Reality TV’s earliest villainous couple paved the way for many a lucrative career in the genre. Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt shot to fame in the early 2000’s with the rest of The Hills cast. Their feuding with Lauren Conrad earned them a legion of haters. But negative exposure has value too, and the couple made a fortune of their notoriety.
Even after the show ended, the couple claimed to have earned over $1 million selling photos to the paparazzi. They were cast in a reboot of The Hills: New Beginnings, but the show was canceled after two seasons.
Now, after being in the spotlight for so many years, Heidi and Spencer are looking for new ways to get back into the public eye.
The couple is “pitching a reality show every day”
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, the couple known as “Speidi” discussed the changing industry and their plans for the future.
Heidi and Spencer are co-hosting a new podcast called Speidi’s 16th Minute, in a clear reference to extending their 15 minutes of fame.
It was launched on August 2 by Spotify’s Ringer Podcast Network. The couple, well-versed in the positive and negatives of reality TV, plan to discuss the genre’s impact on culture.
The podcast is heavy on public interaction, whereby Heidi and Spencer ask their listeners for advice.
“This is actually a [platform] for us to figure out how to become relevant again, get a 16th minute past this podcast and actually be famous-ish again,” Spencer said during an episode of his podcast.
“We’re out here pitching a reality show every day trying to get on TV,” Spencer said, suggesting that they will not be limiting themselves to just a podcast.
Having to change things up
Their old business hack of selling staged photos doesn’t cut it anymore. Instagram styled influencers took over the medium, and Spencer argued, “You literally have to take a pap shot on a Porta Potty, like, ‘Jen Aniston’s pooping at the park’ — with Smart Water and drinking collagen powder!”
Heidi agreed that it’s hard to compete with social media. She said, “but now it’s really different because you have everyone posing in these cheesy setups on their own Instagram. So the industry is gone.”
Certainly, leaving a legacy for their two sons, Gunner, five, and Ryker, nine months, is a huge motivation for Spencer. But he also joked about legacy hiring in Hollywood.
“I hope we can get enough clout before our sons grow up. We’re trying! We’ve got half nepo babies at this point. Right now, they’re like hybrids,” Spencer said.
Ultimately though, the reality TV stars will be working with a production company to expand their options.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK HEIDI AND SPENCER WILL GET BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THEIR PODCAST? HOW DO YOU THINK THEY CAN REBRAND?
