Alex Cooper, host of the Call Her Daddy podcast, is one of those figures in American pop culture that seems so ludicrous, so out of pocket, that they can’t possibly be intelligent. The Kardashians. Kanye West. Donald Trump. (Not the post-2015 satanic scumbag ‘politician’ Donald Trump, but the ridiculous “you’re fired” guy we all used to laugh at). Cooper talks about sex for a living– not the “birds and bees” kind of sex talk… the gritty, detailed, do-not-listen-to-within-miles-of-your-mom-or-dad kind of sex talk. With her absurd stories and scandalous language, many people not only find her annoying but also assume that she is absolutely dumb. I, on the other hand, am an Alex Cooper stan. I find her wildly entertaining, but more importantly, I believe she is incredibly smart and savvy. Would Alex Cooper ace a mathematical econometrics test? I don’t know. The type of smart I’m referring to is the witty type, the business type– the EQ type. Let me explain…
First of all, to be able to sit– alone– at a microphone for over an hour and produce chart-topping content that millions of people listen to, laugh at, and enjoy, takes some brains. Anyone would listen to an outrageous, dumb girl talk about sex for one hour, but Cooper does it again and again and has maintained and grown an audience– the “daddy gang”– for two years. While her solo episodes are brilliant, Cooper can also conduct an outstanding interview. From Miley Cyrus to Lana Rhodes, Cooper banters with her guests seamlessly, unlocks valuable and never-before-heard insight from them, and keeps them engaged.
Simply put, banter takes brains.
Secondly, Cooper is a young, beautiful woman making millions of dollars within not only a male-dominated company (shoutout Dave Portnoy), but a male-dominated industry. She has built a public persona as a carefree, self-deprecating “slut,” and it’s all part of the act. She clearly possesses next-level amounts of self-respect and business awareness. It’s crafty. It’s genius. That “slutty” podcast is worth $60 million.
People might say– just as they might about Kanye or Kim K– that Alex Cooper is not actually smart, she just hires the right people. To that, I would say three things. First, I disagree. It’s her. Second, even if she had Ernest Hemingway himself writing her episodes, it takes an immense level of personality and acumen to deliver material in an entertaining and humorous way. Third and finally, smart people hire smart people. Next question.
Beyond her personal intelligence and general capabilities, Cooper is starting to use her platform to inspire young girls and spread important messages about body image. In one of her most recent episodes of Call Her Daddy, she interviewed personality and social psychologist, Dr. Jean Twenge, about the detrimental effects of social media on young women and girls. In the interview, Cooper vowed never to use photoshop, Facetune, or any kind of editing software on her photos in an effort to promote more honest and realistic beauty standards for her young, impressionable followers.
Alex Cooper, keep doing you. You’re a brilliant and talented young woman, a role model, and– I’ll say it– a feminist icon. Your critics could only dream of being as smart and successful as you are.