All articles tagged with #unwell
Alex Cooper exits United Talent Agency amid Unwell’s aggressive expansion and a $500 million valuation after WTSL’s investment; she’s reportedly considering a move to CAA as Unwell broadens into creative services, live events and advertiser content strategy. The exit follows Vanity Fair’s toxic-workplace allegations (Cooper has disputed them in interviews), casting a spotlight on the company’s rapid growth.
Alex Cooper is departing talent agency UTA as she pursues aggressive expansion of her Unwell media company, backed by a WTSL investment that valued Unwell at about $500 million and funds growth across podcasts, live events and a film/TV production arm. The moves come amid reports of staff turnover and unrest linked to Cooper’s husband and co-founder Matt Kaplan, and despite Unwell Beverage Co reportedly shutting down later this year. Cooper’s team is reportedly exploring other agency options, though nothing has been signed, and UTA declined to comment on the departure.
Podcaster Alex Cooper leaves UTA to join CAA, a move insiders say is driven by a large capital infusion into her Unwell brand from Whitesell’s investment firm WTSL, enabling rapid growth across podcasts, TV, live events, and a new creative agency. The deal signals a strategic shift in representation to match Unwell’s multi-vertical expansion, even as the beverage line reportedly faces challenges and has drawn negative press surrounding Cooper’s team.
Alex Cooper left UTA amid ongoing scrutiny surrounding her Unwell venture and its high-profile partnerships, as she shifts focus to broader media operations. Unwell is expanding into TV, film, and live events with backing from Patrick Whitesell’s investment firm WTSL, while past exposés about workplace culture and industry tensions continue to color the narrative.
Unwell, the media company co-founded by Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan, has been valued at $500 million after Patrick Whitesell’s firm WTSL made its first outside investment, linking the growing platform to Whitesell’s industry network and strategic guidance. The company, which has built a large, predominantly female audience across a podcast network of more than a dozen shows and roughly 100 million followers, is expanding into video on YouTube and maintains a SiriusXM partnership from last year. With Whitesell’s backing, Unwell plans to accelerate growth through acquisitions and investments.
WTSL, led by Patrick Whitesell, invested in Alex Cooper’s Unwell, valuing the company at about $500 million in what marks the media group’s first outside funding. The funds will fuel growth and acquisitions for Unwell, which includes the Call Her Daddy podcast and related ventures, as it expands its merchandise, live events, and film/TV projects—backed by WTSL’s industry expertise and connections. The company has been profitable for three years, and the investment aims to accelerate platform growth.
A public spat between Alix Earle, a TikTok celebrity, and Alex Cooper, founder of Call Her Daddy, escalated after Earle reposted a clip labeling Cooper an 'ambulance chaser' for profiling trauma. Cooper challenged Earle on TikTok to specify her grievances, and Earle replied she would address it, signaling a back-and-forth that traces to 2023 when Earle left Cooper’s Unwell network. The dispute touches on podcast IP rights, network involvement, and career dynamics, with commentary from celebrities but no definitive resolution yet.
Rolling Stone chronicles the public rift between Alex Cooper and Alix Earle, sparked when Cooper called out Earle for passive-repost digs on TikTok after Earle left Cooper’s Unwell network; the feud has persisted online as Earle pivots to Hot Mess and Cooper continues to grow Call Her Daddy, with fans watching how the conflict unfolds rather than resolves.