Alex Cooper is reflecting on her recent successes.
The host of the popular Call Her Daddy podcast was tapped by Peacock to be one of their hosts at the Olympics this summer.
This is all against the backdrop of Alex signing a deal with SiriusXM to bring Call Her Daddy to the platform for $125 million starting in 2025. This is her second large payday for the podcast, having previously struck a $60-million three-year deal with Spotify in 2021.
But there was a time when Alex wasn’t the only podcaster associated with Call Her Daddy. In fact, in a Hollywood Reporter cover story on Wednesday, she reflected on her headline-making business separation from her original co-host, Sofia Franklyn, years ago in light of her recent successes.
Alex and Sofia began Call Her Daddy in 2018 when they were roommates. The podcast was quickly acquired by Barstool Sports that year and became a hit. However, following a business disagreement with Barstool’s owner Dave Portnoy, Sofia left the show in 2020, while Alex opted to continue solo.
THR asked Alex if Sofia came to mind while signing her lucrative SiriusXM deal. “I think less about the specific person. The thought is: I’m so happy that I trusted myself and fought for this IP [the Call Her Daddy brand and show archive],” she told the publication. “Because I will never forget the day [Barstool founder] Dave Portnoy offered us that IP on a rooftop and I was so elated and being like, ‘I will stay another year. I’ll do whatever it takes. I want that IP.’”
She said she stayed because she had put “so much sweat equity” into CHD; however, she claimed Sofia had a different perspective.
“On [Sofia’s] side, she was like, ‘I think we could start a show called ‘Girls in the Bathroom,’ or whatever, ‘and it will be just as good.’ And I was like, ‘That may be true. But in my personal opinion, I’m not giving up this IP. I don’t want to start over'” Alex said.
“Thank God I saw the worth of the IP and the trademarks and the catalog. That’s what comes to my mind. The minute I sign a new deal, every time, I text Dave Portnoy a little thank-you,” she continued.
Alex also explained that she and Sofia were interested in renegotiating with Barstool because they were “making pennies compared to what the show was making for Barstool.”
She later added that she doesn’t judge Sofia for exiting the podcast.
Alex said of Dave’s offer at the time, “So when he offered the IP along with not much money for one more year, I didn’t give a shit about the money. I was like, ‘This IP is a gold mine. I’m going to be a multimillionaire and will be set for life if I just stay one year.'”
“I will never judge my ex co-host and former partner for making the decision she did,” she continued. “She really saw the lane of not wanting to work another year for Barstool, and I didn’t, and that’s business.”
BuzzFeed has reached out to a representative for Sofia for comment.