Bass responded to attacks in Pratt’s campaign ads made with artificial intelligence during a CNN interview with anchor Elex Michaelson on Wednesday.
“It is absolutely 150% fiction, but what’s worrying me now is that his social media is now taking on a violent turn,” Bass said.
She argued that the AI videos showed violent scenes. In one video, Bass said “the throwing of the tomatoes, which look like blood,” is violent.
A crowd threw tomatoes at an AI version of Bass, where she’s dressed to look like the Joker, and Pratt is Batman, protecting the city.
Bass recognized that Pratt’s name and support have grown exponentially; even singer Katharine McPhee sang a rendition of Tina Turner’s “The Best” to Pratt at a fundraising event, where the lyrics were, “You’re simply the best, better than Karen Bass.”
But Bass argued that Pratt’s use of social media and “casting himself as a Superman … plays into people’s desperation.”
“Oftentimes we look for someone superhuman to save us, but the reality is: It never happens.”
Bass said Pratt’s videos encourage aggression.
“When your messages are so hateful, or when you demonize people, then you do provoke people who are unstable, and you can jeopardize people’s safety.”
Pratt’s AI ad campaigns included a “pratt summer” video, using sarcasm to highlight problems in the city and showcasing young people at a festival with branding pulled from Charli XCX’s viral brat album.
In another AI video, he made a fake attack ad and trolled Bass. He has sharply criticized Bass’s leadership of the city, pointing to persistent issues with drugs and homelessness.
Pratt took a video of a playground in Los Angeles on Wednesday, which he called a “cartel-run drug house” where fentanyl addicts come to take drugs.
SPENCER PRATT SHOWS OFF ‘KAREN BASURA’ FENTANYL PARK
“So I’ve noticed that it’s [Pratt’s videos] taking on a violent trend, and that I find to be very scary,” Bass said.
Pratt is running against Bass and Nithya Raman, a city councilwoman, to be the next Los Angeles mayor. The primary election will be held on June 2.
