Brett Cooper - The Real Reason She Left The Daily Wire | SRS #186

Brett Cooper, a 23-year-old conservative and cultural commentator, discusses her journey from acting to becoming a prominent voice for Gen Z, amassing millions of subscribers during her tenure at The Daily Wire. She reflects on her challenging upbringing, including her brother's death and family struggles, which fueled her drive and resilience. Cooper shares her transition to independent content creation, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and authenticity. She highlights the support of her husband and community, and her aspirations for balancing her career with future motherhood, while navigating the complexities of public life and personal relationships.

• Brett Cooper discusses the challenges and freedom of being independent after leaving a structured environment.
• She acknowledges the learning curve and the satisfaction of having control over her career and brand.
• Cooper values the opportunity to manage her career independently and learn new aspects of the business.

"It's very freeing. I think I was surprised about the things that have challenged me because I knew going into it that there was a lot that I didn't know that other people had managed."

• Explanation: Cooper finds independence liberating but acknowledges the unexpected challenges of managing her career without external support.

• The host expresses admiration for Cooper's transition from the Daily Wire to her independent platform.
• Cooper is recognized for her ability to tackle challenges head-on and succeed in a tough industry.
• The conversation highlights the respect Cooper has earned as a voice for Gen Z.

"I just want to say you're doing amazing, and I wish the best for you. It's really cool to watch your journey."

• Explanation: The host commends Cooper for her successful transition and her role as a prominent Gen Z voice.

• Cooper shares her positive experiences with therapy, emphasizing its role in her personal development.
• She discusses starting therapy at 14 and the importance of finding a solutions-focused therapist.
• Therapy provided Cooper with tools to navigate a chaotic family structure and improve communication.

"There was a time in my life when I needed it when there was so much going on that I couldn't comprehend, and I didn't have the tools to navigate through."

• Explanation: Cooper credits therapy for helping her manage personal challenges and develop essential life skills.

• Cooper comments on the current state of conservative politics, expressing hope but acknowledging internal conflicts.
• She discusses the cultural victories of the right and the challenges of maintaining unity.
• Cooper expresses admiration for political figures like Trump, RFK Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard.

"I feel a lot of hope in terms of where politics are going, and I hope that the right can get their act together and stop pointing fingers."

• Explanation: Cooper is optimistic about the political landscape but recognizes the need for unity within the conservative movement.

• Cooper provides insight into her family dynamics, including her parents' unhappy marriage and her upbringing.
• She shares the impact of her brother's death on her family and her personal growth.
• Cooper reflects on her parents' differences and how it shaped her understanding of relationships.

"My parents' marriage was never really strong. They're very different people, incredibly different people."

• Explanation: Cooper's family experiences have significantly influenced her perspective on relationships and personal resilience.

• Cooper recounts the traumatic experience of losing her brother at a young age and its lasting impact.
• She describes the unique grief journey for each family member and the importance of preserving her brother's memory.
• Cooper emphasizes the choice to let grief fuel personal growth and honor her brother's legacy.

"You can choose to let it determine your life in a really negative way, or you can make a choice to live a life that's great in spite of it and in honor of them."

• Explanation: Cooper advocates for using grief as motivation to live a fulfilling life and keep her brother's memory alive.

• Cooper believes in spiritual signs, particularly associating cardinals with her brother's presence.
• She finds comfort and guidance in these signs, reinforcing her belief in a connection beyond the physical world.
• Cooper shares experiences of mediums and spiritual encounters that have provided solace.

"Every single day without fail, even in the season when cardinals should not be there, one drives right in front of my car."

• Explanation: Cooper interprets the presence of cardinals as a spiritual sign of her brother's presence and guidance in her life.

• Discussion of a personal experience with the Long Island Medium, a well-known psychic medium.
• The medium provided specific, personal information that resonated deeply with the family, leading to an emotional response.

"They know that you go in the closet and spray your dad's old cologne in total privacy to remember him."

• The medium's ability to provide specific, intimate details created a powerful emotional impact, suggesting a connection beyond the ordinary.

• Introduction to a podcast focusing on telepathy and communication among non-verbal individuals with autism.
• Exploration of the concept of connected consciousness and the potential of the human mind.

"It's like some type of connected consciousness... the brain is like there's so much we don't know."

