Alex Cooper is the имя behind the wildly successful podcast, Call Her Daddy. Since its inception in 2018, Cooper, who playfully refers to herself as the “Founding Father,” has steered the podcast through significant transformations. Initially known for its explicit discussions of sex, branded as “female locker-room talk,” Call Her Daddy has evolved to incorporate what marketing materials describe as “a modern twist on feminism.”
While Call Her Daddy explores a diverse range of topics, Alex Cooper has particularly gained recognition for her in-depth, tell-all interviews with prominent figures in Hollywood. Her guest list boasts A-list celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Chelsea Handler, John Mayer, Kelsea Ballerini and even the infamous fake German heiress, Anna Delvey.
In a landmark move in June 2021, Cooper inked a three-year deal with Spotify worth over $60 million, as reported by Variety. This agreement marked Spotify’s most substantial exclusive deal for a female-led podcast to date. Cooper’s ambition is clear, telling the Wall Street Journal, “I want to be the biggest podcast in the world.”
With an impressive annual salary of $20 million, Alex Cooper holds the title of the highest-paid female podcaster on Spotify and ranks second only to Joe Rogan overall. This was highlighted in a Los Angeles Times article in June 2022. “A woman just got what in the past would’ve been a male contract,” she remarked to the publication.
Adding another chapter to her personal life, Cooper married Hollywood producer Matt Kaplan in April 2024.
Here’s a comprehensive look into Alex Cooper’s life, from her beginnings as a Division I college athlete to her current status as a globally recognized podcasting sensation.
From Barstool Beginnings to Spotify Stardom
Before her multi-million dollar Spotify deal, Call Her Daddy was initially acquired by Barstool Sports approximately a month after its debut episode in 2018.
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Alex Cooper/Instagram
The podcast’s format has undergone significant evolution since its launch. One of the most notable changes is Cooper becoming the sole host. This transition occurred after her separation from Sofia Franklyn, who was not only her co-host but also her close friend and business partner, in April 2020.
The podcast experienced a period of silence that year, leading to widespread speculation among tabloids and fans, known as the “Daddy Gang,” regarding a potential rift between Cooper and Franklyn. This speculation was fueled by the pair’s statement that they were “legally can’t speak out” about the behind-the-scenes events at the time.
The exact reasons for the partnership dissolving and “go up in flames,” as Time described it, remain somewhat unclear. However, it was partially attributed to contract renegotiations with Barstool Sports. Ultimately, Cooper continued with Call Her Daddy, while Franklyn launched her own podcast a few months later.
The Evolution of “Call Her Daddy”: From Raunch to Empowerment
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For many years, Call Her Daddy was practically synonymous with explicit sexual content. It became famous for its uninhibited discussions and for popularizing terms like the “Gluck Gluck 9000” (a term referring to a specific oral sex technique). This aligned with the show’s original branding as “female locker-room talk.”
Today, while Cooper still maintains a relatable, big-sisterly approach with her sex advice, her content has broadened significantly. Despite some listeners expressing that “they miss the old Call Her Daddy,” as she mentioned to the Los Angeles Times, she has expanded her topics to appeal to a wider audience.
“It was like, ‘How many times can we talk about sex?'” she explained to the Los Angeles Times. “I was getting a little bit bored. I need to be mentally stimulated by my content.”
Since this shift, the topics discussed on the show have diversified to include “reclaiming your power” after trauma, sexual fluidity, self-love, and addressing mental health stigmas. Crucially, Cooper aims to increasingly steer her conversations towards themes of female empowerment.
Interviewing Hollywood’s Elite
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Alex Cooper/Instagram
Call Her Daddy has adopted a more interview-centric format, featuring dialogues between Cooper and some of the most prominent names in Hollywood. Her Q&A style is known for being intimate and effective at encouraging celebrities to speak candidly about newsworthy and often sensitive subjects.
For instance, when Jamie Lynn Spears appeared on the show, she aimed to dispel accusations that she was unsupportive of her sister Britney during her conservatorship. Hailey Baldwin Bieber openly discussed her preferred sexual positions with her husband Justin Bieber, and Jane Fonda shared details about the “secret life” she led while battling an eating disorder.
A Personal Milestone: Marriage
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Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan. Aaron Idelson
On April 6, 2024, Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan officially tied the knot in a ceremony in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
“It was everything we wanted it to be,” Cooper told Vogue. “It was emotional, heartfelt, and we tailored it to exactly how we always envisioned it.”
Cooper wore a custom dress designed by Danielle Frankel, while Kaplan chose a custom suit from The Cloakroom for the occasion.
The Hollywood producer had proposed to Cooper in March 2023 at their home in Los Angeles.
“I like, blacked out,” Cooper recounted about the proposal. “I think I said, ‘yes,’ at first. It was very surreal.”
Their engagement followed three years of dating, during which Cooper largely kept Kaplan’s identity private from her audience, referring to him only as “Mr. Sexy Zoom Man” on her podcast until she revealed his identity in April 2023.
Family Support System
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While Call Her Daddy‘s primary audience has been millennials and Gen-Z, Cooper has had unwavering support from her parents since the beginning.
“They have always been my number one supporters,” Cooper shared with Today. “Even when people in my extended family would be like, ‘Has she lost her mind?’, my parents were like, ‘No, because we know Alex and we know how we raised her and we know her talent.'”
Cooper’s mother, Laurie, who is a psychologist, has even made appearances on Call Her Daddy. Despite being a source of advice for her listeners, Cooper also values the guidance she receives from her mother.
“If she’s talking to me about relationships, it’s like, ‘Do not lose yourself just to be with someone. Stay true to who you are,'” Cooper told E! News. “I think that goes through to every other aspect whether that’s job, friendship, life, career.”
From Soccer Field to Podcast Studio
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Alex Cooper/Instagram
Alex Cooper is keen to emphasize that her success is not accidental. As a former Division I soccer player at Boston University, where she majored in film and television, the Call Her Daddy host has worked diligently to achieve her current position.
Her publicist has described her as a “one-woman operation,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Beyond recording her podcasts, she is heavily involved in the research and editing processes. Spotify has recognized her as the most “hands-on” podcasting talent on their platform, as reported by Time.
“There’s this assumption that making a podcast is easy, but it’s a lot of f—ing work. I take it with great pride that my whole life revolves around it,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “Every Sunday I’m working, I work seven days a week. And I love it. I would not want to do anything else.”
