Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network will no longer be distributing Alix Earle’s Hot Mess podcast, it was announced Tuesday. According to Variety, which published the exclusive, Cooper and the network’s distribution and ad sales partner, SiriusXM, renounced all rights to Earle’s podcast, “so [she] can freely explore future opportunities.”
It’s unclear exactly why Earle’s podcast was dropped from the network, but the announcement comes on the heels of rumors of a feud between Earle and Cooper. Both creators have yet to make public statements about the changes to the podcast network, but social media spectators continued to fan the flames as to what might have happened.
Cooper gained immense popularity with her flagship show, Call Her Daddy, which she started in 2018 with her former co-host, Sofia Franklyn. The show was acquired by Barstool Sports — a media company owned by Dave Portnoy. Due to disagreements with Portnoy, Franklyn left the show in 2020, and Cooper continued the podcast on her own. Spotify then acquired the show in 2021 for $60 million. In 2024, Cooper signed with SiriusXM.
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Cooper and the podcast continued to reach new levels of fame, interviewing increasingly famous celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Zayn Malik, Christina Aguilera and then-Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential campaign.
At the same time, Earle quickly rose to become synonymous with TikTok as she gained millions of followers posting her relatable “get ready with me” videos as a student at the University of Miami. When Cooper announced the formation of her podcast network in August 2023, Earle and influencer Madeline Argy joined as the project’s two marquee creators who helped publicize this new venture.
Cooper and Earle have praised each other in past interviews, and it’s hard to see where things may have turned sour. But some people on the internet are turning to perceived slights to make their case.
Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Earle, Cooper and Unwell for comment but did not immediately hear back.
While it may be too soon to tell exactly what happened between the two creators, here’s what we do know about the pair’s friendship online.
August 2023: Alex Cooper announces podcast network with popular creators including Alix Earle and Madeline Argy
Following the success of her solo venture with the wildly popular podcast Call Her Daddy, Cooper announced in August 2023 that she would be launching the Unwell Network to support and distribute podcasts, with the mission to “develop a variety of multiplatform concepts and projects.” The network operates under the parent company Tending, which is a joint venture she and her husband, Matt Kaplan, started together, propping up Earle and Argy as their main Gen Z voices.
A year later, in August 2024, she signed a $125 million deal with SiriusXM following the end of her exclusive Spotify deal, which she signed in 2021.
October 2023: Cooper praises Earle’s work ethic on the red carpet for Time100 Next
Cooper was named as one of the Time100 Next honorees in 2023. On the red carpet, she was asked about launching the Unwell Network and working with Earle. “She’s a beast,” she said in the interview. “She makes it look easy. That girl has a work ethic that I’ve never seen, and I’m just so proud of her, and I love any help that I can give her. Bow down to her.”
Feb. 9, 2025: Rumors begin to swirl as Earle skips out on the Unwell Super Bowl party
The Unwell Network hosted a party at the sporting event of the year, held in New Orleans. There were suspicions of Earle’s exit from Unwell circulating on TikTok and Reddit, which grew after she was a no-show at the Super Bowl party. Internet sleuths saw that as a clue of a possible rift, because she was at the game but didn’t attend the Unwell event.
The Unwell Network uploaded photos to Instagram showing that some of its hosts were at the party, including former Barstool Sports podcaster Grace O’Malley and Extra Dirty host Hallie Batchelder.
Earle posted a separate vlog, compiling videos of her time at the event, which didn’t include the Unwell party.
Feb. 25, 2025: Variety confirms Earle was dropped by Unwell
The announcement of Earle’s departure from the network was a shock to fans of the podcast. But Unwell still has a number of shows to promote, including Batchelder and O’Malley’s, along with Harry Jowsey’s Boyfriend Material and Owen Thiele’s In Your Dreams. Cooper and Earle’s fans are waiting to see if either one addresses the split.
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