His insurgent campaign, fueled by savvy social media videos, has focused on housing, drug addiction in the city, and the decline of Hollywood. Throughout the interview, Pratt tied public safety concerns to the city’s broader economic challenges, particularly the entertainment industry. He argued that rising costs, concerns about crime, and permitting issues have made Los Angeles less attractive for film and television production, an issue industry leaders and unions have increasingly raised as production moves to states offering larger tax incentives.

“Massachusetts has better tax credits than Hollywood,” he told CNBC.

“That’s how far we are off. But, again, a lot of these people don’t want to make projects in Hollywood because it’s not a fun place to be in right now. It’s not safe. It’s not clean. And it’s not affordable, because the current mayor and the current city have so much red tape and so much literal impossibilities for developers to build. When I’m mayor, I’m going to get rid of all this red tape. I’m going to make sure builders can come in and feel like their investment is going to be protected and there actually will not be drug addicts at the entrance to their buildings. And we’re going to build so much housing, the entire city will be cranes. We’re going to look like Dubai in eight years.”

Pratt posted a video on Instagram on May 13, calling out what he named “Karen Basura’s park.” The word “Basura,” a derogatory nickname Pratt uses for Bass, means trash in Spanish.

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The video showed a playground littered with trash, where Pratt said drug addicts visited, and what looked to be a nearby homeless encampment. 

“All of our tax money is going to the drug addicts,” he alleged.

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, more than 45,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the city in 2024, though officials reported modest declines in unsheltered homelessness in some areas following expanded housing and outreach efforts.

Pratt said his administration would pursue stricter intervention policies for individuals struggling with severe addiction or mental illness, referencing California laws that allow courts to mandate treatment in certain cases when individuals are deemed unable to care for themselves.

Pratt also claimed some film crews operating in parts of Los Angeles have paid gangs for protection while filming, though he did not provide evidence for the assertion.

Pratt emphasized the need for more funding for the fire department, which he says is operating at levels from the 1960s.

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“We need to get our tax money back,” he said. “I’m like Robin Hood. I’m actually going to take the money that’s already being taxed by the rich; I’m going to make sure other rich people aren’t stealing it to increase problems.”

“I made it very clear that I’m going to protect my Jewish friends and families that feel unsafe,” Pratt said. He continued, “I want a Muslim student to feel safe going to worship.”

On LGBT safety in Los Angeles, he said, “Whether you want to be trans and however you want to identify, if you’re 18-years-old in America, you should be able to do whatever you want if you don’t hurt other people.” 

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 “I’m the commonsense American with the basic expectations of our tax money,” he said.

The LA mayoral primary election will be held June 2.