Call Her Daddy: A Byproduct of Misogyny
A podcast dedicated to “women’s locker room talk,” as host Alex Cooper would say, Call Her Daddy is a sex-positive podcast dedicated to females. Cooper’s goal is to create an open environment where women can embrace their sexuality while normalizing the idea women are more than sexual objects. Is Call Her Daddy achieving this goal?
We can’t completely dive into Call Her Daddy’s place in society without taking a look at the man running the show. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool sports, has an estimated net worth of $118 million. Barstool Sports owned Call Her Daddy up until a few months ago when Cooper signed an exclusive three year contract with Spotify. Although Cooper signed this exclusive deal, Barstool Sports still runs Call Her Daddy merchandise.
When considering the goal of Call Her Daddy, it’s important to consider what Portnoy stands for. Over the past few years, while Barstool Sports had full ownership of Call Her Daddy, Portnoy has been involved in a number of scandals. Earlier this November, Portnoy faced several sexual misconduct allegations from a number of different women. Three different women claimed they had “frightening and humiliating” experiences with Portnoy, with two women claiming they were choked and filmed without their consent. What do these allegations say about the integrity of Barstool Sports and how it is connected to Call Her Daddy? After getting a clearer picture of the kind of company Call Her Daddy started at, we can put the show itself in perspective. The entire goal of Call Her Daddy is about taking our power back as women, but the podcast is tailored to the male gaze, which is ultimately a byproduct of misogyny.
It’s important to make the distinction between the two different eras of Call Her Daddy. The show used to be hosted by both Alexandra Cooper and Sofia Franklyn, but Franklyn left the podcast after drama occurred in the spring of 2020 regarding a new deal with Barstool Sports. Prior to Franklyn leaving the show, the content on the podcast was far from uplifting. The concept of women supporting women was completely thrown out the window. Early episodes consist of descriptions such as “Alex and Sofia dive into the differences between 5’s and 6’s vs 9’s and 10’s. Depending on where you land on the scale…you may need to work overtime in the bedroom.” Cooper and Franklyn discussed the benefits of being a 9 or 10, and used this “hotness scale” in a lot of their early episodes. There is a definite switch in tone after Franklyn leaves the podcast, with Cooper starting to bring on guests and discuss important issues. Titles of episodes have gone from “Girls He F*cks vs Girls He Dates” to “Bisexuality and Depression,” which is a clear shift in tone. In an interview with Times Magazine, Cooper talks a lot about female empowerment, stating that she wants Call Her Daddy to become the beacon of female empowerment. Although still remaining a sex podcast, Cooper seems to be attempting to bring in real topics and discuss important issues. However, is it enough?
Although the tone of Call Her Daddy has definitely changed over the last year, the podcast is still largely centered around the male gaze. In recent episodes, Cooper gives women advice on ensuring you arrive fresh-faced after a flight when visiting a man, as well as discusses how to make a man jealous using social media. Although Cooper is attempting to show women how to take their power back, she is suggesting that a man’s approval is the end goal. This type of rhetoric leaves a powerful impact on our thoughts and how we view ourselves, which can ultimately be extremely toxic for our mental health. All in all, Call Her Daddy isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, which is why it’s necessary to recognize the misogyny behind the comedy. Although it can be entertaining, it’s important to be aware of the harmful rhetoric and the effect it can have on the listeners.