DealBook Summit: Alex Cooper on Building a Media Brand
Podcast: DealBook Summit, The New York Times
Host: Andrew Ross Sorkin
Guest: Alex Cooper (Host and media entrepreneur, "Call Her Daddy")
Date: December 5, 2024
Episode Theme: Exploring how Alex Cooper built “Call Her Daddy” into a podcasting empire, her evolving role in the media landscape, and her influence as a business leader and force for women’s empowerment.
Episode Overview
In this live conversation from the DealBook Summit, Andrew Ross Sorkin interviews Alex Cooper, the creator and host of "Call Her Daddy." The discussion centers on Cooper’s journey from sports-obsessed film student and aspiring media director to the head of an influential media brand, her strategies for growing a vibrant community of (primarily) young women, her expansion into new media and business ventures, and her role in the shifting landscape of public trust in media. The conversation is candid, fast-paced, and filled with both strategic insight and off-the-cuff humor.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Origin Story: From Fired Sales Associate to Podcast Maven
[02:37 – 03:56]
- Alex Cooper details her upbringing immersed in media, thanks to her father’s career as a sports TV producer.
- After losing her post-grad sales job, she saw a "huge hole in the market": There were no shows for women as open as Howard Stern’s for men.
- Early episodes focused heavily on sex and relationships, deliberately courting attention:
"It was very sex heavy and I was proud of it. ... I also am like a marketer at heart. And I was like, this is going to get everyone talking." — Alex Cooper, [03:31]
- Immediate audience traction convinced her she’d struck a nerve:
“The virality of the first three episodes was lightning in a bottle.” — Alex Cooper, [03:59]
2. Barstool Sports & Lessons from Dave Portnoy
[04:22 – 05:08]
- Sorkin asks what Cooper learned at Barstool; she credits Dave Portnoy’s unapologetic approach:
“You can never speak your mind too often on social media. ... When you think it's a little too much, go even farther.” — Alex Cooper, [04:33]
- She admits to sometimes questioning whether she’d gone too far, but pushing boundaries proved effective.
3. Shifting Culture & Responsible Platforming
[05:35 – 06:26]
- Discussion about the coarsening of online culture and its double-edged sword:
"I am having conversations that have not been to the degree publicly talked about ... Like mental health. ... In such detail in moments where people are like, holy shit, I don't want to hear about this. ... This is what's happening in real life." — Alex Cooper, [05:54]
- Cooper believes greater authenticity and honest conversation—especially about women’s experiences and mental health—are positive developments.
4. Evolution of Content: From Sex Talk to Celebrity Interviews
[06:26 – 07:17]
- Cooper didn’t pivot away from explicit content by design—she simply “put it all on the table” and was ready to move on.
- She now focuses on interviews with diverse high-profile guests, often eliciting vulnerability and authenticity.
5. Building Trust and Creating a “Safe Space”
[07:16 – 08:35]
- Celebrities like Christina Aguilera have said they feel “safe” with Cooper.
- Cooper attributes her empathy to growing up with a therapist mother and being “intentional” in her interviews:
“I am actually listening to what they're saying because I genuinely care, because I know the community that I have built cares. Every single thing I do is for my audience.” — Alex Cooper, [08:02]
6. Is She a Journalist, Entertainer, or Something Else?
[08:35 – 09:23]
- Cooper rejects labels, emphasizing impact over semantics:
“I consider myself Alex Cooper. I don't care if people consider me a journalist or a podcaster or just a girl that talks online every week. ... If you want to put me in the box of a journalist who just interviewed the Vice President of the United States, sure, put me there. But I can also. I'm fine with podcaster, too.” — Alex Cooper, [08:55]
7. Political Interviews and Audience Advocacy
[09:32 – 11:47]
- Cooper describes how both Biden and Trump’s teams reached out for interviews.
- Her approach is audience-oriented: focused on women's rights, especially regarding abortion:
“Yeah, I am, because it's not about abortion. It's about women's right to their body.” — Alex Cooper, [10:26]
- She selected issues that matter to her listeners, not topics that dominate cable news.
