Michael Kosta Discusses His Week as Guest Host

You're listening to Comedy Central. Hi, yours listeners, It's Daily Show correspondent Michael Costa and Daily Show writer Kat Radley.

All right, thanks for having me.

We're going to give listeners a little extra ears extra and unpack my week as the guest host and all the work that goes into making the show come together. Let's dive right in. Kat, what was it like writing for such a monumental comedic genius? Take your time, take your time, take your time.

Oh no, it'll be short story. Oh shit, I would say.

Normally comics do like raz each other, but I am going to take it to compliment you.

Come on, here we go, this is what we want. Here's edition extra.

Because you've made me a lot of money to say what I'm about to say. But in all seriously, as a writer on the show, it's especially fun since we do have a panel of correspondence. We get to write for different voices, which is like a fun challenge as a writer, and across the board, everybody always loves writing for you because Costa, you know, if you know, in comedy you're supposed to punch up and as you know, the handsome white man in the room, he is punching up.

But we did trust you as host.

You really took control and you know did the job as host justice, So I think you did a great job and that's not easy to do.

Thank you. It's very interesting what you brought up because that's a very clear statement you made. It's hard to trust the correspondent and you're right, because we're coming in dressed as the lion at the zoo or getting the boat. It was a must, and I did wonder if there was going to be any hurdles as Michael the host, because it's different. Yeah, And one of my favorite things as host was that I got to be host. It got to be the leader. I got to be in charge and I didn't have to dress in the in

Yeah, it was nice.

I think for Your Weakest Host was especially challenging because it was the first show back after our long five month hiatus because of the writers' strike, and also the stories you got that week in particularly challenging. Do you want to break down like those are two separate challenges that converged at the same time.

Do you want to talk about what it was like?

I think one of them was an unreal opportunity that kind of happens with luck that there was a lot of eyes and ears on us because we've been gone for so long. I mean, that wasn't planned. That was luck. That was I was very excited that, Hey, I get to lead us into this new era after the strike. People are starving for Daily Show. How cool that it

Yeah.

And by the way, when I say cover, I don't mean you do the act and it's over. Yeah, but it would be shameful for the Daily Show. The Daily Show that I know and have watched for years to avoid a difficult subject because it's difficult. Hello, That's what is literally the foundation in my opinion of this show.

Yeah, that morning meeting, Like we have a morning meeting where we look at all the stories of the day and you know, the host leads that meeting and we all talk as a group of you know, what are different takes and angles to cover this. How did that first morning meeting go for you? How did you feel kind of leading out for the first time?

Well, actually I should pay Scott Sherman a tribute because Sunday I was driving back in the city with my family and Dan Amira, the head writer, forwarded me this thing that Scott had written that said, Hey, if Costa wants to talk about Israel Palestine, here's a couple thoughts. And I was so thankful for that because I did want to talk about it. But I was kind of

Yeah, I mean usually it's super helpful.

Yeah, it comes to back, that's your Sunday night.

Yeah, well, especially after coming back, like after a hiatus or a long break, we try to start pitching ideas Sunday or collecting thoughts.

The host does find it helpful.

You have to hit the ground running as soon as the day starts, and if you can already have ideas in the tank, it makes it easier.

I feel like I'm turning into my mom. But I swear to God, if even from a personal standpoint, if I take thirty minutes Sunday night and like think about what's for lunch time now with kids, like are the clothes clean, It's like, holy shit, my life is a lot easier. I'm turning into my parents.

Yeah, I mean, you know, you got to do your homework and right all along.

So yeah, I was very pleased with how how we didn't shy away from that. Yeah, and Daily Show did a good job.

And I think also your honesty about your ignorance, because I felt another former catholicion like I. Also, it's not my wheelhouse either, and I had the same thoughts like you, like said, you know, I read the Wikipedia page. I don't know if you want people to know that. That's also like, that's what a lot of people watching our show are doing too. Of course, I think they appreciated your honesty and that was the great, like the perfect take to bring people through the story because it was

It's my big week as guest host, and I get Israel Palestine. I don't mean to complain, but as far as scheduling goes, this unspeakably tragic geopolitical crisis is not super convenient time for me right now, because no matter what I come up with, people are just going to say, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about. And you're right, that's pretty much the only opinion everyone can agree on.

Michael Costa is an idiot.

And what do I know about the Middle East. I'm from the Middle West, I'm from Michigan. The best way I would describe my position on the Middle East is poorly educated.

And that sounds harsh.

