Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has asserted that Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn, the original co-hosts of the popular "Call Her Daddy" podcast, formulated a plan to falsely accuse the company of sexual harassment. This alleged scheme, according to Portnoy, was designed to facilitate their departure from their contractual obligations.
Launched by Barstool in 2018, "Call Her Daddy" quickly gained significant traction, becoming a highly successful podcast. Cooper and Franklyn, who were also roommates at the time, captivated a young female demographic with candid discussions about their personal sexual experiences and dating lives. However, by 2020, the partnership dissolved publicly due to complex contract negotiations and a bitter falling out between the co-hosts.
Allegations Detailed in New Memoir
In his recently published book, "Cancel Me If You Can," Portnoy recounts the events leading to the podcast's split. He states that Cooper initially expressed satisfaction with a proposed deal that would have allowed both co-hosts to retain their intellectual property. Nevertheless, Franklyn reportedly desired a complete separation from Barstool.
"’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," Portnoy wrote in his book.
He further elaborated on what he perceived as their strategy to sever ties without legal repercussions.
"That was it," he continued. "That was their game plan to get out of their contractual obligation to Barstool Sports in the event that I did not relinquish their IP to them and wish them well on their merry way as they jumped ship to a rival podcast network."
Portnoy, who has faced accusations of misogyny throughout his career, emphasized that he has "never been accused of inappropriate workplace conduct." He expressed concern over the potential public relations battle should the allegations have been made.
"But had they decided to go that route, even though it was patently untrue, it would have been a tough fight for us to win in the court of public opinion. Nobody would have believed my side of the story," Portnoy wrote. "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."
Further Discussion and Aftermath
Requests for comment from Cooper and Franklyn were not immediately met.
Portnoy also spoke with a magazine to discuss his book, where he addressed the challenges of retaining popular talent like Cooper and Franklyn when other companies offer more lucrative deals.
Journalist Joshua Chaffin, a senior writer, summarized Portnoy's account from their conversation.
"In practice, it’s not always so smooth. 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," Chaffin reported.
Portnoy also revealed a significant underlying tension between the co-hosts during that period.
"The dirty little secret nobody else knew about… the girls hated each other," Portnoy told Chaffin.
Chaffin noted that Cooper and Franklyn did not provide comments when approached.
Ultimately, Cooper remained with Barstool for a sufficient period to secure ownership of her intellectual property before transitioning "Call Her Daddy" to Spotify. This move reportedly involved a substantial contract valued at $20 million annually. Franklyn subsequently launched her own podcast, "Sofia with an F."