8. Controversy and Media Headlines
[11:47 – 12:46]
- Sorkin quizzes Cooper on rumors the Harris campaign spent $100,000 to replicate her LA studio in D.C.; she refutes this:
“My studio that is gorgeous in Los Angeles doesn't even cost six figures. ... It wasn't like gorgeous marble? No, that was not six figures.” — Alex Cooper, [12:19]
9. Rogan, Stern, and the "Next Big Thing" Comparisons
[13:16 – 16:13]
- Cooper is aware of frequent media comparisons to Joe Rogan and Howard Stern, but asserts:
“I am a woman. Like, I don't need to keep being compared to these men. ... I'm Alex Cooper. I'm gonna be Alex Cooper all day.” — Alex Cooper, [15:44]
- She respects both but is carving her own lane.
10. Business Dynamics, Partnerships, and the ‘Co-Host Breakup’
[17:47 – 19:13]
- Reflects on her split with original co-host Sofia Franklyn, attributing it to divergent ambitions.
- Emphasizes that partnerships—business or personal—are naturally fraught but sometimes necessary to dissolve to achieve one’s full potential.
11. Building an Empire: The Unwell Network & Community Expansion
[19:22 – 22:51]
- After stints with Barstool, Spotify, and now Sirius XM, Cooper describes her strategy:
- Move from just content (“catalog”) to cultivating a tightly bonded, participatory community.
- The Unwell Network spotlights and uplifts hand-selected Gen Z creators; Cooper serves as mentor and curator.
“I wanted to launch live events. ... Gen Z wants to be in person. ... We've done live events. ... The GM said [our event] was the highest grossing night of the year, aside from Pride.” — Alex Cooper, [19:22]
- Not in it just for “ego”—she’ll continue to host, but aims to support and amplify others’ voices.
12. Venturing into Consumer Products: Unwell Hydration Launch
[23:59 – 26:30]
- Cooper reveals her new product live:
“I am officially launching a hydration beverage called Unwell Hydration ... exclusive to Targets for the first few months. ... Every time I went to pick up an energy drink ... it's all catered to men. ... What about us? ... It is a product by women for everyone.” — Alex Cooper, [23:59]
- Partnered with Nestlé for reach and credibility.
13. Legacy Media vs. New Creators: Advice for Institutional Journalism
[26:45 – 28:49]
- Sorkin asks how legacy media can regain the trust of Gen Z.
- Cooper’s advice: Emphasize authenticity, let younger staffers have more of a voice, and resist “selling” news as a product:
“People don't want to be told what to do anymore. ... It has to feel somewhat more organic. ... Maybe you should give those young interns more of a voice and maybe you should listen to them when they have some ideas.” — Alex Cooper, [27:04]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Authenticity and Women's Voices:
"As women, we are at a disadvantage. Sorry, boys in the room, if you disagree, but it’s the truth.” — Alex Cooper, [03:06]
-
On Impact:
“I know what I’m doing is changing a lot of lives. And I know a lot of women specifically, have been extremely impacted by the conversations I’m having.” — Alex Cooper, [08:55]
-
On Platform Strategy:
“I started the Unwell Network … with my husband. We have expanded where I’m now signing younger Gen Z creators to uplift their voices.” — Alex Cooper, [19:22]
-
On Business Partnership Challenges:
“That is a very hard dynamic because you are two complete different people trying to come to one agreement.” — Alex Cooper, [18:21]
-
On Gen Z and Trust:
“I’m just speaking for Gen Z and millennials … a lot of us feel like we’re getting sold a crock of every week … people want to figure it out for themselves.” — Alex Cooper, [27:04]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [02:37] Cooper’s origin story and podcast launch
- [04:33] Lessons from Barstool and Dave Portnoy
- [05:35] On cultural shifts and authenticity
- [06:46] Transition from explicit topics to interviews
- [07:16] Gaining trust from celebrity guests
- [08:35] Talking impact vs. labels
- [09:32] Political interviews: audience-driven advocacy
- [11:47] Studio controversy rebuttal
- [15:44] On Howard Stern, Rogan, and gendered comparisons
- [19:22] How and why to build a multimedia, community-centered media brand
- [23:59] Unveiling Unwell Hydration and partnership with Nestlé
- [27:04] Advice for legacy media
Conclusion
This lively, insightful interview tracks Alex Cooper’s evolution into a powerful new media business force, her intentional advocacy for women in media and entrepreneurship, and her approach to building trust and community in an era when legacy institutions are viewed skeptically by young audiences. Cooper is unfiltered about her ambition, unorthodox in her methods, and intentional in her mission to empower audiences—while remaining self-aware about her place in a rapidly changing industry.
For further exploration: