Is This the End of Howard Stern? Alex Cooper’s $125M ‘Call Her Daddy’ Podcast Deal Could Render the Shock Jock Expendable at Sirius XM

Howard Stern may be nearing the end of his era as the face of SiriusXM. RadarOnline.com reveals that a new partnership with rising podcaster Alex Cooper is being seen as a signal that the 70-year-old shock jock and his controversial show, The Howard Stern Show, could be on their way out.

Radio host and writer Clay Travis shared that “Cooper has signed a massive, game-changing deal with SiriusXM.” The 30-year-old podcaster secured a $125 million contract, licensing her popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast to SiriusXM for three years. Cooper confirmed the news on Instagram, saying, “THANK YOU @siriusxm DADDY GANG GET READY. WE ARE AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE AND DOING IT EVEN BIGGER IN 2025.”

Despite the new deal, “Call Her Daddy” will continue to be available on its current platforms, including Spotify, where Cooper was previously signed. Since its launch in 2018, “Call Her Daddy” has quickly gained a massive following, featuring major guests like Miley Cyrus, Simone Biles, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ciara.

At $42 million per year, Cooper’s deal surpasses the earnings of any network television host, with only Stern and Joe Rogan making more. Stern, who signed one of the largest contracts in radio history when he joined SiriusXM in 2006, reportedly earns around $80 million annually. However, his current five-year contract is set to expire next year, leaving questions about whether he will re-sign or retire.

As SiriusXM shifts its focus to a younger audience, Cooper’s podcast, which consistently ranks among the top three on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, is expected to be a key player. Meanwhile, Stern’s audience has dwindled, with SiriusXM ceasing to release his ratings in 2020 due to declining listenership. Some critics have noted that Stern has become “meandering, repetitive, and stooge-ish,” suggesting that for the first time in two decades, he may be expendable.

SiriusXM will retain the licensing rights to Stern’s audio and video archives until 2027, but with “Call Her Daddy” and other hit shows like The Megyn Kelly Show, Smartless, and Gold Minds with Kevin Hart, the platform’s podcast lineup is poised for even greater success.