Spencer has produced several television shows. Her first project as an executive producer and creator was on the NBC game show, It’s Worth What?. She produced shows based on interior design and news casting for HGTV including a one hour special called Brake for Yard Sales that aired in April 2012 and a flea market show, Flea Market Flip that currently airs on the Great American Country channel.

Spencer published a book in 2012, entitled I Brake for Yard Sales, a guide for designing high end spaces with second hand products. 

Spencer was a Primetime Emmy nominee for her reality program, Antiques Roadshow.  She asked the producers of that show to consider her for role of host.  She saw the opportunity and took it.

She frequently appeared on The View from 2013 to 2015 and appeared on the Rachel Ray Show numerous times.

Trump Controversy

In November 2015, Spencer found herself in a controversy when Trump visited the Good Morning America set. There was rumors that Spencer sat on the lamp of the Republican presidential nominee.

She denied the rumor and insisted that she was standing next to him while he was seated, just saying "hello" and thanking him for appearing on Good Morning America. She said she was a professional and would never do anything to put her job in jeopardy. She also felt it would have been foolish to do something like that and put her network in trouble. She wouldn’t have done that to anyone who was visiting the set of Good Morning America, let alone a presidential nominee. She marked the incident up to people just wasting their time trying to stir up trouble.

Hip Replacement

Lara revealed that she would undergo hip replacement surgery at a young age after enduring years of chronic pain. She mentioned that 10 percent of hip replacements are done before the age 50.

It took her a long time for her to realize that she needed to have this procedure as she thought that it was just a problem for the elderly. She eventually had to come to terms with the need to have the procedure, though she felt terrified of it.  She has great empathy for people with chronic pain and she knows how it affects them mentally, emotionally and physically.  She regretted the long period of time when she ignored the pain and suffered needlessly.

On her comeback from the surgery, Lara commented that she had missed her team and was so happy to be back. When they asked her how she felt, she said that she felt great and grateful that she was able to make a speedy recovery. She was walking unassisted and she thanked them for their love and support. She even joked about not wearing heels just yet in case her hip wasn’t fully recovered.