Hulu doc about ‘Call Her Daddy' host Alex Cooper premiering at Tribeca
NEW YORK — 'Call Her Daddy' host and creator Alex Cooper is getting the docuseries treatment over at Hulu, debuting at this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
The two-part 'Call Her Alex' will have its world premiere at the New York City fest on June 8, two days before dropping on the streamer, according to a press release Tuesday.
The doc will look at 'what it takes to become the most influential female podcaster of a generation' ahead of 30-year-old Cooper's first live tour.
'Call Her Alex' gives audiences 'an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the life-defining events that shaped Cooper's journey' and is 'a portrait of a woman creating a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered.'
Cooper, who founded the Unwell Network in 2023, and director Ry Russo-Young will have a post-screening conversation.
Cooper also shared the news on Instagram, calling it 'such an honor' to have the project premiere at Tribeca.
'What started as a project documenting the Unwell Tour in 2023 has grown into something so much bigger than I could have ever imagined,' said Cooper. 'I cannot wait to share it with you.'
'Call Her Daddy,' which launched in 2018 with Cooper and former co-host Sofia Franklyn, sees the former chat with everyone from former Vice President Kamala Harris during her bid for the White House, to Khloé Kardashian and Chappell Roan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
6 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
"Call Her Alex" Docuseries Most Interesting Moments
Alex Cooper of Call Her Daddy recently released her Hulu docuseries Call Her Alex, chronicling the podcaster's journey from childhood bumps along the way to her rise and success. For those unfamiliar, Call Her Daddy has consistently ranked in Spotify's Top 5 of most listened to podcasts — and is the most listened to podcast on the platform by women. In the docuseries, it dives into the juicy lore of CHD — the early days, the fractures, the rise, and where it is now — answering all the details fans and curious pop culture minds would have on the making of Call Her Daddy. Here are 20 behind-the-scenes moments that really stuck with me: Initially, Alex thought podcasting was for the "older generation that loved radio," especially with the endorsement from her dad, Bryan Cooper. "My dad was like, 'Ooh, there's this thing called podcasting now.'" When she thought about it more, she asked herself, "As a Zillennial, what would I want to listen to in a podcast format?" Back in Boston, during her time on her soccer team, she gleaned that women had different comfort levels in talking about sex. "I really noticed this divide in my locker room of women who would openly talk about sex and their dating life, and then women who were terrified to talk about it," said Alex. "I knew I needed to take a risk." Once Alex realized she had a topic in mind for the podcast, she called up her mom, Laurie Cooper, a psychologist, to say that she was writing content that was "super sexual" and "salacious." She said her mom answered back, "Great! Do it!" Originally, Call Her Daddy had two hosts — Alex and Sofia. They were roommates, and like Alex, Sofia was comfortable talking about sex and wasn't afraid to dive into the details. Alex's previous stint as a YouTuber, and her experience editing vlogs, shaped the podcast's distinct style and sound. The "very choppy" and "very fast-paced" editing gave CHD a unique rhythm. That, plus the sexual content, Alex said, was the recipe for success. "It really was a formula that wasn't being done," she said. In the docuseries, Alex shares that she still edits her podcasts today. Call Her Daddy was able to scale thanks to bro-media company Barstool Sports when its founder, Dave Portnoy, DM'd her. He had come across an episode she posted on her Instagram. What caught his interest was the frank and open way the hosts talked about sex and dating. "I always say Barstool Sports is supposed to be what guys talk about in the locker room," said Dave. "They were doing it from a female perspective." The initial deal CHD signed with Barstool Sports was a three-year contract with a $70,000 salary plus bonuses. The podcast's name came from a hoodie Alex bought in college that had the word "DADDY" splashed across it. "All the guys would always be