• Highlights the mystery and potential of human consciousness, suggesting that there are capabilities beyond current understanding.

• Discussion on the untapped potential of the human mind and the self-imposed limitations people place on themselves.
• The idea that realizing one's full capabilities can lead to extraordinary achievements.

"I think that the human mind is capable of so much more than we can even fathom."

• Emphasizes the belief in the vast, unexplored potential of the human mind and the importance of overcoming self-imposed limitations.

• Personal narrative of using acting as a means to process emotions and experiences during childhood.
• Acting provided a safe space to express emotions that were difficult to handle in personal life.

"Acting gave me the ability to I guess be big to like express things in a way that I wasn't able to express."

• Acting served as a therapeutic outlet, allowing for emotional exploration and expression that was not possible in other areas of life.

• Passion for storytelling as a driving force in life and career.
• Storytelling seen as a transformative experience that helps understand human nature and fosters empathy.

"At the end of the day, what drives me more than anything in this career still today in acting is a love of story."

• Storytelling is viewed as a powerful tool for personal and social transformation, offering insights into human behavior and emotions.

• Personal struggles with family dynamics, including dealing with a brother's mental health issues and navigating parental relationships.
• Growth through adversity and the importance of finding personal strength and resilience.

"I think I needed to be closer to my dad... I needed to leave my mom."

• Highlights the necessity of personal boundaries and the journey to find individual identity and strength amidst family challenges.

• Discussion on the potential of psychedelics to break down emotional barriers and facilitate self-discovery.
• Consideration of psychedelics as a tool for healing and personal growth.

"The walls completely come down and there's aspects of yourself that you never realized were there."

• Suggests that psychedelics can offer profound insights into one's own psyche, helping to dismantle long-standing emotional defenses.

• The process of forgiving family members and moving forward with relationships despite past grievances.
• Emphasis on understanding family members as complex individuals with their own struggles.

"I forgive him and that I desperately wanted to make him happy."

• Forgiveness is portrayed as a crucial step in healing and rebuilding family relationships, fostering mutual understanding and acceptance.

• The decision to emancipate at a young age to gain independence and escape a tumultuous family environment.
• The complexity of balancing personal growth with family responsibilities.

"I emancipated myself... I can't be in the middle of this battle."

• Emancipation is described as a necessary step for personal freedom and self-determination amidst challenging family circumstances.

• The speaker reflects on grieving the loss of their brother Reed's personality due to mental illness, despite his physical presence.
• Reed has stopped speaking due to his mental health issues but communicates via text or notes when not in the hospital.
• The speaker discusses the challenges faced by Reed due to the mental health system and medication side effects.

"I grieved his actual existence and I grieved my brother Reed because he's nowhere near the person that I grew up with."

• The speaker mourns the loss of their brother's former self due to his current mental state.

"He doesn't speak anymore; sometime in the last 3 years, he stopped speaking."

• Reed's condition has deteriorated to the point of losing verbal communication, highlighting the severity of his mental health issues.

• The speaker criticizes the mental health system for its failure to provide holistic care, focusing solely on medication.
• Reed's involuntary hospitalizations and the dehumanizing treatment he receives are discussed.
• The speaker emphasizes the lack of alternative treatments like diet and lifestyle changes.

"Our medical system basically sets people like my brother up to fail."

• The speaker believes the healthcare system inadequately supports individuals with mental illness, leading to a cycle of failure.

"No doctor has encouraged that, and it's such a missed opportunity."

• The speaker is frustrated with the lack of encouragement for alternative treatments that could potentially benefit Reed.

• The speaker discusses the difficulty in maintaining family relationships while dealing with Reed's mental health.
• The speaker has guardianship over Reed and has fought for years to get information about his whereabouts and condition.
• The family struggles with the decision of how to support Reed without enabling his behavior.

"We finally were approved guardianship, and Reed knows, and I think he was happy that it was me."

• The speaker has legal guardianship over Reed, which was a significant step in managing his care.

"My mom did to get information about him...literally like trying to chase him down to get information."

• The family faced challenges in obtaining information about Reed's condition, highlighting the bureaucratic hurdles in mental health care.

• The speaker reflects on personal growth through adversity and the acceptance of their family's situation.
• They emphasize the importance of not suppressing emotions and processing difficult experiences.
• The speaker finds strength in the support of their husband, Alex, and their stable relationship.

