Call Her Daddy

The truth about Call Her Daddy

May 23, 2020

podcast industry intellectual property contract negotiation partnership disputes barstool sports media industry talent agents influencer marketing deal-making compensation

Episode Summary

AI-generated · Mar 2026

AI-generated summary — may contain inaccuracies. Not a substitute for the full episode or professional advice.

In this solo episode, Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper presents her side of the highly publicized, two-year dispute that led to the split of the wildly popular podcast from co-host Sophia Franklin. Cooper outlines a detailed timeline of events, beginning from the show's inception, through its explosive growth at Barstool Sports, to the irreconcilable differences that ultimately led to her continuing the brand alone. Her central thesis is to clarify the narrative surrounding the contract renegotiations, Sophia's escalating demands, and what Cooper perceived as 'sabotaging' actions that jeopardized the Call Her Daddy brand and its future.

Cooper begins by recounting the podcast's origin and their initial three-year contract with Barstool, which included a clause allowing annual renegotiations [06:10]. She reveals an early, separate raise she received for editing and social media work, which she opted not to share with Sophia, citing Sophia's discomfort with Alex appearing to do more work publicly [02:03]. Cooper emphasizes the intensity of her editing process, often spending 7-20 hours per episode to condense three hours of raw content into one, a fact previously undisclosed [04:09]. The narrative progresses to initial renegotiations, where Peter Nelson, Sophia's then-boyfriend, advised them that their compensation was 'way below industry standard,' leading to an 'outrageous' term sheet that Dave Portnoy summarily rejected [07:12].

The turning point arrives with the 'rooftop meeting' where Portnoy offered Cooper and Franklin $500,000 and ownership of the Call Her Daddy intellectual property (IP) [12:18]. Cooper describes being 'ready' to accept this deal immediately, but Sophia's reaction was starkly different, viewing it as a mere 'courtesy meeting' [13:20]. This divergence initiated a 'ghost period' where Cooper attempted to appease Sophia's continuously escalating demands, which she characterized as 'moving the goalposts' [15:24]. A pivotal 'infamous two-hour phone call' solidified their opposing stances, with Sophia stating, 'I hate this deal what it comes down to is you don't want to leave and I don't want to stay' [21:31].

Cooper details what she considered Sophia's 'sabotaging period,' including Sophia's questions about IP ownership if one partner was fired—which Cooper interpreted as negotiating 'in bad faith' [23:34]—and the leak of their initial Barstool contract to the New York Post [25:38]. The final straw came when Sophia brought in her own WME agents, introducing new, aggressive demands that Cooper found 'insanity' and purely 'about money' [26:41]. Faced with this, Cooper made the decision to call Dave Portnoy directly and negotiate her individual deal, securing the brand's future [29:43].

Listeners walk away with a comprehensive, albeit unilateral, understanding of the complex personal and business dynamics that fractured Call Her Daddy. Cooper acknowledges the personal toll, stating, 'I lost a friend you guys lost the duo that you were invested in the show and it [ __ ] sucks,' but reaffirms her commitment to the 'daddy gang' and the show's continuation, emphasizing that the brand is 'bigger than Sophia and me' [31:48].

👤 Who Should Listen

Anyone following the public dispute and split of the Call Her Daddy podcast.
Podcast creators considering or currently in co-hosting partnerships.
Entrepreneurs and content creators navigating intellectual property ownership and contract negotiations.
Individuals interested in the behind-the-scenes business and personal dynamics of the media and influencer industries.
Partners experiencing irreconcilable differences in a joint venture or business.
Fans of Call Her Daddy seeking Alex Cooper's detailed perspective on the show's past and future.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1.Alex Cooper clarifies that her solo continuation of Call Her Daddy stems from a protracted two-year dispute with former co-host Sophia Franklin and Barstool Sports.
2.Early in their Barstool contract, Alex received a separate raise for extensive editing and social media management, which she did not share with Sophia due to Sophia's discomfort with Alex appearing to do more work publicly.
3.Alex reveals that she dedicates 7-20 hours to editing each Call Her Daddy episode, condensing three hours of recorded content into a one-hour show, significantly more time than writing or recording.
4.Initial contract renegotiations, driven by advisor Peter Nelson's claims of 'way below industry standard' compensation, resulted in an 'outrageous' term sheet that Dave Portnoy rejected, causing a stalemate.
5.During a critical 'rooftop meeting,' Dave Portnoy offered $500,000 and ownership of the Call Her Daddy intellectual property, a deal Alex was eager to accept, but Sophia viewed as merely a 'courtesy meeting.'
6.Sophia's subsequent demands continually escalated—described by Alex as 'moving the goalposts'—and included questioning scenarios like what happens to the IP if one host is fired, leading Alex to suspect 'bad faith' negotiations.
7.The conflict reached a peak during an 'infamous two-hour phone call' where Sophia explicitly stated, 'I hate this deal… you don't want to leave and I don't want to stay,' signaling their fundamental disagreement.
8.Alex ultimately decided to negotiate her individual deal with Barstool after Sophia brought in her own WME agents who introduced new, aggressive demands that Alex felt were purely 'about money' and threatened the deal's completion.

