Alex Cooper has been quick to scoop up former Barstool Sports talent — but now, Dave Portnoy is looking to return the favor.
Portnoy has been vocal in praising Cooper, who left Barstool for a lucrative Spotify deal before signing a multi-year agreement with SiriusXM, making them the new distribution and advertising partner for her Call Her Daddy podcast. Cooper’s Unwell Network previously brought in Grace O’Malley, and now it appears Portnoy is eyeing a move for Alix Earle.
Earle, a social media influencer known for her “Get Ready With Me” TikTok videos, recently had her podcast, Hot Mess, dropped by Cooper’s Unwell Network. According to Variety, SiriusXM will also stop selling ads for the show, and Unwell has relinquished all rights to it — giving Earle the freedom to explore new opportunities.
Variety also reported that there was another reason for Earle’s exit.
The move comes amid growing chatter on social media of a feud between Cooper, host of the wildly popular podcast “Call Her Daddy,” and Earle, the party girl influencer with a massive TikTok following. Speculation of a rift grew when Earle skipped an Unwell Super Bowl party in New Orleans even though she was in town.
Enter Portnoy.
On Tuesday night, he made a TikTok, informing his followers that they could stop tagging him because he was one step ahead of everyone else. In a video with the Lion King’s ‘Circle of Life’ dubbed over it, Portnoy revealed that he had a 22-minute phone conversation with Earle.
@stoolpresidenteYou can stop tagging me. I know what needs to be done 😘♬ som original – Rei Leão
And yes, this was classic Portnoy trolling — turnabout is fair play after all, given that Cooper pulled the same move when she poached O’Malley.
Subtle? Not exactly. But Portnoy has never been about subtlety. He plays the game better than most, and sometimes, he plays it too well.
@fathercooperYou can stop tagging me, I know what needs to be done😘♬ original sound – dylansmovin
And, funnily enough, Portnoy wasted no time going after Earle’s inner circle. Less than three weeks before her podcast hit free agency, the Barstool founder went on a scathing rant about her boyfriend, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios.
Berrios had been set to appear on two Barstool podcasts during Super Bowl week in New Orleans, but he pulled out at the last minute.
And that sent Portnoy into a tailspin at the time.
“Braxton Berrios was supposed to be on both those podcasts,” Portnoy said on Barstool Live earlier this month. “He said he’d do it. He was confirmed to do it. Two hours before they send a text, not him, his team, to our PR being like, Braxton Berrios will not work with Barstool. His personal team is preventing him.
“That infuriates me. I hate that. If you don’t want to do it, say you don’t… Put your stamp on it and say Braxton Berrios doesn’t want… Not your personal team. I was trying to get this number to be like, ‘What the f*ck are you doing?'”
If Berrios had reservations about working with Barstool, maybe his stance has softened. It only took 19 days for Earle to become a podcast free agent — and for Portnoy to swoop in like a hawk.
Portnoy might have lost Cooper (and others) to bigger platforms, but it’s not like he forgot how to play the game.
Whether Earle officially joins Barstool or not, Portnoy has a track record of chasing big names. Barstool landed Jon Gruden, took a swing at Bill Belichick and isn’t afraid to take big gambles, even if it means some of his talents eventually cashes in elsewhere.
If nothing else, Portnoy is always in the mix, whether he wins the deal or just stirs the pot.
