Claims have emerged regarding Alex Cooper’s podcast business, suggesting that her husband and co-CEO, Matt Kaplan, mistreated staff and made career-threatening remarks, which reportedly left at least one long-serving crew member quite upset.
Cooper, known for the hit podcast Call Her Daddy, and Kaplan are said to be dealing with staffing changes and internal conflict at their media company, Unwell.
Sources familiar with the situation have indicated that Kaplan has a reputation for harshly reprimanding employees while overseeing daily operations.
The allegations suggest that this behavior is indicative of a larger issue at play, particularly since Cooper and Kaplan co-founded the company Trending in 2023, with ambitions expanding as the organization grew.
Call Her Daddy gained significant attention when Cooper hosted then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the fall of 2024, although some listeners perceived the episode as somewhat agenda-driven.
Most recently, tensions escalated during the production of the YouTube series “Unwell Winter Games,” which was launched last month.
In this context, Kaplan is accused of having yelled at staff and suggested he might never work in Hollywood again if the project didn’t succeed.
At one point, a veteran crew member reportedly became so overwhelmed that they broke down in tears after a reprimand, leading to a formal complaint being filed through the appropriate channels.
It seems the atmosphere became so fraught that the team hinted at leaving both the film set and upcoming live events, making it clear to executives that they might resign if Kaplan’s attitude didn’t change.
As per reports, this ongoing dysfunction has also negatively impacted the podcasting segment of the company.
The heightened tensions recently turned personal, as a public disagreement occurred with influencer Alix Earle. She joined Unwell in 2023 but her podcast, Hot Mess, was suddenly canceled last year, which sparked speculation and accusations of fabricated drama from Cooper toward Earle.
The company has witnessed considerable turnover among its personnel, leading some insiders to refer to it as a “revolving door.” There have been claims of operations feeling “chaotic” and “disorganized” as the rapidly growing media venture tries to juggle creators and scale up.
Unwell has also struggled to find success beyond its flagship show, with numerous new podcasts failing to resonate with audiences. In 2025, three original shows launched through a partnership with SiriusXM were all canceled within a year, illustrating the challenges the network faces in replicating the success of Call Her Daddy.
Cooper and Kaplan have been approached for comments on the situation.
At just 31, Cooper has become a significant player in the creator economy, evolving her podcast into a lucrative franchise and laying the groundwork for a media empire aimed at Gen Z. Kaplan, prior to partnering with Cooper, was known as a producer in Hollywood, recognized for youth-oriented successes like the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” film series.
Their vision was to transform her extensive following into a comprehensive entertainment platform encompassing podcasts, television, films, and live events.
