When Miley Cyrus sat down with Alex Cooper for her 2020 episode of Call Her Daddy, the internet basically imploded. It wasn't just another celebrity promo stop. It was a pivot. At that specific moment in time, Miley was navigating a messy public divorce from Liam Hemsworth, a very loud rebound with Kaitlynn Carter, and a fresh breakup with Cody Simpson. People wanted blood. Or at least, they wanted the "tea."
What they got was arguably one of the most self-aware hours of podcasting in the modern era. Miley didn't just show up to talk about her new single, "Midnight Sky." She showed up to dismantle the "party girl" narrative that had followed her since the Bangerz era.
Why the Miley Cyrus Call Her Daddy Episode Was a Cultural Reset
Most celebrity interviews feel like a guarded press release. This one felt like eavesdropping on a conversation at 3:00 AM in a dimly lit living room. Miley stepped into the "Daddy" universe right after the podcast’s own massive internal drama—the split between Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn. By being the first "A-list" guest of the solo-Alex era, Miley effectively validated the show's new direction.
She didn't hold back.
One of the biggest bombshells? The "virginity lie." For over a decade, the world believed Miley lost her virginity to a certain someone, but she revealed on the pod that she actually lied to her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, for ten years. She told him she had experience when she didn't because she didn't want to seem "like a loser."
"I didn’t go all the way with a dude until I was 16," she told Alex, "but I ended up marrying the guy."
The Logic of Heartbreak: How Miley Actually Moves On
We’re used to Miley being the "Wrecking Ball" of emotion, but the version of her on this podcast was clinical. Scary clinical, honestly. She talked about how she handles breakups using literal spreadsheets.
Okay, maybe not Excel, but definitely lists.
She described heartbreak as "a death." To survive it, she forces herself to be logical. She makes a list of what a partner contributed to her life versus what they subtracted. If the "subtraction" column is longer, she’s out. No looking back. No drunk texting. She basically treats her heart like a business audit.
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It’s a fascinating peek into the brain of someone who has been under a microscope since she was 12. When you’ve been "villainized" by the media for moving on too fast—which she explicitly called out during the episode—you develop these survival mechanisms. She mentioned that men like Johnny Depp are celebrated for having a "dating resume," while she was dragged for just living her life.
Sobriety, Sexuality, and Setting Boundaries
A huge chunk of the conversation revolved around her sobriety. At the time, she was six months sober and very protective of it. She told Alex she wasn't looking for a partner she could "fix." She wanted someone who already had their life together—specifically someone who was sober and "eats clean."
She famously joked that she wouldn't be looking for her next boyfriend at an AA meeting or a Burger King.
Then there was the talk about sexuality. Miley has always been open about being queer/pansexual, but she went deep into the "aesthetic" of it all. She admitted she finds women much more attractive than men. She even joked about the "visuals" of male anatomy, saying she’d rather not look at it longer than she has to.
"I think women are much more attractive... I don’t really want to stare at a different [penis]... I like dicks as an aesthetic."
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It was vintage Miley: blunt, slightly shocking, and totally unapologetic. She pushed back against Alex’s more "juvenile" questions about sex positions, steering the conversation toward intimacy and the "spirit" of a person instead. It was one of those rare moments where the guest actually felt more mature than the host.
The Reality of the Hannah Montana Shadow
You can't talk about Miley without the wig. She touched on the trauma of being a child star and the "guilt" of trying to move away from that squeaky-clean image. She admitted to feeling like she had to be "extra" just to prove she wasn't Hannah anymore.
But by the time she did Call Her Daddy, that desperation seemed gone. She sounded like someone who had finally integrated all the different versions of herself—the Disney kid, the Bangerz rebel, and the rockstar.
Key Insights for Navigating Your Own Transitions
Miley’s appearance wasn't just celebrity gossip; it offered a blueprint for anyone trying to reinvent themselves after a long relationship or a public failure.
- The Power of the List: Don't let emotion drown your common sense. Write down exactly what is and isn't working in your relationships. See the numbers.
- Own Your Timeline: If you move on quickly, let people talk. Miley’s point about the double standard between men and women in dating is still 100% relevant.
- Protect Your Peace: Sobriety and health aren't just "lifestyle choices"—for Miley, they were boundaries that dictated who got access to her energy.
- Truth Over Ego: Admitting she lied about her virginity for a decade was a way of reclaiming her narrative. It's okay to admit you were performative in the past if it helps you be authentic now.
What to Do Next
If you're going through a major life shift, take a page out of the Miley Cyrus handbook. Start by auditing your inner circle. Are the people around you "adding" or "subtracting" from your mental health? If you haven't actually listened to the full 58-minute episode (Episode 92), it’s worth a revisit on Spotify. It’s a masterclass in how to stay grounded when the rest of the world is trying to tell your story for you.
Focus on building your own "foundation." As Miley said, your character is everything. Don't let a breakup—or a "villain" edit from the people around you—define your value.