like, 'Why do you have daddy on your shirt?'" Alex recalled in an interview shown in the series. "Because I am," she answered. Former Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan said that because of the salacious content, finding advertisers was "hard," but the brand was a "juggernaut" in merchandise. According to the series, it sold millions of dollars in Call Her Daddy merch. While the podcast was growing in popularity for its frank content, Alex said that the version of herself at the time was a "character" and that it was "the most heightened version" of herself. "I would leave the studio, and my voice would completely change." Despite Call Her Daddy becoming a massive success, there were times of "low moments" and "self-doubt" for Alex, especially due to the sexual nature of the show. She said, "Extended family members thought I was so fucking crazy. Relationships ended in my family because my parents had to stick up for me and say like, 'Oh, she hasn't lost her mind, I promise.'" Her mom, Laurie, said she would hear things like, "She was raised right. She's a good kid. Does her grandmother know?" Laurie countered, "My mother would have 100% endorsed this. That's the one thing. Tough relationship, but my mother was an out-there feminist." Alex said of her upbringing, "I was fortunate to grow up in a household where it was normalized to speak your mind, so I was like, 'give me the microphone, I'll say it.'" Eventually, behind-the-scenes, there were fractures growing between the co-hosts. "It was the classic, you think you see something online, and people genuinely believe we were like sisters," said Alex. "But our relationship was so awful." Circling back to their initial contract with Barstool, the podcast grew, bringing in revenue and millions of listeners. The co-hosts agreed that they "absolutely deserved more money." But they were locked into their deal, plus Barstool owned their IP. A new deal was negotiated where if they stayed another year, they'd get their IP back. "We started to see the unraveling of their friendship. I think they became more aware about how different the two of them were in what they wanted in it, from it, and out of it," said Erika, the former CEO of Barstool Sports. According to the docuseries, Sofia did not want to take the deal while Alex did. "So I stayed," she said. When it came time to host Call Her Daddy on her own, serendipitously, Alex was back at her parents' house. It was the pandemic, and she recorded her first solo episode in their basement, where her earliest passion for creating content was nurtured. The evolution of Call Her Daddy, shifting from a frank and sex-positive podcast to a nuanced version of it that still includes sex but now also includes discussions on mental health and well-being, started when Alex wanted to drop the persona she had developed earlier. "I didn't want to be this character anymore," she said, and when she mentioned that she was in therapy, it was an opportunity for the podcast to shift in a new direction. Alex said, "I understand it may not be revolutionary for someone to say, but the way I was speaking for 86 episodes like nothing affects me, 'I don't get upset. You can't penetrate my emotions. I am made of steel,' so the concept of 'Call Her Daddy' girl, being like, 'I'm in therapy. I'm an emotional wreck.' Everyone's like, 'Alex?'" The podcast now has episodes that range from solo episodes to interviews with celebrities on mental health, dating, career, and life. Notably, even former Vice President Kamala Harris stopped by the CHD studio to talk about women's reproductive rights, career resilience, and challenging norms. Alex said, "I genuinely wanted to start talking to other people." And most recently, Katy Perry came on and made waves when she spilled on what she'd give a blowjob for. Today, Alex has created her own media platform, the Unwell Network, where she hopes to "uplift" the next up and coming voices. Following her success, her dream now would be if one of the creators on her network would get their own massive deal like the one she made headlines with, with SiriusXM. After leaving Barstool Sports, Alex's Spotify deal was for $60 million for three years. Her recent SiriusXM deal is a multi-year agreement worth up to $125 million. What a ride! Are you a Call Her Daddy listener? Did any of its lore titillate? Let us know in the comments!
