Alex Cooper’s Unwell Community will now not be distributing Alix Earle’s Sizzling Mess podcast, it was introduced Tuesday. In line with Selection, which printed the unique, Cooper and the community’s distribution and advert gross sales companion, SiriusXM, renounced all rights to Earle’s podcast, “so [she] can freely discover future alternatives.”
It’s unclear precisely why Earle’s podcast was dropped from the community, however the announcement comes on the heels of rumors of a feud between Earle and Cooper. Each creators have but to make public statements concerning the modifications to the podcast community, however social media spectators continued to fan the flames as to what might need occurred.
Cooper gained immense reputation along with her flagship present, Name Her Daddy, which she began in 2018 along with her former co-host, Sofia Franklyn. The present was acquired by Barstool Sports activities — a media firm owned by Dave Portnoy. Attributable to disagreements with Portnoy, Franklyn left the present in 2020, and Cooper continued the podcast on her personal. Spotify then acquired the present in 2021 for $60 million. In 2024, Cooper signed with SiriusXM.
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Cooper and the podcast continued to succeed in new ranges of fame, interviewing more and more well-known celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Zayn Malik, Christina Aguilera and then-Vice President Kamala Harris throughout her 2024 presidential marketing campaign.
On the identical time, Earle rapidly rose to turn into synonymous with TikTok as she gained tens of millions of followers posting her relatable “prepare with me” movies as a scholar on the College of Miami. When Cooper introduced the formation of her podcast community in August 2023, Earle and influencer Madeline Argy joined because the challenge’s two marquee creators who helped publicize this new enterprise.
Cooper and Earle have praised one another in previous interviews, and it’s laborious to see the place issues might have turned bitter. However some individuals on the web are turning to perceived slights to make their case.
Yahoo Leisure reached out to Earle, Cooper and Unwell for remark however didn’t instantly hear again.
Whereas it could be too quickly to inform precisely what occurred between the 2 creators, right here’s what we do know concerning the pair’s friendship on-line.
August 2023: Alex Cooper proclaims podcast community with common creators together with Alix Earle and Madeline Argy
Following the success of her solo enterprise with the wildly common podcast Name Her Daddy, Cooper introduced in August 2023 that she can be launching the Unwell Community to help and distribute podcasts, with the mission to “develop quite a lot of multiplatform ideas and initiatives.” The community operates beneath the mum or dad firm Tending, which is a three way partnership she and her husband, Matt Kaplan, began collectively, propping up Earle and Argy as their predominant Gen Z voices.
A yr later, in August 2024, she signed a $125 million cope with SiriusXM following the tip of her unique Spotify deal, which she signed in 2021.
October 2023: Cooper praises Earle’s work ethic on the crimson carpet for Time100 Subsequent
Cooper was named as one of many Time100 Subsequent honorees in 2023. On the crimson carpet, she was requested about launching the Unwell Community and dealing with Earle. “She’s a beast,” she stated within the interview. “She makes it look simple. That woman has a piece ethic that I’ve by no means seen, and I’m simply so pleased with her, and I really like any assist that I may give her. Bow all the way down to her.”
Feb. 9, 2025: Rumors start to swirl as Earle skips out on the Unwell Tremendous Bowl occasion
The Unwell Community hosted a celebration on the sporting occasion of the yr, held in New Orleans. There have been suspicions of Earle’s exit from Unwell circulating on TikTok and Reddit, which grew after she was a no-show on the Tremendous Bowl occasion. Web sleuths noticed that as a clue of a potential rift, as a result of she was on the sport however didn’t attend the Unwell occasion.
The Unwell Community uploaded pictures to Instagram displaying that a few of its hosts had been on the occasion, together with former Barstool Sports activities podcaster Grace O’Malley and Additional Soiled host Hallie Batchelder.
Earle posted a separate vlog, compiling movies of her time on the occasion, which didn’t embody the Unwell occasion.
Feb. 25, 2025: Selection confirms Earle was dropped by Unwell
The announcement of Earle’s departure from the community was a shock to followers of the podcast. However Unwell nonetheless has a variety of exhibits to advertise, together with Batchelder and O’Malley’s, together with Harry Jowsey’s Boyfriend Materials and Owen Thiele’s In Your Desires. Cooper and Earle’s followers are ready to see if both one addresses the break up.
