In a recent controversy, Alex Cooper, the host of the popular podcast “Call Her Daddy,” publicly criticized the campaign team of Kamala Harris for spending $100,000 to create a replica of her podcast set for Harris’s appearance. This expenditure drew attention after reports highlighted how the Harris campaign, which had a staggering budget of $1 billion for the election, allocated significant resources for what was supposed to be a strategic podcast appearance. Following the November election, in which Donald Trump secured a commanding victory against Harris in the Electoral College, news outlets reported that Harris’s campaign had recreated Cooper’s set, leading to questions about whether the cost was justified when juxtaposed with the podcast’s relatively limited audience.
The Washington Examiner reported on the funds being spent by the Harris campaign, specifically mentioning the six-figure sum spent to prepare for the appearance on “Call Her Daddy.” This expenditure raised eyebrows, particularly because the actual interview was filmed in a hotel room in Washington, D.C., suggesting that the construction of the elaborate set may have been excessive and unnecessary. Comparisons were drawn to Trump’s appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which garnered far higher viewership, further accentuating the critique of the Harris campaign’s decision to invest heavily in the podcast appearance rather than other, possibly more impactful, campaign efforts.
During her appearance at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Alex Cooper addressed the controversy when Andrew Ross Sorkin brought up the subject of the $100,000 set. Cooper found the news amusing and mentioned that her own studio in Los Angeles, which she described as “gorgeous,” did not even come close to costing six figures. This statement took on a tone of irony as Cooper implied that the construction of the Harris campaign’s set was an inefficient use of funds, given its inferior quality. She joked that the “cardboard walls” used for Harris’s set could not possibly carry such a hefty price tag.
Cooper’s response did not clarify whether she doubted the validity of the reported figure or was instead commenting on the quality of the set. She expressed disbelief at how anything that resembled cardboard could amount to such a large expenditure, indicating that her own high-quality studio was both more aesthetically pleasing and more cost-effective. This highlights the disconnect between the extravagant spending by political campaigns and the actual impact or results they yield.
In addition to the critique of the set spending, Alex Cooper also faced backlash for allegedly conducting a “soft-ball” interview with Kamala Harris. Critics have pointed out that the nature of the questioning did not challenge Harris in meaningful ways, which detracted from the credibility of the interview. Furthermore, there have been disputes regarding Cooper’s claims that she had extended an invitation to the Trump campaign to participate in her podcast, which have since been met with skepticism and doubt, complicating her position in the political discourse.
Meanwhile, amidst the political commentary and podcast discussions, Paul Roland Bois made waves in the film industry with his award-winning Christian tech thriller “EXEMPLUM,” which has received critical acclaim, including a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is available for free on platforms like YouTube and Tubi, receiving positive reviews that draw comparisons to notable films such as “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Bois’s work showcases another facet of media influence, contrasting with the political media narrative personified by figures such as Cooper and Harris, illustrating the diverse avenues through which storytelling and public discourse continue to evolve.