Two of the biggest personalities in digital media, Alex Cooper and Alix Earle, are feuding, and the internet has a favorite.
Data from two social listening firms, Muck Rack and Sprout Social, showed higher negative sentiment toward Cooper than toward Earle since the public feud kicked off late last week.
That’s not to say anyone’s truly “winning” this clash. Earle has seen negative commentary about her increase since the feud began, and Cooper entered the dispute riding a prior wave of negative sentiment.
Sprout Social said negative sentiment around Cooper was already high before the spat began. The firm attributed this partly to some Hannah Montana fans being upset about the perceived quality of Cooper’s interview with Miley Cyrus, connected to the show’s 20th anniversary celebration.
“For these large female brands, there’s always going to be a lot of haters who want to pull them down,” said Jo Wang, GM of Pop Store, an AI commerce company that helps creators build online businesses.
Overall, though, it’s worth noting that the social listening firms found the sentiment for both Earle and Cooper was largely neutral.
A rep for Earle declined to comment, and reps for Cooper didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.
How the recent drama started
The recent drama began last week when Earle — who used to work with Cooper’s company — reposted a critical TikTok about Cooper that called her an “ambulance chaser” for interviewing people at vulnerable times, among other accusations.
Cooper, 31, then posted a video calling out Earle, 25. She encouraged Earle to “say what you got to say about me,” to which Earle commented, “Okay on it!!”
Internet commenters have jumped to take sides. Some on social media have criticized Cooper for building an empire on sometimes-questionable advice for young women, while others have defended her as a successful businesswoman. Earle watchers have called her passive-aggressive, while others have praised her for not directly engaging.
People are looking for an escape from the politics and war-dominated news cycle, and Cooper and Earle are delivering it, said Juda Engelmayer, a crisis PR professional whose clients include Harvey Weinstein and Diddy. He said he thought online commenters were drawn to Earle because she presents as authentic and has a younger fan base that’s quick to show their support on social media.
The dustup isn’t that serious — so far — and could even benefit both by introducing them to a wider audience, he said.
“No one’s getting canceled for this,” he said. “This is just bringing name recognition.”
The social stars have a history
The social media frenzy surrounding the two women reflects their ability to command huge audiences and cut big business deals.
Earle, with more than 8 million TikTok followers, became famous for her get-ready-with-me videos in 2022 and is known for selling out products, including her new skincare line, Reale Actives.
Cooper founded the Unwell Network of podcasts, which includes her popular “Call Her Daddy” show. She’s one of the highest-paid podcasters, with a three-year, $125 million deal with SiriusXM. She also has an electrolyte beverage with Nestlé called Unwell Hydration.
In 2023, the Unwell Network signed Earle to host her own podcast, “Hot Mess,” but it ended after less than two years.
There’s been speculation that the two don’t get along — Earle took a slight jab at the situation in a 2025 interview — but this is the first time they are openly taking shots at each other.
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