Sofia Franklyn says Matt Kaplan threatened lawsuit before 'Daddy Issues' release

Sofia Franklyn's memoir, Daddy Issues, opens with a claim of a hostile phone call from Matt Kaplan. The book hits shelves Tuesday. Franklyn writes that Kaplan, her former co-host Alex Cooper's husband, learned about the project and called her agent. According to the opening anecdote, Kaplan screamed and claimed the story was false. He threatened that Cooper would sue.

The New York Times reported on this account last week in a profile of Franklyn. The article notes that Franklyn said nothing further came of the legal threat. Representatives from Unwell, the media company co-founded by Cooper and Kaplan, disputed the account. They told the Times that Kaplan never discussed the book's claims with Verve, Franklyn's literary agency. They also stated he did not express any intent to sue the author. A lawyer for the couple did not return calls to confirm or deny the exchange.

Franklyn addressed the situation on Monday during an interview on The Bossticks podcast. She expressed concern that Cooper and Kaplan might retaliate once the book is public. "I have heard that some people mentioned in the book, some main characters in my book, are working very hard to discredit this story," Franklyn said. She described her initial confidence in the publication process. "I thought I was bulletproof," she said. "And then I started to think, 'How dirty are they gonna play?"

She directed her comments to the couple. "I'm talking about Alex and Matt. Hi. And if you're listening, hi. How dirty are they gonna play it, where are they gonna, like, go after people I love?" Franklyn noted that the prospect of her family or husband becoming collateral damage frightened her. She contrasted that fear with her original plan to enter the process with a defiant attitude.

The author believes the current media climate offers her some protection. She argued that audiences are now more aware of how public relations and headlines work. "It's gonna be a lot harder to discredit me now because the audience is smarter now," she stated. She did not claim everyone understands these dynamics, but she said people are more aware of how to spot attempts to discredit a figure.

The book is already attracting interest from Hollywood. Verve is shopping the title as a potential film or television project. One source familiar with the situation described there being a "ton of heat" surrounding the property. Simon & Schuster has kept the physical copies under strict security since the announcement.

Franklyn and Cooper co-created the podcast Call Her Daddy at Barstool Sports. Their relationship ended in 2020 after contentious contract negotiations. Cooper retained full ownership of the show's intellectual property, which helped build her Unwell empire. Cooper and Kaplan met on a video call in 2020. They began dating after a business dinner. Kaplan proposed in 2023, and they married the following year. The couple welcomed their first child last month.

Franklyn questions in the memoir whether Cooper had a romantic fling with their former boss, Dave Portnoy. It is unclear when or if this occurred. Cooper's representatives did not previously comment on the alleged relationship. Cooper has reportedly been in contact with various parties to gather details about the book before its release. A source who saw a copy described Cooper as being in panic mode.