{"id":6007,"date":"2026-08-16T20:06:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=6007"},"modified":"2026-08-16T20:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:06:08","slug":"alex-cooper-poised-to-drop-uta-after-tough-period-of-media-scrutiny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=6007","title":{"rendered":"Alex Cooper Poised to Drop UTA After Tough Period of Media Scrutiny"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nAlex Cooper seems intent on unraveling some of the current relationships that have helped underpin her production company, Unwell.<\/p>\n

Read more Stray Kids Score Their Biggest Sales Week as \u2018This & That\u2019 Debuts Atop Albums Chart<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe star podcaster and media entrepreneur is poised to drop her current talent agency, UTA, according to a person familiar with the matter. UTA has helped Cooper build and scale her company, Unwell, and over the years has helped broker deals that had her host interviews for Peacock during NBCUniversal\u2019s coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and launch her Unwell Network, a platform for other creators and influencers.<\/p>\n

\n\tUTA declined to make executives available for comment. <\/p>\n

\n\tA shift in representation would come after Unwell, which Cooper founded with her husband, Matt Kaplan, landed its first outside investor:\u00a0Patrick Whitesell, co-founder of WME and former executive chairman of successor company Endeavor. Whitesell\u2019s WTSL, an investment firm focused on media, entertainment and sports he\u00a0launched after exiting Endeavor and WME\u00a0last year, has invested an undisclosed sum in Unwell that values the business at $500 million, according to information released August 12 by Unwell. Cooper and Kaplan, who self-funded the company targeting Gen Z women audiences, retain a majority ownership stake. Formed in 2023, Unwell says it has been profitable from day one and sees the WTSL investment as growth capital.<\/p>\n

\n\tUnwell said that in addition to the funding, WTSL would bring \u201cdeep strategic expertise, industry relationships and a proven track record of supporting some of the most innovative companies and storytellers in media,\u201d including\u00a0Peyton Manning\u2019s Omaha Productions.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAlex, Matt and the team have demonstrated an exceptional ability to anticipate where audiences are headed and create entertainment experiences that resonate deeply,\u201d Whitesell said last week. \u201cThe company\u2019s growth, audience connection and cultural relevance set it apart, and we believe Unwell is uniquely positioned to help define the present and future of media.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018I Don\u2019t Know\u2019: Kenneth Branagh on Directing,\u00a0 \u2018Harry Potter\u2019 and How Christopher Nolan Had Him Speaking Russian Backwards<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tWhitesell\u2019s funding followed a pair of recent expos\u00e9s alleging behind-the-scenes chaos at Unwell. According to a Vanity Fair\u00a0story\u00a0in June, one Unwell freelancer alleged that Kaplan \u201ccreates the most toxic work environment that I\u2019ve ever seen\u201d; anonymous sources also said Kaplan had questioned employees about their sex lives and commented on their physical appearance. In April, Bloomberg\u00a0reported\u00a0that Kaplan \u201chas earned a reputation for frequently yelling at staff members\u201d and said Unwell\u2019s employees were \u201clooking for the exit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCooper, in an\u00a0interview\u00a0at Cannes Lions this June with the Wall Street Journal, was asked about the allegations. \u201cI will just kind of leave it at \u2018Don\u2019t believe everything that you read on the internet\u2019 \u2014\u00a0but I think everyone knows that at this point,\u201d she said. Cooper also said, \u201cI think that we have done a really incredible job at Unwell, and I think if you walk the halls, there are so many people that are so happy to work at this company. \u2026 I think, unfortunately, being a woman in this industry is extremely difficult because you\u2019re held to a completely different standard. Whether it\u2019s a smear campaign being created for someone\u2019s narrative, whatever it be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tUTA works with other influencers who have found themselves at cross purposes with Cooper in recent months. Alix Earle, a podcaster and influencer, gained some her greatest fame while hosting the podcast \u201cHot Mess,\u201d which was produced by Unwell. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, alleged in a memoir that Cooper and her former co-host, Sofia Franklyn, planned to say they were harassed in order to get out of a previous contract with Barstool, which helped launch \u201cCall Her Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018The Sopranos\u2019 Star Drea de Matteo Says Starting an OnlyFans Was a \u2018Political Statement\u2019: \u2018F\u2014 You. I Don\u2019t Have to Work\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\u2013Todd Spangler contributed to this story<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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