Before hosting her popular podcast and interviewing celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, and Kamala Harris, Alex Cooper gained a following by giving frank dating advice to college students.
At just 31 years old, she’s built a rapidly growing media company. It includes her own production studio, an advertising agency that’s already working with Google for multiple years, a brand of drinks to keep you hydrated, and a lucrative three-year podcasting agreement with SiriusXM reportedly worth $125 million.
Becoming the leading woman in podcasting wasn’t a simple or solitary journey for Cooper.
Sources close to the situation have revealed to the Daily Mail that Cooper’s recent success is likely due to help from her husband, who has many industry connections, and a behind-the-scenes producer from her Call Her Daddy podcast.
Laren McMullen, who had been Cooper’s close friend since childhood, was studying neuroscience at Columbia University when she started working with Call Her Daddy in 2020. She had already earned her bachelor’s degree before beginning her graduate studies.
During a podcast appearance last July, McMullen revealed her behind-the-scenes role, explaining that she began by booking and researching guests, writing interview questions for Cooper, and scheduling recording sessions.
Clearly, she was good at her job.
I always knew Sarah McMullen wanted to be a therapist – it was her real passion. But when Cooper offered her a full-time job with a salary that was just… incredible, she completely changed course. Honestly, she was so shocked by the money, she said she nearly fell out of her chair and just decided to go for it, leaving her therapy dreams behind.
According to a source speaking with the Daily Mail, the couple is relieved their relationship is public and that they don’t have to keep it a secret anymore. However, during her conversation with McMullen, Cooper hinted that she was worried about past issues resurfacing.
Call Her Daddy probably wouldn’t have become popular without Sofia Franklyn, who was essential to its early success.
Cooper and Franklyn, both 33, were once close friends and roommates. They started recording music together as a hobby in their New York City apartment, eventually becoming co-hosts of a recording project.
In 2018, Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn launched Call Her Daddy with their first episode, ‘Sext Me So I Know It’s Real’.
Let me tell you, things really took a turn! We started sharing incredibly detailed stories about our dates – the good, the bad, and the awkward. Then, it went even further. We dove into… well, let’s just say very specific advice on how to spice things up in the bedroom. And there was this one thing, a rather infamous topic we jokingly called the ‘Gluck Gluck 9000’ – honestly, it’s better left undescribed!
In just two months, Call Her Daddy went from 12,000 downloads to two million.
The podcast, known for its candid conversations between women, quickly gained the attention of Dave Portnoy, head of Barstool Sports. He offered creators Cooper and Franklyn a three-year deal worth a reported $70,000 each.
But their newfound success as a duo would be short lived.
In 2020, the podcast’s success led to contract renegotiations for both hosts, who were seeking a reported $1 million each to reflect their contributions to its growth.
I still can’t believe it! So, Portnoy – who totally ripped into Coop and Franklyn, calling them greedy, can you believe the nerve?! – says Barstool’s final offer was only $500,000 a year, plus bonuses. It just doesn’t seem right, especially after everything they’ve done for the company. Seriously, five hundred thousand?!
He claimed that Cooper relented and agreed but Franklyn, who still wanted more money, was not.
So, Cooper decided to independently strike a deal with Portnoy – without the show’s other half.
Cooper explained on her first solo ‘Call Her Daddy’ episode, ‘The Funeral,’ that Sofia turned down the offer. Once negotiations stalled and she wasn’t willing to compromise further, they had to proceed with the deal without her.
Franklyn appeared shocked and hurt. She shared on Instagram that she felt betrayed by Cooper, explaining he had acted secretly without her knowledge.
According to Franklyn, everything they’d been building and preparing for the past six months to a year changed abruptly. Cooper believed they should stick with the company and follow Portnoy’s direction, as Franklyn told Rolling Stone in 2023.
I later discovered that Cooper and Portnoy had a close relationship I didn’t know about and wasn’t included in. I believed Cooper was like a sister to me, and that we shared everything. I would never approach our boss without her knowledge – that would be completely out of the question – but it seems she didn’t feel the same way about consulting me.
Cooper stated she had been doing the majority of the podcast’s work for a long time. She also accused Franklyn’s boyfriend at the time, Peter Nelson—an executive at HBO Sports—of being controlling and using Call Her Daddy to benefit himself.
I remember reading in Rolling Stone that Cooper and Portnoy explained Nelson was trying to find a better deal with Wondery, the podcast company. It seemed like he was hoping for a more profitable arrangement.
