Alix Earle Says Departure from Alex Cooper's Unwell Network Was a 'Hot Mess' Behind the Scenes
The social media star described the behind-the-scenes as a "hot mess," a nod to the title of the podcast formerly backed by Alex Cooper's Unwell Network
Earle's comments come approximately two months after she announced Hot Mess' hiatus for the "foreseeable future" on March 26What's the saying ... Art imitates life?
Alix Earle described her now-defunct Hot Mess podcast as just that — a "hot mess" — when attempting to explain to the Wall Street Journal about the production politics that led to the show's hiatus for the foreseeable future.
Hot Mess was backed by Alex Cooper's Unwell Network, the media startup that signed Earle, 24, as one of its first stars in 2023. Episodes were released for over a year, but then the relationship between her and the media company began to unravel, leading to the podcast's pause on March 26.
At the time, fans speculated a fallout between the two women, however, Cooper, 30, put the rumors to rest to clarify that the Unwell Network is not the reason behind Earle's decision to halt Hot Mess.
"Alix not being able to podcast has nothing to do Unwell," Cooper wrote on TikTok at the time. "[I don't know] why she can't/what's going on."
Related: Dancing with the Stars Names Alix Earle as Second Celebrity Contender for Mirror Ball Trophy in Season 34
Cooper — who did not comment for WSJ's feature — previously clarified that "Unwell gave [Alix] everything back" and that Earle "owns her IP," noting she "learned from the best" before tagging Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
That being said, Earle admitted to the WSJ that it has been a process to get everything back in her hands.
"That was, behind the scenes, a little bit of a hot mess," Earle said in her digital cover story.
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Elsewhere in the interview, Earle offered her fans a glimmer of hope about her podcast's return, noting that they have "plans to bring things back" in an elevated way. "It might look a little different, but I'm excited to see what we do with it," she added.
In the meantime, Earle has been uploading vlog-style videos to her YouTube channel. She gives her viewers an in-depth look at her life alongside her siblings, parents, friends and NFL boyfriend, Braxton Berrios. She also recently appeared on another SI Swim issue this year, which she celebrated at the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party red carpet on May 15, at The Hard Rock Hotel in New York City.
Related: Alix Earle Shares Update on Texas Plans Ahead of Braxton Berrios' NFL Season with New Team (Exclusive)
Later this year, Earle is set to be a contestant on the upcoming season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. She officially announced the news on Good Morning America on Thursday morning, becoming the second celebrity casting revealed after Robert Irwin.
The social media star attended DWTS last November when the show taped its milestone 500th episode. In a GRWM video posted prior, she told her 7.5 million TikTok followers that she was "so excited" to be in the audience because she is "such a fan of the show."
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