Dave Portnoy is pulling back the curtain on one in every of the most important podcast breakups in recent memory.
In his newly released memoir, the founding father of the Barstool Sports website revisits the dramatic collapse of “Call Her Daddy,” claiming the split involved secret meetings, explosive contract demands, and allegations he says could have destroyed his company.
Years after the blockbuster fallout between Alex Cooper, Sofia Franklyn, and Barstool, Portnoy is now sharing his version of events in striking detail.
In line with Dave Portnoy, the partnership between Barstool Sports and “Call Her Daddy” appeared stable until Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn traveled to Los Angeles to look on Logan Paul’s podcast in April 2019.
The social media personality claimed there had been no signs of unhappiness before that trip, writing per the Each day Mail, “There was no indication that Alex and Sofia were unhappy with their situation, until they met Logan Paul.”
He alleged that conversations with Paul about their contracts and compensation planted doubts that grew over the next months.
Portnoy wrote that the hosts steadily distanced themselves from Barstool, first by staying away from the office, and eventually by hiring a lawyer to renegotiate their contracts.
He described the meeting as a turning point, claiming their demands included $1 million annually for every host, ownership of the “Call Her Daddy” mental property, control over promoting sales, 90 percent of merchandise revenue, and worker reclassification.
Portnoy said the requests were so extreme that he couldn’t even finish the meeting. He also alleged that former HBO executive Peter Nelson, who was dating Franklyn on the time, played a major role within the negotiations.
Franklyn has previously denied those claims, saying speculation surrounding Nelson’s involvement was false and that he was not heavily involved.
Portnoy Claims Podcast Went Silent During Contract Standoff
As negotiations intensified, Dave Portnoy alleged that the hosts stopped releasing recent episodes to pressure Barstool into accepting their demands.
He said the production freeze raised the opportunity of legal motion for breach of contract, setting off increasingly tense negotiations between the 2 sides.
Portnoy recalled arranging a personal meeting with the hosts on the rooftop of his apartment constructing, where he presented what he described as “essentially the most generous offer in Barstool history.”
In line with him, the proposal would have made each Cooper and Franklyn quick millionaires while allowing them to proceed constructing the successful podcast.
Despite the offer, Portnoy said the dispute remained unresolved. The standoff ultimately became one of the vital public contract battles in podcasting, eventually resulting in the tip of the unique “Call Her Daddy” partnership and Franklyn’s departure from the show.
Dave Portnoy Says Alex Cooper Secretly Met With Him Alone
One in every of the most important revelations in Portnoy’s memoir centers on a personal meeting he claims took place between himself and Cooper without Franklyn present.
In line with the 49-year-old, Cooper asked for an additional rooftop meeting after reviewing his revised offer.
He recalled the 31-year-old telling him, “I really like the deal you proposed, and I need to take it. But Sofia is rarely going to take it.”
Portnoy said he reminded Cooper that Barstool would pursue legal motion if the podcast moved elsewhere before the contract expired.
He then made his most explosive allegation, claiming Cooper revealed that she and Franklyn had discussed accusing Barstool of sexual harassment to flee their contractual obligations.
Portnoy wrote that the alleged strategy would have been used if Barstool refused to give up ownership of the podcast.
He acknowledged the seriousness of the accusation, writing, “I realize that it is a heavy accusation I just made: how Call Her Daddy was allegedly planning to interrupt their contract with us by lying about sexual harassment at Barstool.”
Portnoy Says Public Opinion Would Have Been Against Him
Reflecting on that alleged conversation, Dave Portnoy argued that Barstool would have faced an uphill battle if sexual harassment accusations had change into public.
He noted that Barstool had long been criticized for controversial humor but said the corporate had never previously faced allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct.
Portnoy wrote that even when he believed the accusations were false, “No one would have believed my side of the story.”
He suggested public perception alone could have inflicted lasting damage on each him and the corporate, whatever the consequence of any legal dispute.
The businessman described the moment as one of the vital significant crises he had ever faced while running the corporate.
Dave Portnoy Fires Back At Sofia Franklyn Ahead Of Her Own Memoir
Portnoy also addressed reports that Franklyn is preparing to release her own book, acknowledging that he has no idea what her version of events will include.
While leaving open the likelihood that parts of her story may very well be accurate, he didn’t hide his opinion.
“Listen, I do not know what she’ll write in her book,” Portnoy wrote before adding, “In my book, Sofia Franklyn is a f*cking liar.”
He also argued that some readers may mechanically side with Franklyn for a wide range of personal reasons, but insisted his account reflects what he believes happened behind the scenes.
Portnoy concluded by criticizing those that view Franklyn as a feminist figure, writing that he believes anyone supporting her should remember his allegation that she was willing to falsely weaponize claims of sexual harassment.