Alix Earle, Alex Cooper talk mint juleps, how to say 'Louisville' with Kentucky Derby crowd
Alix Earle is a TikTok phenom who entertains 6.7 million followers with insights into her makeup routine, social life and dates with her boyfriend, who plays for the Miami Dolphins. Alex Cooper built a colossal following through her "Call Her Daddy" podcast, which ranks second on the Spotify charts and dives deep into relationship topics that probably can't be published in a newspaper.
They're not your typical 20-somethings, and not who you'd expect to hear from on the morning of the Kentucky Derby. But the two high-profile influencers know how to draw a crowd — which is exactly what they did Saturday in a joint appearance at Churchill Downs.
Programs hosted by Cooper, 29, and Earle, 23, operate under the "Unwell" podcast network, which was started last year by Cooper following the unprecedented success of "Call Her Daddy" with Barstool Sports.
Out here in the infield we have podcasters Alix Earle and Alex Cooper doing a fan Q&A — currently discussing how to pronounce “Louisville” and considering breaking out Fireball shots on stage. I wasn’t offered one, but I’m sure that’s because they know I’m on the clock. pic.twitter.com/5je3uyvOLR
— Lucas Aulbach (@LucasAulbach) May 4, 2024
The pair spoke after a long Friday evening, typically the biggest party night of the year in Louisville. Both attended the new Sports Illustrated Revel at the Races party, with 10-seat VIP tables available to the public for the bargain price of $15,000 a pop.
A few dozen people crowded around the stage just after 10:30 a.m. for a quick Q&A. The pair talked directly with the audience at times, joking about how to pronounce "Louisville" — Cooper said rap superstar and city native Jack Harlow taught her — and about their experiences with mint juleps. Earle said she struggled to keep it down on her first attempt, but thankfully she "got really drunk after, like, two sips." Interested attendees could buy a mint julep at nearby drink stands for $22.
Cooper's podcast is centered around relationships, and it can get a bit graphic. The duo kept it PG during their infield appearance, though. Earle said her best relationship advice is strong communication, while Cooper had advice for women in the crowd: "Don't settle — ever."
Earle, for the record, is planning to bet on Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby later Saturday, while Cooper said she hadn't made her pick yet. The race is scheduled to begin just before 7 p.m.
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Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. Reach Hannah Pinski at hpinski@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby 2024 hosts podcast stars Alex Cooper, Alix Earle
