The Alex Cooper-Alix Earle drama is more than just influencer beef

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It's an Alex/ix off.

There's drama between two of the biggest personalities in digital media: Alex Cooper and Alix Earle.

Whether you're obsessed or oblivious, there are real business implications at stake. Let's break it all down.

What's going on? This week, Cooper posted a video calling out Earle, who used to work for her, for reposting a not-so-nice TikTok about her. (It referred to Cooper as an "ambulance chaser," among other things.) Cooper encouraged Earle to "say what you got to say about me," to which Earle commented, "Okay on it!!" The collective internet is now losing its mind as we all await Earle's response.

So what if influencers are fighting? Just calling these two "influencers" is like calling Niagara Falls a cute waterfall. They command massive audiences and cut major business deals.

The beef also highlights the tension that influencer- and creator-founded media companies face, including managing talent with their own brands.

And it translates beyond the influencer world. In business, there are plenty of examples of top talent feeling they've outgrown the companies they work for.

The demand for AI specialists only amplifies that risk. Imagine if Meta's AI wunderkind Alexandr Wang (playing the Earle role) left and took subtle shots at Mark Zuckerberg (Cooper) until Zuck finally called him out. (Don't worry. They're best buds.)

What's the back story on the Alex(ix)s? Cooper's been a household name in media for a while. She founded the Unwell Network, which includes her popular "Call Her Daddy" podcast and is in the middle of a three-year, $125 million deal with SiriusXM. She's also got an electrolyte beverage with Nestlé called … Unwell Hydration. (Gotta stay on brand.)

Earle's "get ready with me" TikToks took off around 2022. She's built a reputation for quickly selling out products she mentions and recently launched a skincare brand, Reale Actives.

(And yes, in addition to almost sharing a name, they also look eerily similar.)

What's the tea on their bad blood? Back in 2023, the Unwell Network signed Earle to host her own podcast, "Hot Mess." Less than two years later, the podcast was dropped. Earle took a slight jab at how things went down in a 2025 interview. There's been speculation that the two don't get along, but this is the first time they are openly taking shots at each other.

What are the chances this is some marketing ploy? That theory's been floated, but it feels like a stretch considering their not-so-great history together. These people do thrive on content — Earle posted her reaction to waking up to see the initial Cooper attack — so you can't put anything past them. If it's all fake, feel free to call me a sucker.

Who's winning the beef? Earle's indirect attacks have played into a narrative that Cooper is a "mean girl." Others argue it's mislabeling Cooper for just being a tough businesswoman. It also depends largely on who you ask. Earle, 25, skews toward Gen Z, while Cooper, 31, is a millennial.

Let us know who you're backing: Vote here