💡 Key Concepts Explained

IP (Intellectual Property)

IP refers to the ownership rights of creative works and brand elements, in this case, the 'Call Her Daddy' brand, its name, fanbase ('daddy gang'), and specific catchphrases. Alex presents IP ownership as the most critical factor in the negotiations, essential for the show's continued existence, while Sophia reportedly undervalued its importance.

Industry Standard

This term refers to the typical compensation, terms, and conditions expected within a specific industry, often used by agents or advisors to argue for better deals. Peter Nelson reportedly told Alex and Sophia they were 'way below industry standard,' but Alex notes they never received a clear number or justification for what that standard entailed.

Moving the Goalposts

A negotiation tactic where one party introduces new demands or conditions after previous ones have been met, continuously shifting the requirements for agreement. Alex describes Sophia's escalating and new demands during the renegotiation as 'whack-a-mole' and 'moving the goalposts,' leading to exhaustion and hindering a final deal.

Bad Faith Negotiation

This describes a situation where a party enters negotiations with no genuine intention of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, or attempts to undermine the process. Alex suspects Sophia was negotiating 'in bad faith' when she repeatedly questioned what would happen to the IP if one partner was fired, implying a strategy to benefit from a potential future split.

⚡ Actionable Takeaways

→In creative partnerships, explicitly define roles and responsibilities to prevent resentment over perceived workload imbalances, as Alex's undisclosed editing raise became a point of contention.
→When advised by external consultants like Peter Nelson, demand specific data or benchmarks to support claims of 'industry standard' compensation, rather than relying on vague assurances that could lead to unrealistic demands.
→During high-stakes contract negotiations, clearly establish what constitutes a 'final offer' and avoid continuously 'moving the goalposts' to prevent exhausting the opposing party and jeopardizing the deal.
→Prioritize securing the core intellectual property and brand identity of your venture, as Alex emphasizes the 'Call Her Daddy' IP's paramount importance over other deal points.
→Maintain direct and transparent communication channels with all principal parties in a negotiation, as Alex's individual call to Dave Portnoy was crucial in breaking a stalemate.
→If a partnership becomes dysfunctional, be prepared to make difficult decisions to secure your own career path, especially if a partner's decision-making is heavily influenced by external parties.
→Recognize that a strong brand and fanbase ('daddy gang') can be a powerful asset, potentially outlasting individual talent, as Alex states the brand is 'bigger than Sophia and me.'

⏱ Timeline Breakdown

01:01Alex Cooper and Sophia Franklin start Call Her Daddy; Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports reaches out to Alex.

02:03Original Barstool contract details: 3-year deal, $75,000 each for the first year. Alex receives a secret raise for editing and social media.

06:10Near the end of their first year, negotiations begin as the podcast's popularity 'blew up'.

07:12Peter Nelson advises Alex and Sophia, claiming they are 'way below industry standard,' and drafts an 'outrageous' term sheet.

09:13The 'crazy' term sheet is sent to Barstool, leading to Dave Portnoy's strong rejection.

10:14Peter Nelson begins 'shopping around' for other deals for Alex and Sophia in the industry.

11:16The 'rooftop meeting' occurs with Dave Portnoy, where he offers $500,000 and IP ownership for Call Her Daddy.

13:20Immediately after the rooftop meeting, Alex and Sophia's differing views on the deal's value create tension and disagreement.

14:20The 'ghost period' begins, during which Alex attempts to accommodate Sophia's escalating demands to finalize the Barstool deal.

19:28The 'infamous two-hour phone call' takes place, where Sophia expresses her strong dislike for the Barstool deal and her desire to leave, while Alex wishes to stay.

23:34Sophia raises questions about what happens to the IP if one partner gets fired, which Alex interprets as negotiating 'in bad faith.'

25:38A New York Post article is published, leaking their initial contract, which Alex suspects was intended to negatively portray Barstool Sports.

26:41Alex learns that Sophia has engaged her own WME agents who are adding new, aggressive demands to the existing deal points.

29:43Alex calls Dave Portnoy to meet individually and accepts the deal he offered on the rooftop, proceeding to negotiate her own contract.

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💬 Notable Quotes

“Sophia said Alex I hate this deal what it comes down to is you don't want to leave and I don't want to stay and I said yes that is what it's coming down to”

“Sophia are you telling me that you're negotiating right now in bad faith and you are going to take this deal try to get fired leave me to do the heavy lifting for 12 months and sweep around and come back to pick up 50% of the IP when the term is over”