Call Her Kamala: The Podcast Power Move

Here is a line you won't hear too often:

“Daddy Gang, I went to Washington, D.C. to interview Vice President Kamala Harris.”

On Oct. 6, media mogul Alex Cooper released an exclusive interview with Vice President Kamala Harris for Cooper’s podcast “Call Her Daddy.” Cooper, sitting cross-legged in an athleisure combo on a fluffy couch, spoke with the Democratic presidential candidate about one key theme: women. Domestic violence, female autonomy, and the importance of female economic freedom were all essential talking points. The subject matter was as serious as can be. But the atmosphere was not, at least in the traditional sense.

“Call Her Daddy” was founded in 2016 by Cooper and her roommate Sofia Franklyn. The podcast — which used to be owned by Barstool Sports — started as a way to provide young women with advice on the many troubles they might have. Primarily, though, it was a podcast about boys and sex. As “Call Her Daddy” grew in popularity — the show had the second-biggest audience among podcasts on Spotify last year — the subject matter grew in meaning. Cooper became an advocate for mental health and feminism. “Call Her Daddy” has now hosted all sorts of celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Jane Fonda, and Katy Perry.

Podcasts have gained immense popularity with younger generations in recent years. The medium serves as an antidote to the loneliness epidemic; as more people seek connection in a digital age, podcasts offer a sense of companionship, with hosts serving as familiar voices during long, isolated hours. These hosts make seemingly esoteric topics, like politics, more accessible by breaking them down into casual, digestible conversations, often providing multiple perspectives in the form of co-hosts. This form allows listeners to feel involved without feeling pressured by a specific agenda.

“I'm not CNN. I'm not Fox,” Cooper said to Harris on the podcast. “I am a woman who is talking about her experiences on my podcast, and I have millions of women that tune in to connect with me and to connect with whoever is sitting across from me.”

Additionally, as digital natives who fluidly navigate information consumption, younger listeners reject rigid boundaries between high-brow and low-brow topics. Whether it’s news, pop culture, or personal growth, podcasts provide a platform where these diverse topics seamlessly coexist, allowing this generation — who doesn’t rely on a single information source — to multitask while consuming content. This blend of content fluidity and emotional connection make podcasts a natural fit.

Now podcasting is no longer a niche artform. It is ubiquitous and its influence on the media field cannot be overstated. Rom-Coms, such as “Nobody Want This,” seem to play off of “Call her Daddy,” including the blonde podcast host, and major TV shows like “Only Murders in the Building,” lean into the podcasting world as well, with a plot that revolves around a true-crime podcast.

The power of the podcast rests in its accessibility: Anyone, at any time, has the opportunity to access it. Traditionally, politics functioned as a domain for the elites, discussed in ivory towers far removed from the concerns of the average person. However, the political world has always had a direct impact on the lives of ordinary people, and with the rise of on-demand mediums like the podcast, the ordinary viewer can be reached on their own terms.

Both Harris and Trump have used social media to deliver their respective campaigns. Beyond traditional media outlets, senators and various political figures have embraced social media, starring in TikToks, taking part in viral trends, and hosting live streams. This shift highlights the importance of relatability in modern politics; by meeting people where they are, on social media, politicians engage a demographic that may have previously felt disengaged and excluded from the political process.

Podcasting is poised to gain even more traction in the arts and media world, propelled by rising superstars and emerging artists from all creative fields. On the surface, podcasting may appear relatively easy — after all, a conversation seems like a simple and everyday activity on the surface. But in truth, good podcasting is a skill, one that Alex Cooper has honed to virality. A successful podcast takes the ordinary conversation and elevates it to an immersive art form. It taps into the human desire for dialogue and more importantly, connection. Kamala Harris isn't the only one sitting across from Cooper in her studio — we are too.

—Staff writer Caroline J. Rubin can be reached at caroline.rubin@thecrimson.com.