Alex Cooper explains Kamala Harris' “Call Her Daddy” interview

Alex Cooper's “Call Her Daddy” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris wasn't intended to “change your political affiliation,” the podcast host said, but she believes it would have been remiss not to have a conversation about women with the presidential candidate .

The podcaster opened Sunday's episode with a revelation about her decision to sit down with Harris — an interview that sparked a firestorm on social media among Cooper's regular listeners, some of whom accused her of spreading talking points about the Democratic Party and its presidential candidate. Others criticized Harris for eschewing hard-hitting mainstream media interviews in favor of “friendly” or “safe” interviews.

Harris' appearance on the podcast is part of a series of media appearances this week as she campaigns ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. One-on-one interviews with Howard Stern, Stephen Colbert and The View panel are scheduled for this week.

“Call Her Daddy” has a large following, particularly among young women who are drawn to Cooper's views on sex, dating and relationships, but the podcast she co-created with former co-host Sofia Franklyn in 2018 delves into it also covers current affairs events and features interviews with people in the news and high-profile celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Jane Fonda, Gwyneth Paltrow, Janelle Monáe and John Legend.

Cooper, 30, knew it was unusual for her to interview the vice president and addressed it in the episode's introduction, explaining that she struggled with the decision to get involved for a while.

“As you know, I don't typically discuss politics or have politicians on the show because I want 'Call Her Daddy' to be a place where everyone feels comfortable,” Cooper said.

“But at the end of the day, I couldn’t imagine a world where women were at the center of this election and I wasn’t a part of it,” she said. “I am very aware that I have a very mixed audience when it comes to politics. So please hear me when I say that my goal today is not to change your political affiliation. I hope you can listen to a conversation that isn’t too different from the one we have here every week.”

The Los Angeles-based podcast host said she traveled to Washington, D.C. to conduct the in-person interview and was given 40 minutes with Harris. “No topic was off limits,” Cooper said. She said she prepared various versions of the interview that touched on topics such as the economy, border control and fracking, but ultimately decided to stay within her wheelhouse.

“The conversation I’m qualified to have is about women’s bodies and how we are treated and valued in this country,” she said.

Cooper's team acknowledged that “this is not a one-sided conversation” and also reached out to Harris' opponent, former President Trump, to invite him on the show.

“If he also wants to have a meaningful and in-depth conversation about the rights of women in this country, then he's always welcome on 'Call Her Daddy,'” she said.

Harris told Cooper that she was feeling “great and nervous” heading into the final stretch of the campaign and praised Cooper early in the interview.

“You and your listeners really got it right. One of the best ways to communicate with people is to be authentic and talk about the things that really matter to people. … Your voice and your show are really about your listeners,” Harris said. “And I think right now it's a moment in the country and in life where people really want to know that they're seen and heard and that they're part of a community. That they’re not alone out there and I’m really glad to be with you.”

The two also discussed how Harris deals with doubt, attacks on her character, the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, sexual abuse in the US and how to make the country safer for women.

After the episode was uploaded, Cooper posted a separate “Get Ready With Me” video on Instagram. In it, she took her 3.2 million followers behind the scenes before and after the interview, including her thoughts.

“Honestly, when I started 'Call Her Daddy,' I really didn't think it would go in the direction that I would sit down with the Vice President of the United States. But dream big, kids!” she said.

“I'm nervous, excited. “I know I'm going to do my best and not everyone is going to be happy with what I say and do, but we're keeping this 'Call Her Daddy' thing going and that's all I can do,” she said. Then, after the session, Cooper added, “I've never felt like an interview went by so quickly in my life. I knew I couldn't get every policy, so I did what I thought would apply to the Daddy Gang and talked about women. I completely understand that everyone has different political opinions. I really like that the entire episode is about women.”

While some of Cooper's former fans said they were “disgusted” by the interview, stopped listening to her or announced they would unfollow her, others came to Cooper's defense.

“These comments are hilarious. “You follow a sex-positive podcast that advocates for women’s rights and expect her to support Trump,” one follower wrote in the video’s comments section.

“I find some of these comments sooooo wild,” said another. “Don’t you remember the abortion episode or how she brought in a gynecologist or how she constantly talks about reproductive justice and sexual health? She did this and I’m so glad she did.”

“LOVE THIS!!!!! And if not, then it's not an airport. No need to announce your departure,” wrote another.

Cooper started “Call Her Daddy” at Barstool Sports, but left the media company in 2021 and went to Spotify in a deal reportedly worth $60 million. With Spotify, she expanded the podcast's reach, strengthened its reputation and became a preferred platform for celebrities. In August, Cooper signed a multi-year deal with SiriusXM worth a reported $125 million.

The podcast, which reaches millions of listeners per episode, has a 4.1 star rating on Spotify and is one of the platform's top 5 podcasts – the most listened to podcasts among women. There are reportedly an average of 5 million listeners per week.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.