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Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, has called herself the “Founding Father” of a creator-led media revolution. Her podcast, rebrand, and online presence helped transform the digital landscape for creators and their audiences. What really changed the game was her new mega-media company, “The Unwell Network.”
The media company, intended to uplift creator voices, creative challenges, and community conversations, has grown massively over the past year. Thanks to Cooper and her team, The Unwell Network is thriving because of their community events and hosting smaller creators. With merch, events, and more, the company is changing marketing by offering the relatability and connection people crave today.
How has Cooper pulled off a bold reimagining of a traditional media company trend? What is she doing differently with her company and talent that others could learn from?
Who is Alex Cooper, & What Is The Unwell Network?
People Magazine calls Alex Cooper the “big sister” we didn’t know we needed. Her original podcast, Call Her Daddy, was picked up by Barstool and offered bold advice aimed at college women. From crude call-ins to questions about appearance and physical intimacy, there was no topic she and her co-host weren’t willing to touch. But after Franklin left, Cooper went solo and landed a multi-million dollar Spotify deal, sparking a major rebrand.
The new Call Her Daddy focused on female empowerment with guests discussing wellness, relationships, lifestyle, and pop culture. Cooper’s bold rebrand kept the show’s rawness while making it uniquely empowering and widely successful. The podcast continued to grow to its current listener count of over 10 million people per episode. Later, shifting from Spotify to SiriusXM.
So, where did Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network spring from?
Not content with Call Her Daddy’s success, Cooper launched “The Unwell Network” in August 2023. With creators like Madeline Argy and Alix Earle, the company launched as a content-driven platform across multiple lifestyle niches.
“We live in a world where we are inundated with content, but The Unwell Network will be the source everyone can go to for unique perspectives exploring what’s top-of-mind today for this generation,” Cooper said upon announcing the company. With TikTok stars as her first signees, Cooper backed The Unwell Network from the start—and clearly, it paid off.
Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network’s Podcast Umbrella
Beyond Call Her Daddy, The Unwell Network has signed several other podcasts under Alex Cooper’s growing talent umbrella. Let’s get started…
1. Pretty Lonesome
Madeline Argy’s Pretty Lonesome tackles loneliness in your 20s—a rising issue reshaping the Creator Economy and online connection.
“From her bed, car, or wherever she’s alone that week, Madeline explores the unspoken conversations we all have with ourselves,” her SiriusXM podcast description writes, “but are too afraid to speak out loud.”
Argy’s podcast covers everything from anxiety and mental health to sexuality and the chaos of your 20s. If you’re craving connection and relatability, you’ll likely find it on Argy’s podcast.
2. Boyfriend Material
Reality star Harry Jowsey hosts Boyfriend Material, a dating and relationship podcast for 20-somethings. Self-proclaimed by Jowsey calls the show “messy and confusing,” offering insight into “the male perspective.”
Similar to Call Her Daddy, Jowsey’s show often discusses controversial advice or taboo topics listeners might hesitate to bring up. It’s raw, real, and like Jowsey says, incredibly messy.
3. In Your Dreams
Owen Thiele hosts In Your Dreams, a fresh take on the question, “How do I become famous?” To cope with insomnia, Thiele podcasts in the early hours about fame, pop culture, and the Creator Economy.
Thiele’s podcast is hilarious, honest, and thoughtful, offering insights for anyone—no matter your take on chasing success.
4. Extra Dirty
The podcast Extra Dirty, hosted by Hallie Batchelder, is allegedly the new replacement for Call Her Daddy for this generation’s young teenage girls and college students. The New York City influencer takes listeners along, answering all the questions “nobody ever wants to ask” – from partying to dating, relationships, and drama.
It’s “unfiltered yapping,” according to its description, but there’s more depth to it than you’d expect – it’s focused on Batchelder’s crazy, vulnerable, and overwhelmingly personal stories – sure – but it’s also an exciting insight into the influencer scene for a 20-something girl navigating a big city.
5. Cheers
Hosted by content creator and mom Avery Woods, the podcast Cheers is one of the most recent additions to Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network – focused on life, relationships, advice, and guest features. From celebrities to social media influencers and close friends, Woods’ guests always bring up unique conversations and stories.
From motherhood to personal wellbeing, life advice, and stories – there’s something for everyone to enjoy with Woods.
6. Going West
Hosted by Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman, the Going West podcast is one of the more eccentric podcast choices Cooper has signed – focused on telling true crime stories twice a week. Talking through the “haunting details of different disappearance and murder cases,” as their SiriusXM description writes, the podcast is a twist on the lifestyle– and culture-focused trend Cooper’s original talent signings brought to the table.
7. Reality Recap
Hosted by Queen E, the Reality Recap podcast is a weekly round-up of all things reality TV. From Love Island to Temptation Island, The Bachelor, Housewives, Love Is Blind, and more, if you’re yearning for a friend de-brief of your favorite show, this is the one for you.
8. Disgraceful
Another transfer Barstool podcaster, with a similarly tumultuous exit from her last show, Grace O’Malley, is one of the more “talked about” hosts The Unwell Network has signed in the past few months. Hosting her solo show Disgraceful, O’Malley self-proclaims her platform as the equivalent of an online talk show. She hosts a variety of guests and talks about a variety of entertaining, yet equally unexpected, topics.
If you’re looking for a break from the cookie-cutter lifestyle creators or 20-something podcasts, check out hers – it’s refreshingly unique, with a host who’s more than willing to talk about anything and everything.
9. The Burnouts
Hosted by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the podcast The Burnouts is a self-proclaimed “career survival guide.” From corporate dress codes to navigating a bad boss, this duo is tackling topics not many influencer podcasts are.
Coupled with recent trends toward more corporate influencers–creators who maintain their 9-to-5s, even after blowing up online–it’s not surprising that Cooper strategically signed this infamous pair.
Bits & Surprises – What Else Can You Expect from Cooper’s Media Empire?
Not only has Cooper taken over the podcasting space, signing new talent and bringing on creators who’ve gone viral, but she’s also diversifying onto a million different platforms. Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network now has two SiriusXM shows, The Daily Dirty and Dialed In, intended to be a more collaborative and informal media outlet for her community. Alongside those shows, Cooper hosts her show and curates a playlist station called “Unwell Music.”
On YouTube, The Unwell Network signed Kierra Lewis, known as the woman re-reading Harry Potter on TikTok and recording her reactions, to host a book club on the platform.
It seems like every week there’s an announcement or talent signing going on, keeping everyone locked in and engaged. Really, is there any such thing as too much diversification? In today’s world of social media bans and constant uncertainty, we’d prefer not to argue. Especially considering the massive success The Unwell Network continues to boast in viewership and in-person sales.
From her Unwell Hydration beverage to Unwell tours across the country, and merch for every podcast, Cooper seems to be doing incredibly well, expanding into a million different industries, social platforms, and niches.
We’d be remiss to not mention this – have you ever partied with Alex Cooper and her community? Well, her Instagram is a constant reminder to add it to your bucket list. The Unwell Network does – and usually hosts – it all.
Whether it’s all-nighter parties, pop-up cocktails, curated playlists, book clubs, advice channels, or planned tour shows, there’s nothing more comprehensive and exciting than a media company like this. Alex Cooper is truly doing it all – proving to the world that it’s possible to have a niche podcast with a clear vision, while also leading a media company with a vast variety of diverse content.