a day ago
Barbara Walters biggest interviews revisited, from Monica Lewinsky to the Menendez brothers
Barbara Walters had a trailblazing, decades-long broadcast journalism career that was most defined by the interviews she did with newsmakers and celebrities alike. Over her 50-year television career, Walters, who died in 2022 at the age of 93, interviewed thousands of people, including everyone from Fidel Castro and Barbra Streisand to the Kardashian sisters, Vladimir Putin, Lady Gaga, Saddam Hussein, Monica Lewinsky, Robin Givens and Mike Tyson, Bashar Al-Assad and the Menendez brothers. A new documentary looks at Walters' life and career and shows the impact those interviews had on the world. "She asked the question that nobody else had asked, and asked it in a way that always hit a nerve," Oprah Winfrey says of Walters in the documentary, "Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything," streaming June 23 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. "No one ever got out totally unscathed," journalist and friend Cynthia McFadden says in the documentary of Walters' interviews. Bette Midler, herself the subject of Walters' interviews over the years, says of Walters' style, "She was fearless, and sometimes she got under people's skin." In the documentary, Victor Neufeld, a senior executive producer who worked with Walters for years on ABC News' "20/20," details how diligently Walters prepared for each interview. "When she prepared for an interview, the whole world stopped when you were in this session with her. Nothing could interrupt," Neufeld said. "She went through hundreds of questions and then she, in a moment, said, 'That's enough. We're ready.'" Take a look back at some of the most memorable interviews of Walters' career. Fidel Castro In 1977, Walters traveled to Cuba to interview Fidel Castro, then the country's Communist leader. The nearly five-hour session became one of the most memorable moments in Walters' career, and in broadcast journalism history. "It took us many years to actually get it," Walters told ABC News' Byron Pitts in 2016 of the interview. "For a man who likes to talk, he does very few interviews. When he finally sat down, it was, for me, memorable, and to a large degree because we crossed the Bay of Pigs together." Nearly 30 years later, in 2002, Walters interviewed Castro for a second time. "It wasn't as important an interview, I didn't think, or as exciting an interview because a lot had happened and we'd learned a great about him that we hadn't known," Walters told Pitts of the second interview. Monica Lewinsky In 1998, Walters sat down for an hours-long interview with Monica Lewinsky about her relationship with then-President Bill Clinton while she was a White House intern. After Walters' death in 2022, Lewinsky posted a tribute on social media, writing, in part, "I remarked that this was the first time I'd ever been in serious trouble. I'd basically been a good kid – got good grades, didn't do drugs, never shoplifted etc. Without missing a beat, Barbara said: Monica, next time shoplift." Katharine Hepburn Walters' interview with actress Katharine Hepburn in 1981 became famous for a single question. After Hepburn told Walters she felt like a strong tree at her age, Walters replied, "What kind of tree are you?' The question became fodder for late-night show jokes for years. In 2006, Walters herself described it as one of her biggest mistakes in the special, "The Barbara Walters Special: 30 Mistakes in 30 Years." "Starting out at number 30 in our countdown, and it's a big one, never ask anyone what kind of tree they want to be," Walters said in the special, which aired on ABC News to mark the 30th anniversary of Walters' career. Erik and Lyle Menendez Walters traveled to California in 1996 for the biggest interview get at the time, an exclusive jailhouse interview with Erik and Lyle Menendez after they were found guilty of murdering their parents. In the interview, the brothers discussed with Walters the closeness of their relationship, and how that may have played a role in their parents' murder. Lyle Menendez said the killing of his parents 'happened, in part, because Erik Menendez wanted, needed my help' and blames himself 'for not protecting him earlier.' In another moment, Walters pressed Erik Menendez when he described himself as "just a normal kid." "I'm just a normal - I'm just a normal kid," he said, to which Walters replied, "Oh Eric, you're a normal kid who killed your parents." "I know," Erik Menendez said. Clint Eastwood In 1982, Walters interviewed actor Clint Eastwood. The two shared a flirtatious moment that caused Walters to jokingly call for a break in the interview. After Eastwood told Walters he is not one to share emotions easily, Walters responded to the Hollywood superstar by saying, "You would drive me nuts and I would drive you crazy because I would be saying, 'But, you know.'" Eastwood, sitting close to Walters at a picnic table in a field of wild flowers, then told her, "Well we could try it and see if it worked out." After a quick laugh and a second of silence, Walters looked off-camera and said, "I think we'll stop and reload." Discussing the interview clip on " Good Morning America" in May, co-anchor George Stephanopoulos noted, "That's the only time I've ever seen Barbara Walters blush." Bashar al-Assad In 2011, at the age of 82, Walters traveled to Syria to interview Bashar al-Assad, the then-president of Syria. The interview took place during an escalating civil war in Syria and al-Assad's first American interview. Walters pressed al-Assad on the uprising and whether he felt "guilty" for the deaths in his country. "You don't feel guilty when you don't kill people," he told Walters.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘The Chosen,' a celebration of Black life and motorcycle diaries for your weekend streaming
