Spencer Pratt breaks silence on being branded a ‘douche canoe’ by Gayle King

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Spencer Pratt is starting a new career as a writer and considering a future in politics, but he’s still widely remembered as one of the most disliked personalities from reality television.

Former MTV star, 42, has a new memoir out called The Guy You Loved To Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain, and he’s been talking about it in interviews, including one on CBS Mornings.

Gayle King directly confronted him about his portrayal on The Hills, famously calling him a ‘douche canoe’ and pointing out his tendency to be provocative.

Pratt has finally responded to the comment, saying he was taken aback by it. He initially thought King was enthusiastic about his book during their thirty-minute conversation before the interview.

He explained on Page Six Radio that after being called so many things, nothing really surprises him anymore. He’s become quite accustomed to it, and honestly, he’s developed a pretty good reaction to any label thrown his way.

Pratt was surprised by the comment, especially since King had come prepared for their pre-interview with notes and a copy of his book.

She really caught me off guard. We had a thirty-minute conversation beforehand, and she had taken detailed notes, even quoting from my book. I’m not sure if she did that to unsettle me, almost like a tactic to gain an advantage, or if she just performs differently when the camera starts rolling.

Pratt anticipated questions about his work being likened to Robert Frost’s poetry, but the interviewer made a childish comment instead.

I thought I’d really enjoy the book and be able to say something insightful, like comparing it to Robert Frost’s poetry. But she completely shut me down, calling me a really rude name! I was shocked.

Fortunately the comment is the least of Pratt’s worries.

The actor, whose homes in Pacific Palisades were destroyed by last year’s wildfires, simply expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to speak from a real studio.

I feel really lucky right now. It’s great to be in a proper studio with professional lighting instead of just recording myself. Honestly, with lighting this good, you can call me whatever you want!

It’s been more than ten years since Spencer Pratt appeared on The Hills as Heidi Montag’s boyfriend, and he doesn’t look back with any regrets, even though he caused a lot of conflict on the show.

During an interview on CBS Mornings to promote his new book and discuss his plans to run for mayor of Los Angeles, King spoke critically about his experience on the show.

‘Spencer, there were so many times where really you were just a douche canoe on that show. And you just seemed to amp it up, amp it up, amp it up. Was there ever a time when you got home, and you’d go, “I can’t believe I just did that or just said that?” Or were you aware of how you were coming across at the time?’ King asked.

Pratt strongly emphasized the persona he’d created, and believed the show would have been even more successful if the other actors had done the same.

I knew exactly what was going on. Honestly, I probably should have leaned into being more of a troublemaker,” he said. “The show finished, but Jersey Shore is still popular and doing well, and I always wanted to be part of a long-running show with a strong group dynamic, like the Jersey Shore cast. I think everyone else should have tried to be a bit more outrageous, too.

Pratt dated now-wife Montag on The Hills, and they wed in 2008 and have welcomed two sons. 

His new memoir is now available, detailing his experiences during the 2000s. The book follows his journey from being the most infamous villain on the reality show The Hills, to his current efforts to rebuild his image and find redemption, especially after the devastating Pacific Palisades fires.

The book includes a notable story about when he reportedly shared photos of Mary-Kate Olsen with a magazine.

According to People magazine, Chris Pratt shared a story about how, years ago, he jokingly took advantage of his friend Max Winkler’s split from Mary-Kate Olsen.

I remember when he went to Crossroads School in Santa Monica back in 2002! It was cool to be in school with him and also with The Row co-founder, and even Henry Winkler’s son. It felt like a really creative environment with so much potential back then.

I was shocked to read that Chris Pratt apparently took apart Dakota Johnson’s collection of photos of her and Chris Evans – she called it a ‘photo shrine,’ a beautiful tribute to their early romance, all those European trips, parties, and quiet moments – and then sold the pieces to a tabloid! Can you believe it? Apparently, he got $50,000 for it. It just feels so…invasive and disrespectful to their history.

According to a statement, I asked Max if I could remove the photos from his wall, thinking it might help him heal. He didn’t object, so I assumed he was okay with it.

He wrote in his book that he was only twenty years old when he used a friend’s heartbreak as the basis for starting his business, and he mentioned this with a hint of pride.

I swear, it felt like no time at all, and then BAM! There it was, proof of my brilliance staring right back at me from a magazine cover at the gas station. ‘TEENS GONE WILD!’ it screamed, and honestly? It was everything. I knew I was onto something huge, and seeing it splashed across InTouch just… validated it all. It was perfect.

The author also mentioned a photo of him with Olsen appeared in the magazine, shared by a different source.

I snapped a photo of Mary-Kate surrounded by a pile of empty containers – she was excitedly pointing at them, shouting ‘LOOK AT ALL THE EMPTIES!’ – and I happened to be in the background, caught mid-wave.

I still hadn’t sold the frame. While someone else was browsing, I suddenly felt like I was being treated as one of the items for sale myself.

He explained that his face would always be associated with the media’s portrayal of Mary-Kate Olsen’s rebellious period, appearing on magazine covers and in tabloids nationwide.

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2026-01-28 20:56