Most successful podcaster in the world: This is what you need to know about Alexandra Cooper

Stars such as Jane Fonda (86), Heidi Klum (51), Dylan Sprouse (32) and Hailey Bieber (27) have already appeared on Alexandra Cooper’s (30) podcast. Now the “Call Her Daddy” presenter has probably achieved her biggest coup: she got US Vice President Kamala Harris (59) in front of her microphone for an interview. , Cooper and the Democratic presidential candidate spoke about abortion rights and reproductive health – in a format that was originally primarily about one topic: sex.

described Alexandra Cooper as “probably the most successful woman in the podcast world” in 2021, and called her the “Barbara Walters of Gen Z” in 2023. Who is the woman behind the podcast in which the stars open up like they rarely do?

“Call Her Daddy” started out as a classic sex podcast

Alexandra “Alex” Cooper was born in 1994 in the US state of Pennsylvania. She studied film and television at Boston University while also playing college soccer. After graduating in 2017, she moved to New York City and worked in advertising sales.

In 2018, she founded the podcast “Call Her Daddy” together with her then roommate Sofia Franklyn (32) – initially a humorous discussion platform about sex, dating and life as a young woman in a big city, the format quickly became a cultural phenomenon. A month after the first episode, Barstool Sports signed the podcast.

“Call Her Daddy” quickly reached the top of the podcast charts, thanks in large part to Cooper and Franklyn’s candid and direct nature. They talked about sex, relationships and female self-confidence in a way rarely seen in mainstream media. The motto: “female locker room talk” (German: female locker room talk). With a mixture of provocative advice (the “Gluck Gluck 9000” remains unforgettable among fans) and anecdotes, the two built up a loyal and committed fan base.

Turning point for “Call Her Daddy”

However, a turning point came in 2020 when Cooper and Franklyn got into a public spat due to contract disputes. Cooper retained control of the podcast and continued running it alone. In August she released her first solo episode – with singer Miley Cyrus (31) as a guest, who spoke about her divorce from ex-husband Liam Hemsworth (34).

The solo era not only brought the podcast further exposure, but also a historic $60 million three-year exclusive deal with Spotify in 2021. To date, “Call Her Daddy” remains the most listened-to podcast by women worldwide. The format has around five million listeners every week. And not without reason: After “Call Her Daddy” was synonymous with sex for years, Alexandra Cooper has now focused the podcast more on topics such as female self-determination and body confidence – of course, still with a raunchy sense of humor.

The focus now is primarily on interviews with a wide variety of celebrities. In her cozy podcast studio, Alex Cooper manages to tease out intimate details from even the biggest stars, which then make headlines around the world. For example, when Jamie Lynn Spears (33) was a guest and wanted to dispel allegations that she had not helped her sister Britney (42) during her guardianship. Or when Hailey Bieber revealed her favorite sex position with husband Justin (30). Hollywood star Jane Fonda spoke openly on “Call Her Daddy” about her former “secret life” and her struggle with an eating disorder.

Own podcast network

In 2023, Alex Cooper launched her own podcast network, “The Unwell Network”, and signed the podcasts “Hot Mess with Alix Earle” and “Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy”, both of which reached the top 5 within their first week reached the US podcast charts. In August 2024, Cooper also made history with a new deal: her $125 million, three-year deal with SiriusXM, replacing Spotify as her partner.

Alexandra Cooper has also found happiness in her private life: in April 2024 she married the film producer Matt Kaplan (40) after a three-year relationship.