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who needs a break from politicians' interpretations of the Bible. The fifth season of 'The Chosen,' the faith-based TV series that has found success releasing select seasons in theaters, has begun its three-week rollout on Prime Video. George Xanthis, who plays John the Apostle, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the show. Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a documentary that delves into the origin story of New Orleans' first Black Mardi Gras krewe, and the latest installment in the travelogue adventures of actors/BFFs Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, known for their motorcycle journeys in 'Long Way Round' and 'Long Way Down.' This time, the pair is riding from McGregor's home in Scotland to Boorman's in England. Must-read stories you might have missed Is it too late to reverse Hollywood's runaway production? Writers on the 'stark' reality: Writers from six of the year's most entertaining and acclaimed TV series open up about runaway production, the binge model and tuning out (or into) social media. In 'The Waterfront,' 'Dawson's Creek' creator Kevin Williamson returns to his gritty roots: The main characters in the new Netflix series are a multigenerational cast of adults whose lives are glossier and grittier than what audiences remember from the 'Dawson's' gang. Before social media, Barbara Walters said 'Tell Me Everything.' And many did: A new documentary coming to Hulu recounts Walters' groundbreaking TV career from the early days of 'Today' to 'The View.' A dream team reunites to bring zombie horror home again in '28 Years Later': Director Danny Boyle, screenwriter Alex Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle return to the terrifying world they created for 2002's '28 Days Later.' Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'A King Like Me' (Netflix) Matthew O. Henderson has made a lively, lovely documentary about the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club of New Orleans, preeminent among the krewes that parade on Mardis Gras. (You will know them by the painted coconuts they toss, their makeup and grass skirts.) It's a history, a celebration and a disquisition, whose interests range from the benevolent societies that provided a form of neighborhood insurance, to the electioneering of men hoping to become that year's king — Louis Armstrong served in 1949 — to surviving racism, Katrina and COVID (or not). The question is raised of whether the Zulus, Black men who have paraded in a sort of altered blackface and 'African' dress for more than 100 years, should give up the long-controversial makeup or preserve it as a generations-old tradition; Henderson doesn't take a side, but lets his subjects have their nuanced say. And as any film about New Orleans must, it's full of music and food, hanging out and dancing in the streets. — Robert Lloyd 'Long Way Home' (AppleTV+) When 'Outlander' debuted on Starz in August 2014, many Americans were as dazzled by Scotland, with its looming fells, pristine lakes and lyrical accents as they were by the time traveling love story. Since then, Scotland has become the new England, at least on television. Streamers are bursting with all manner of Scottish series, from the classics ('Rebus,' the 2000s original available on BritBox and the remake, on ViaPlay) to the brand new ('Dept. Q' on Netflix). In between are shows too numerous and diverse to name but given my penchant for murder mysteries, it is not surprising that my favorites include: 'Case Histories' (Acorn TV, Tubi), 'Shetland' (BritBox), 'The Loch' (BritBox), 'Karen Pirie' (BritBox) and 'Annika' (PBS) — all of which offer breathtaking scenery, ancient stone edifices and, most important, a glowering, windswept alternative to Los Angeles, particularly in summer That's exactly what I was looking for when I tuned into 'Long Way Home' on Apple TV+. The fourth installment of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's motorcycle adventures around the world begins at McGregor's Scottish home, winds its way through Scandinavia into the Arctic, thence through the Baltic states and through continental Europe before finishing up back in Scotland. Having no European vacation plans of my own, it seemed a fine visual substitute; McGregor is always a charming screen presence, as is Boorman. It's been five years since they joined forces for 'Long Way Down,' 20 since their first trip in 'Long Way Round,' and watching two 50-somethings hitch themselves onto vintage bikes to embark on a 19,000-mile journey to the Arctic and back is pretty inspiring — even if one of them has a name and face that guarantees a certain starstruck quality from even citizens of rural Finland and both have a multiperson camera crew/backup team should anything go seriously wrong. Unlike other travelogues, this series does not linger over cuisine, haute or otherwise (there is a continual quest for coffee), aiming instead for a scattering of local crafts, traditions and events. The ever-shifting landscape is, in fact, amazingly beautiful, the people they meet along the way are often quite fascinating. The best parts, of course, are the unexpected bad weather, an unexpected road closure, an impromptu concertand mosquitoes. The bikes grumble and occasionally break