Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has asserted that former “Call Her Daddy” podcast co-hosts Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn devised a strategy to falsely accuse the company of sexual harassment as a means to terminate their contracts. The immensely popular podcast, launched by Barstool in 2018, gained a significant following among young women by sharing candid discussions about sex and relationships.
Allegations Detailed in New Book
Portnoy outlines this claim in his recently published book, “Cancel Me If You Can.” According to Portnoy, contract negotiations in 2020, which followed a public falling out between Cooper and Franklyn, reached an impasse. He states that while Alex Cooper was amenable to an offer that would allow them to retain ownership of their intellectual property (IP), Sofia Franklyn was determined to leave Barstool entirely.
Portnoy recounts his conversation with the hosts: “‘Okay,’ I said. ‘You guys realize I’ll sue you if you take the podcast to another network before your contract is out, right?’ Alex claimed to me that they had a plan to say they were both sexually harassed at Barstool,” he wrote. He further elaborated that this alleged scheme was their intended method to escape their contractual obligations to Barstool Sports, particularly if he refused to release their IP and allow them to move to a competing platform.
Portnoy Addresses Past Criticisms
The Barstool founder, who has faced accusations of misogyny in the past, emphasized in his book that he has “never been accused of inappropriate workplace conduct.” He expressed concern that even a baseless accusation of sexual harassment could have been difficult for him to overcome in the court of public opinion, stating, “Nobody would have believed my side of the story.” Portnoy acknowledged the gravity of his accusation, noting, “I realize that this is a heavy accusation I just made: how Call Her Daddy was allegedly planning to break their contract with us by lying about sexual harassment at Barstool.””
Talent Retention Challenges in Podcasting
In discussions promoting his book with WSJ Magazine, Portnoy elaborated on the difficulties of retaining talent in the competitive podcasting landscape, especially when rival companies present more lucrative offers. Senior writer Joshua Chaffin of WSJ Magazine reported Portnoy’s account: “Cooper, he claims, told him she and Franklyn had a plan to say they were sexually harassed at Barstool to get out of their contract.”
Portnoy also alluded to the strained relationship between the co-hosts, telling Chaffin, “The dirty little secret nobody else knew about… the girls hated each other.” At the time of the WSJ report, neither Cooper nor Franklyn had responded to requests for comment.
Podcast’s Evolution and Future
Ultimately, Alex Cooper remained with Barstool long enough to secure her intellectual property rights. She then moved the “Call Her Daddy” podcast to Spotify under a reported $20 million per year contract. Sofia Franklyn has since launched her own independent podcast, titled “Sofia with an F.”
The situation highlights the complex dynamics often present in talent management and contract negotiations within the rapidly evolving media industry. The “Call Her Daddy” saga serves as a notable example of the high stakes involved in podcasting, from creative control and intellectual property to lucrative broadcasting deals.
