Is Alex Cooper and Alix Earle’s friendship unwell? What we do — and don’t — know amid podcast network changes

Alex Cooper’s Unwell Community will not be distributing Alix Earle’s Sizzling Mess podcast, it was introduced Tuesday. In response to Selection, which revealed 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 in regards to the adjustments to the podcast community, however social media spectators continued to fan the flames as to what might need occurred.

Cooper gained immense recognition 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. As a consequence of 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.

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 out to be synonymous with TikTok as she gained thousands and thousands 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 undertaking’s two marquee creators who helped publicize this new enterprise.

Cooper and Earle have praised one another in previous interviews, and it’s exhausting 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 might be too quickly to inform precisely what occurred between the 2 creators, right here’s what we do know in regards to the pair’s friendship on-line.

August 2023: Alex Cooper proclaims podcast community with standard creators together with Alix Earle and Madeline Argy

Following the success of her solo enterprise with the wildly standard 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 a wide range of multiplatform ideas and initiatives.” The community operates underneath the guardian firm Tending, which is a three way partnership she and her husband, Matt Kaplan, began collectively, propping up Earle and Argy as their foremost Gen Z voices.

A 12 months later, in August 2024, she signed a $125 million take care of SiriusXM following the top of her unique Spotify deal, which she signed in 2021.

October 2023: Cooper praises Earle’s work ethic on the purple carpet for Time100 Subsequent

Cooper was named as one of many Time100 Subsequent honorees in 2023. On the purple 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 straightforward. That lady has a piece ethic that I’ve by no means seen, and I’m simply so happy with her, and I like any assist that I can provide 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 12 months, 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 doable rift, as a result of she was on the sport however didn’t attend the Unwell occasion.

The Unwell Community uploaded pictures to Instagram exhibiting that a few of its hosts have been on the occasion, together with former Barstool Sports activities podcaster Grace O’Malley and Further Soiled host Hallie Batchelder.

Earle posted a separate vlog, compiling movies of her time on the occasion, which didn’t embrace 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 lot of reveals to advertise, together with Batchelder and O’Malley’s, together with Harry Jowsey’s Boyfriend Materials and Owen Thiele’s In Your Goals. Cooper and Earle’s followers are ready to see if both one addresses the break up.