down, as do the 50-somethings, which is reassuring to us ordinary folk who get to see the glory of all without having to straddle a motorcycle for two months. At 10 episodes that average 40 minutes, 'Long Way Home' covers a lot of ground in a way that is both slow and speedy. My only complaint? Not nearly enough Scotland. — Mary McNamara A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching Season 5 of 'The Chosen,' the TV series about the life of Jesus that became a surprise hit, already played in movie theaters earlier this year, but fans looking for ways to fill prime rest hours can now watch all eight episodes at home. Created by Dallas Jenkins, the faith-based drama has attracted a devoted audience since its premiere in 2017 with its look at Jesus' life and teachings — and has found success leaning into an unconventional distribution strategy, with theatrical releases of Seasons 3 through 5 that have made millions at the box office. The first two episodes of the fifth season, which is titled 'Last Supper' and chronicles the events of Holy Week, are available to stream on Prime Video, with the next three episodes dropping Sunday, before concluding with another three-episode release on June 29. Australian actor George Xanthis, who plays John the Apostle, stopped by Guest Spot via email to talk about the show's success and the Pixar film that's become scripture to him. — Yvonne Villarreal 'The Chosen' is striking a chord with an underserved audience often overlooked by major Hollywood studios. As an actor, did you feel any stigma about venturing into faith-based content? What has the experience of making it — and the response to it — illuminated for you? I'll start by saying that upon reading the first episode and finding out I was playing a 'fisherman' by the name of 'John,' I actually had no idea the project was faith-based! I think that tells you where this series has found success — it doesn't read or play like something that is strictly faith-based, or something that is attempting to convert you. It's a show about the real people that would have lived through first century Judea, how they battled against crippling Roman occupation and how they found refuge in a peaceful, love-preaching Rabbi. I guess I didn't have time to feel any stigma, and before I knew it, we were a megahit all around the globe! For the audience, there's often a blurring of lines between performer and role. That would seem to be an interesting dynamic when portraying a figure of faith — how do you grapple with that push and pull of serving as a conduit for someone's relationship to their faith while maintaining your grip on your function as an actor? The show's success has come from taking these 'saints' in the apostles and bringing them away from the paintings and iconography we recognize and telling an origin story that audiences can relate to. At the end of the day, I am not necessarily depicting a saint as a figure of faith, but rather, I am a fisherman from Capernaum with a hot temperament learning to control his impulses with the lessons of love and compassion his Rabbi is teaching him. It's important to respect people's identification with these figures in whatever way they want to, but for me the best feedback I've received from fans about my portrayal of John has been how they see parts of themselves in John, when he makes mistakes, when he learns from his mistakes, when he makes them AGAIN and so on. You've played real-life figures like George Stephanopoulos in 'Impeachment: American Crime Story' and John Travolta in an Olivia Newton-John TV biopic. How does your approach and your mission with those known figures compare to what you're striving to achieve with your portrayal of John the Apostle? I started out in this industry in comedy, both stand-up and sketch comedy. A large part of my comedic success has come from doing impressions and impersonating notable people. When I got the roles of John Travolta and George Stephanopoulos, my process was the same as any impression — find the voice, find the body, mold myself into the people based on what I could see of them and mimic them as well as I could. With John [the Apostle], I'm depicting a real person but I don't have the luxury of watching videos of him. So instead, the character arc helps govern my character building. An eager-to-please 'Son of Thunder' has a short temper, sometimes waning patience but at the center of him is a compassionate soul who always looks out for others he cares about. It means my palate to play with is quite broad, and John's temperament for any given moment usually exists somewhere between these extremes of 'thunder' and 'love.' What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? The most recent series I finished was 'Peaky Blinders' (Netflix). Being an Australian and part of the Commonwealth, British-based television holds a special place in my heart, and I loved watching Birmingham come to life through the brutal eyes of Thomas Shelby. It's a bucket list item of mine to be in a British film or series watching so much of it growing up. Here's to hoping! What's your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again? There are so many, but becoming a new father, I realized just how much I have watched 'Toy Story' (Disney+) and how much time I still have for that film. I'll still watch it on planes as I make the 14-hour commute between Australia and the U.S. when there's nothing else to watch. Fun fact: I can quote the movie word-for-word from beginning to end. Pick a moment, and I can carry on the movie verbatim — voices, music, sound effects and all!
