A vicious online spat has erupted between reality television personality Spencer Pratt and a top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom, after the political staffer launched a shocking personal attack on Pratt's appearance.
The war of words began when Nathan Ballard, a senior communications director for Newsom, took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock the former 'The Hills' star, branding him "hideous" and making a crude comparison to a character from 'The Lord of the Rings'.
Ballard's unexpected broadside was a response to a post from Pratt, who had shared an article about Governor Newsom. The reality TV star, known for his role alongside wife Heidi Montag, quickly fired back with a scathing retort of his own.
"You work for the governor and you're talking about my looks? How about you get your boss to fix the state of California?" Pratt shot back, turning the criticism towards the political figure's professional responsibilities amidst the state's ongoing challenges.
The exchange highlights the increasingly blurred lines between entertainment, social media, and political discourse. Ballard, whose role involves shaping public perception of the governor's office, faced immediate backlash for the unprofessional comments from other social media users.
Pratt, never one to shy away from controversy, seemed to lean into the feud, potentially leveraging the increased engagement that such public conflicts generate. The incident serves as another example of how personal insults have become currency in the economy of online attention.
Neither Governor Newsom's office nor Ballard have issued any formal statement or apology regarding the inflammatory comments at the time of this reporting.
