EXCLUSIVE: Dave Portnoy Blames Logan Paul for Planting 'Poisonous Seeds' That Triggered Alex Cooper's 'Call Her Daddy' Contract Revolt
Dave Portnoy is pointing the finger at Logan Paul for what he claims was the turning point in the 'Call Her Daddy' contract saga.
July 7 2026, Published 3:01 p.m. ET
Dave Portnoy is pointing his finger at Logan Paul for what he claims was the turning point in the Call Her Daddy contract saga, alleging the YouTube star planted "poisonous seeds" in the minds of Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn that ultimately fueled their bitter Barstool Sports contract dispute, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to Radar, in his newly released memoir, Cancel Me If You Can, the Barstool founder recalled the moment he believes everything changed for the wildly successful podcast after Cooper and Franklyn appeared on Paul’s Impaulsive podcast in April 2019.
Neither Host Was Unhappy Until L.A. Trip
Portnoy claims the pair had been under contract with Barstool for roughly six months before the changes.
According to Portnoy, the pair had been under contract with Barstool for roughly six months, and there had been "no indication" either host was unhappy with the company's deal.
"Until they met Logan Paul," Portnoy writes. Portnoy explained he had long admired Paul as both an entertainer and a businessman, describing him as one of the biggest names on social media.
However, he claimed Paul's reaction after learning Cooper and Franklyn were salaried employees at Barstool had unintended consequences.
According to Portnoy, Paul reacted with a "snort of disapproval" after hearing how the hosts were being compensated and questioned why they weren't earning significantly more despite the podcast’s rapid success.
Portnoy placed the blame on the social media star in his new book.
"Except when my two-star female podcasters jumped on Logan's show, he planted some rather poisonous seeds in their minds," Portnoy writes.
Portnoy argued the podcast hosts were still early in their original three-year contracts and believed their expectations changed too quickly following the show's meteoric rise.
Portnoy compared the situation to a professional athlete signing a long-term contract before unexpectedly becoming a superstar, saying teams are not expected to renegotiate deals every time a player exceeds expectations.
One of Barstool’s Biggest Success
Portnoy claims 'Call Her Daddy' co-hosts Cooper and Sofia Franklyn gradually stopped spending time around the Barstool office.
While he acknowledged Call Her Daddy had become one of Barstool’s biggest success stories almost overnight, Portnoy maintained the original agreement remained fair based on when it was signed.
He claimed the atmosphere shifted after the Los Angeles trip.
According to Portnoy, Cooper and Franklyn gradually stopped spending time around the Barstool office, choosing to come in only to record episodes before leaving.
He said the change frustrated other employees, who questioned why the podcast hosts appeared to receive different treatment than the rest of the staff.
Portnoy also recalled receiving complaints from colleagues who believed Cooper and Franklyn were becoming increasingly disconnected from the company’s culture as their popularity continued to soar.
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Cooper ultimately remaining at Barstool while Franklyn exited the company.
Looking back, the media executive maintained that Paul's comments marked the beginning of the end.
He argued the conversation prompted Cooper and Franklyn to reevaluate their Barstool contracts, setting in motion the high-profile negotiations and public fallout that ultimately reshaped one of podcasting’s most successful brands.
The Call Her Daddy dispute became one of the biggest entertainment stories of 2020, with Cooper ultimately remaining at Barstool while Franklyn exited the company.
Cooper has become one of podcasting’s biggest stars, later signing a reported $125million deal with SiriusXM.
