Alex Cooper's media company Unwell has secured its first outside investment at a $500 million pre-money valuation, with Patrick Whitesell and Jason Lublin's WTSL taking a strategic stake of undisclosed size as the company looks to accelerate growth through acquisitions and deeper expansion beyond podcasting. Founded in 2023 by Cooper and producer Matt Kaplan under the holding company Trending, Unwell has grown from the hit Call Her Daddy franchise into a network of more than a dozen shows and a broader business spanning video production, live events, consumer products and advertising services, supported by a SiriusXM agreement worth more than $30 million a year for distribution and advertising sales. The deal adds industry relationships from WTSL, a firm backed by Silver Lake, even as Unwell continues to face scrutiny over workplace culture, contract terms and talent disputes including the 2025 exit of Alix Earle's Hot Mess podcast.