"I think I learned really, really early on that life is messy."

• The speaker acknowledges the chaos of life and their early acceptance of it, which has shaped their resilience.

"He stepped in and was like I can create a bubble around you that's safe."

• The speaker finds comfort and stability in their relationship with Alex, which contrasts with the instability of their family life.

• The speaker discusses their shift from acting to political commentary due to disillusionment with the acting industry.
• They experienced a political awakening during the 2020 election cycle, leading to a loss of friendships.
• The speaker found a new community and career path through engagement with political organizations like PragerU.

"I lost basically all my friends due to politics."

• The speaker's political stance led to social isolation, prompting a reevaluation of their personal and professional life.

"I just dove into studying what I believed in and trying to build something for myself."

• The speaker took the opportunity to focus on personal growth and career development during a period of social isolation.

• The speaker contemplates the future care of their brother Reed and the impact of their father's past actions.
• They express a desire to protect their mother and ensure her well-being after years of family struggles.
• The speaker remains hopeful about finding ways to support Reed and improve his quality of life.

"I think about what life will be like in 5 years...how will I care for you?"

• The speaker is actively planning for the future, considering the long-term care of their brother Reed.

"I watched what happens when you don't process things...I'm not going to be that."

• The speaker is determined to process their experiences and emotions to avoid repeating past family patterns.

• The speaker transitioned from working at Trader Joe's to a permanent role at Young Americans for Liberty as a marketing strategist.
• Received a job offer from Daily Wire, which involved a significant career shift and personal risk.
• The decision to take the job was influenced by a conversation with her mother, emphasizing the importance of taking risks and not being complacent.

"You have to figure out what you're going to do with your life."

• The speaker's mother encouraged her to make a significant life decision and not settle for less.

"I don't give a if you decide not to take this job or do whatever but if you stand in front of me and say you're not even going to try then I'm incredibly disappointed in you."

• This quote highlights the importance of trying and taking risks, even in the face of fear and uncertainty.

• The speaker's decision-making process was influenced by her brother's mental health struggles and his advice to pursue her destiny.
• Her brother's psychotic break coincided with the job offer from Daily Wire, adding emotional complexity to the decision.

"You need to go to Nashville it's your destiny."

• Her brother's words served as a pivotal moment in her decision to move and take the job, despite his mental health condition.

• The speaker's role at Daily Wire involved creating a new show, which was a significant professional challenge and opportunity.
• She experienced imposter syndrome but also felt confident in her abilities to contribute meaningfully.

"I became incredibly articulate in my beliefs I became unwavering I think I became less of a people pleaser in my work."

• The job helped her develop confidence and articulate her beliefs more clearly, despite facing public criticism.

• The speaker had previously pitched a similar show concept to PragerU, which aligned with Daily Wire's vision.
• The show 'Comment Section' was developed with a young team and achieved rapid success.

"We hit a million in 4 months."

• The show's rapid growth and success were achieved with minimal budget and marketing, emphasizing the power of organic reach and content resonance.

• The speaker decided to leave Daily Wire and pursue an independent career, driven by a desire for new challenges and personal fulfillment.
• She emphasized the importance of understanding her motivations and being willing to start over if necessary.

"Are you willing to or we basically willing to lose everything and start from scratch?"

• This reflects the willingness to take significant risks for personal growth and fulfillment.

• The speaker discussed plans for starting a family and how she intends to balance career and motherhood.
• She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing family while maintaining a fulfilling career.

"I have you know I've scaled back a ton and which I think has made me better actually and probably made me better on camera."

• Scaling back professionally has allowed her to focus on personal priorities and improve her work quality.

• The speaker highlights the challenges of maintaining integrity and trust in the industry.
• She values a small, trusted team and emphasizes the importance of staying true to her values.

"I trust every single person that I interact with on a daily basis that they have you know that they are a person of integrity."

• Trust and integrity are central to her approach in building a successful and meaningful career.

• The speaker is focused on building a meaningful career that aligns with her personal values and aspirations.
• She is open to future opportunities and changes, emphasizing flexibility and staying true to herself.

"I want to build something big that's meaningful but I don't have an image in mind of what that is."

• This reflects her openness to possibilities and commitment to personal growth and impact.