Jonny ([05:43])
• “I’m proud of the fact that it was a bunch of ordinary people.” (on passing SB79) — Jonny ([45:31])
• “If developers were funding this, it'd be nice if they could show themselves. We don’t get a lot of help.” — Jonny ([51:52])
• “Vision Zero was this idea that we were going to have zero pedestrian deaths by 2025.... Over those 10 years, thousands of people died because of a lack of enthusiasm.” — Jonny ([47:28])
• “Change is hard. I don’t want to demonize the other side. I understand the conflicts there.” — Jonny ([60:16])
• “That’s why I was so fighting to just—I didn’t want to risk anything for my community not being able to build back how we were supposed to.” — Spencer ([58:40])
• Heidi, on DIY speed bumps: “Anything can happen. You guys don’t care, as the city. It doesn’t affect your life, but it’s affecting the my everyday life, your everyday life, people in the community’s everyday life. It should definitely be a priority.” ([13:25])
• “I feel smarter sitting here. I have more hope in the future with these 25 year olds….” — Spencer ([57:08])

Timestamps of Critical Segments

• Intro to Jonny & the Crosswalk Story – [04:09]
• DIY Solutions vs. Bureaucracy (Speed Bumps & Crosswalks) – [11:56]
• City Logic for Removing Unofficial Crosswalks/ADA – [09:27]
• Pedestrian Fatality Statistics – [16:45]
• City Council and Policy Engagement – [20:08]
• Measure HLA and City Stalling – [23:46]
• SB79 and Housing Affordability – [32:42]
• Density, Fire Zones, & Evacuation Concerns – [36:45]
• Developer Conspiracies & Misconceptions – [45:21], [50:43]
• Reflections on LA’s Top Issues – [28:34]
• Jonny’s Current and Next Projects – [55:32]
• YIMBY Philosophy – [58:31]

How to Get Involved

• Jonny’s Instagram: @jonnyshottit
• People’s Vision Zero (Advocacy Group): @peoplesvisionzero, link in bio to join.

Podcast Tone

The episode is energetic, candid, and rich with passionate firsthand experiences. Spencer and Heidi bring their trademark humor and informality, while Jonny provides grounded, earnest activism and a solutions-oriented approach.

Summary for New Listeners

If you haven’t listened, this episode delivers a compelling look at how ordinary people can push for civic change, the obstacles they face from slow-moving bureaucracy, and the urgent need to improve safety and affordability in Los Angeles. Jonny Shott’s story of painting crosswalks becomes a launching pad for broader discussions on LA’s challenges—from traffic fatalities to housing shortages—leaving listeners with hope, ideas for action, and a sense that the next generation’s activism could finally tip the balance for a safer, more livable city.