Alix Earle revealed her latest endeavor after news broke that her “Hot Mess” podcast was dropped by Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network.
“I told you guys that I had a secret and I’m finally able to talk about it with you,” Earle, 24, said via Instagram on Wednesday, February 26. “There is an alcohol company launching soon and I am investing in it.”
Earle explained that she wanted to get involved in the alcohol space since she graduated college in 2023 — including “two separate times” when she tried to start her own alcohol company, but she struggled to find the perfect brand for her.
When this particular brand was “put in front” of her, Earle thought it was the right fit because she had been “obsessed” with the company. (Earle did not name the brand in the video.)
“So I was like, ‘Let me explore this.’ I still didn’t really think anything would come of it. … I was basically like, ‘I’ll invest in this company. I’ll put my money in it,’” she said, sharing that it will be launching in March. “I’m so happy I can finally talk about this.”
The update comes one day after Us confirmed on Tuesday, February 25, that Earle’s “Hot Mess” was dropped by Unwell Network. Variety, who broke the news, reported that SiriusXM will no longer sell ads for “Hot Mess” and that the Unwell Network has renounced rights to the podcast.
Cooper launched her own beverage, Unwell Hydration, in December 2024. The point of the nonalcoholic drink, which is available in three flavors, “is to kind of meet you where you’re at, and it is for everybody in whatever unwell state you are in,” Cooper told Us at the time. “No one is perfect. We’re all a little unwell.”
Cooper initially signed Earle and “Pretty Lonesome” host Madeline Argy to the Unwell Network in August 2023. The network, which launched at the same time, was created in an effort to cater to Gen Z audiences with “unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation.”
Now, less than two years later, eagle-eyed social media users began speculating of a rift between Earle and Cooper, with multiple sources telling Us the rumors held some weight. In the latest issue of Us, an insider revealed that there was “a lot of tension” between the pair.
“They’ve had a lot of drama between them [since] they decided to collaborate on Unwell,” a second source shared. “They clashed over business, and their friendship is over because of it.”
A source confirmed that Earle can explore other opportunities, which she has been wanting to do. “Alix is working on bigger projects not related to the podcast space,” one insider said.
The same source shared to Us that Alix’s dad, Thomas “TJ” Earle, contributed. “Alix’s dad got more involved in her business decisions and did not like what Unwell was doing. He ultimately thought it ended up not being a smart business move,” the insider said.
