On Sept. 21, TikTok influencer Alix Earle released the first episode of her weekly podcast “Hot Mess” on Spotify. Earle exposes the truth behind her “chaotic life” on her show as she brings listeners along on her journey into adulthood.
“My life changed overnight. My senior year of college, I got millions of followers, and now people are talking and speculating about where I am, what I am doing ,who I am dating ,so I figured I would just get on here and tell you guys myself,” said Earle on her new podcast.
The launch of the “Hot Mess” podcast is under the new “Unwell” network founded by Alex Cooper, who is known for her hit podcast, “Call Her Daddy.”
Source: Instagram, @alix_earle
Cooper hosted Earle on her show for her season four premiere with a look into Earle’s life. The episode launched on Sept. 20, a day before “Hot Mess” hit the internet.
The 22-year-old internet sensation gained popularity over TikTok for her “Get Ready With Me” videos and unfiltered honesty in 2022. Earle’s “hot mess” aesthetic attracted viewers to her page, and the “Alix Earle Effect” soon took over. Girls imitating her makeup, fashion, and lifestyle swept the internet.
While a large portion of her image is connected to appearance, Earle’s transparency captures her audience’s hearts.
“She consistently emphasizes how she is not perfect: she has a messy room, messy bathroom, and messy lifestyle, which lives up to her podcast name ‘Hot Mess,’” said sophomore Aileen Klaus. “I appreciate her honesty on social media, which is notoriously a place where people, especially celebrities, are dishonest.”
Earle uses her platform to connect with her viewers on both her TikTok and podcast. She talks to them not from the pedestal of a celebrity but as an equal.
“She talks to her followers as if they are her close friends, which creates a sense of community on her TikTok page,” said Klaus. “It is kind of like having an older sister on the internet looking out for you.”
Sophomore Elizabeth Kennedy said she often watches Earle’s videos and connects to the female narrative she embodies.
“I definitely see why people admire her for her transparency and think she voices the female experience,” said Kennedy. “Although I don’t think she’s always one hundred percent relatable, I think some of her videos do display themes that all women and girls experience.”
Sophomore Nora Reilly said that while much of Earle’s stories seem glamorous to the average college student, like her expensive lifestyle, luxury brand trips, and celebrity status, she also discusses many universal issues that viewers can connect with.
“She has been candid about her experiences not getting into sororities or struggling with acne,” said Reilly. “Despite very surface level problems, they are still valid for many teenage girls who don’t know their place in the world.”
While these friend-like “chit-chats” may lead to seemingly sincere, intimate connections between listeners and the content, Reilly said that it is essential not to let celebrities and pop culture “distract” from what is important.
“Celebrities like her [Earle] can be great role models to identify with, but we should be wary of their places in our lives and how much space they hold in our minds,” said Reilly. “Space we could use to discover ourselves, influence policy, fight for things we believe in, and try to be more in touch with the world.” As Klaus commented, “Alix is not necessarily solving any world problems, but she is helping her followers accept themselves by being honest on her platform and showing that it is okay not to be perfect, even if the whole world perceives you that way.”