Franklyn later said that her now ex ‘wasn’t that involved’ in the podcast deal.
The very public falling out between the two friends caused a split among Call Her Daddy fans, with many now tuning in to Franklyn’s new podcast, Sofia with an F.
Ultimately, Cooper benefited the most from the split, gaining complete creative control over the Call Her Daddy brand and the ability to further grow its already successful business.
After her contract with Barstool ended in 2021, she signed a three-year agreement with Spotify for around $60 million. Then, in August 2024, she secured another three-year deal with SiriusXM, valued at approximately $125 million.
According to a source speaking to the Daily Mail, while not everyone at SiriusXM is a fan, Taylor Swift still has her supporters. ‘She appeals to some people,’ the source explained.
Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard to avoid seeing her everywhere – whether it’s in social media ads or articles about her interviews.
When Cooper moved to Los Angeles and became the sole creative director of the Call Her Daddy podcast, she began dating Hollywood producer Matt Kaplan, who was first mentioned to listeners as ‘Mr. Sexy Zoom Man.’
Her husband, Jordan Kaplan, is also a successful producer. He’s known for creating the popular Netflix movies To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and XO, Kitty. Before that, he led Awesomeness Films as president, and now he’s the CEO of Ace Entertainment.
The couple, initially described by a source as a ‘power couple,’ quickly joined forces, combining their business skills. In 2023, they started Trending, a media company focused on Gen Z, which became the new owner of the Call Her Daddy brand.
Cooper recently started a new production company called Unwell Network, and has already brought on popular online creators Alix Earle and Madeline Argy to host podcasts.
According to the Wall Street Journal, their newest project, launched in early October, is the Unwell Creative Agency. This agency helps brands connect with young women (Gen Z) by creating marketing campaigns, hosting events, and leveraging Unwell’s popular podcasts.
According to one source, the team’s main goal is to keep expanding the ‘Call Her Daddy’ brand. They also revealed that Kaplan is still contributing to key business choices for the Unwell Network, but is doing so privately.
They’re aiming to be the top podcast, famous for consistently featuring incredibly insightful interviews.
It’s challenging to consistently produce truly outstanding interviews in such a competitive field, and some have even criticized Anderson Cooper’s interviewing skills.
Some listeners of the Call Her Daddy podcast have criticized Alex Cooper’s interview technique, calling it poor. Others have said her questions seem too polished and like she’s reading from a script, suggesting they’re designed to create positive publicity for her guests.
Cooper, however, has said she ‘never f*****g claimed to be a journalist’ in the first place.
I’m a big fan, and she mentioned in an interview a few months ago that her podcast isn’t afraid to ask tough questions. Apparently, those questions have even made it onto the news sometimes, which I think is amazing!
However, a second source says Alex Cooper’s friendly and comfortable way of interviewing celebrities is a key reason why the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast is so popular.
They worried that if Alex adopted a really tough interviewing style, she’d discourage potential candidates – something she’s usually known for avoiding.
Ultimately, Alex is likely grappling with the same question many podcasters face: should they focus on creating controversial content, or aim for insightful interviews that offer more substance?
Some people have questioned her success, suggesting she benefited from having well-connected parents – a claim often referred to as being a ‘nepo baby’ – rather than solely relying on her own interview skills. This has led to increased scrutiny of how she achieved her fame.
Born and raised in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Cooper grew up with a mother who was a school therapist and a father who worked as a producer for the National Hockey League. She often says her parents’ careers first got her interested in both sports and the media.
The idea for Call Her Daddy didn’t come about until Alex Cooper, a Boston University film and television graduate, faced financial hardship. After losing her advertising job in New York City, she relied on unemployment benefits and money from relationships she found on Seeking Arrangements to make ends meet.
‘Alex is not a nepo baby where everything has been handed to her,’ the second source said.
Look, let’s be real. When you’re basically the QUEEN of podcasts, like she is, everything just happens. Of course she’s getting all the amazing perks and chances – she deserves them! And yeah, that means she’s getting opportunities others might not, but honestly, it’s just what happens when you’re at the top. I’m just so excited to see everything she accomplishes!
What started as a podcast recorded in Cooper’s New York City apartment has quickly become a hugely successful, multi-million dollar business in just seven years.
So what could she do in the next seven?
Our first insider said: ‘Their plans are to continue to grow and grow the Call Her Daddy brand.’
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Cooper for comment.
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2025-10-30 08:50