On an October 21 episode of “Call Her Daddy,” host Alex Cooper and guest Sophia Bush talked about divorce, Bush’s previous relationships and her marriage to former U.S. women’s national soccer team player Ashlyn Harris. The show is described as the most-listened-to podcast among American women.
Cooper said people can get caught up wondering whether they should stay in a marriage because they might not find someone better. Her answer, she said, is that they can. Bush agreed, adding that fears about being too old or asking for too much reflect “patriarchy.”
Josh Howerton, a BlazeTV host and pastor at Lakepointe Church, sharply criticized the conversation. He said the women’s casual discussion of divorce “gets me a little worked up.”
Howerton argued that podcast hosts don’t have to deal with the consequences for a spouse or children when a marriage ends. He urged young women not to listen to “Call Her Daddy,” saying that the content people take in can shape their choices and lead to harmful outcomes.
He also pointed to Bush’s marital history, saying her first marriage lasted five months and her second lasted 13. He described her current marriage to Harris as her third marriage.
Howerton said young women should be thoughtful about whom they treat as a role model. In his view, the women worth listening to are more likely to be raising children or serving their local churches than regularly posting on podcasts and social media.
He also challenged Cooper and Bush’s suggestion that someone can find a better partner at any age, calling it statistically untrue. Howerton said people generally have a better chance of attracting and keeping a good husband when they are younger, and argued that the advice doesn’t reflect real life.
He ended with a warning that following such advice could leave women lonely and alone during the holidays or later in life.