But at least I'm aware of it because I read a lot of your posts online, and sometimes it's better not to pretend you know what you're talking about. I have friends on Facebook who have the whole Middle East figured out, when I know for a fact they can't even get car insurance. And everyone has an opinion for who's responsible for it. It's Israel, it's Palestine, it's Nettan, Yahoo, it's Hamas. Everyone's taking a side, but everyone is wrong.

It's so much more honest, and I think there's more room for comedy in.

That hell yeah.

Yeah.

We kind of touched on this a little bit, the big difference between being a correspondent sitting at the desk, and also you had the advantage of of like the various guest hosts we've had, you're one of the corresponds who you know, You've been here for a while, you knew what the deal was going into it. How what did that kind of play into your hosting week of having the familiarity and I'll say it the trust of everyone.

Well, that's the same word I was going to use. I maybe if I was just coming in as an outsider, I would be a little more skeptical, like do the writers know who I am? Do I trust that they can write a funny joke?

Not all writers still know who you are?

A true I definitely trust the system here. I trust the process. It's been on air for twenty five, twenty six years. There's a lot of stuff you learn a lot of efficiencies. They figured out how to be most productive. So it was nice to let the machine work and to be at like a little bit of a higher position in the machine where I could help guide it towards what I thought was interesting. It was fun to kill a couple of Trump jokes. Yeah you know, I don't want to I don't want to talk about this.

Yeah, you were a real monster.

But I also think the familiarity it just only helps so much of comedy. As you know from a performer too, it's just being comfortable, you know, Like I'm sure it's the same with you for stand up. Correct me if I'm wrong, But my stand up has just gotten closer and closer to who I actually am. I get more comfortable on stage, and I felt like I feel very comfortable in this building, and I think the writing stuff feels comfortable with me, I just only helped.

Yeah, I think that honesty, comfort and confidence. I mean that's really what you need to deliver a joke like the best you can.

Now in terms of your guests, so you brought on.

I hate.

When the show goes over to the guests, I had Ian Bremer Israel Palace, and he's a political scientist. I then had Emily Auster, who's a parent data expert parenting World. I then had on musician Pulled Surprise winner, Grammy winner rihann and Giddens, who did a performance for us, also a really powerful performance. She sang a song called Another Wasted Life, and behind her she paired with the Pennsylvania

I think you earned it. You deserve break.

At the end. Did you want to say anything about like how you chose them or what it was you were looking for in a guest.

I wanted an eclectic mix, which we definitely got. A lot comes down and booking to availability of guests. You know, I really wanted a tennis player, pro tennis player. Duh, they're all in China. They're all playing in China. Beth and Shauna booking department. That is a that is a tough job. Every publicist is like pitching them and they've got to deal with all this bs and it's.

So hard to schedule drinks with a friend, I know.

And now you're like booking, you know. So I asked for the Israel Palestine. I said, we really need somebody that can digest this, distill it, an expert, because it's not me and I'm comfortable saying that. And that was just such a beautiful booking because I could make my jokes up front, I could make a quick take that I still stand by that take Britain did start this one hundred years ago by drawing maps. I mean the Romans started at three thousand years ago, but that's a

Because in principle, we the United States, stand for something beyond just ourselves. I mean maybe America First doesn't quite say that, but the Statue of Liberty does. We all came from somewhere, right, I mean the Jews and the Palestinians are the same people. They came from the same place,

Yeah?

That's why it matters to us as Americans. Not because oil is going to one point fifty, not because people are losing their job. No, it's because we as Americans if we stand for anything, we stand for that.

And then Emily Oster, my wife just has all our books and has helped us in parenting. I was wondering if yeah, yeah, and then Rihann and Giddens. I love the idea of a musical guest. To be honest, I wasn't fully aware of her prior to the booking, but one of those wonderful surprises where it's like, holy shit, I can't believe this person hasn't been on radar. And that's kind of what I loved about her. She's so accomplished, but she's not a master marketer, she's not a master instagrammer.

Yeah, that's awesome.

It was fun. And it's like when you ask your friend to come on The Daily Show, they kind of have to say yes.

It's kind of nice, Oh yeah, I.

Can say no. Yeah.

In terms of Jordan jonas your friend, so you actually you did know him before you guys were friends. He does like wilderness experiences. He's a wilderness guide and you took one of his courses.

Yeah.

I mean I knew him because my wife bought me for a birthday gift a week in the Bitterroot Mountains at eleven thousand feet a week with him to learn and other other psychos that wanted to do this. Actually, I think she was just trying to kill me. My wife like, here, go to the mountains. So he Yeah, he texted me. She was like, didn't work. He's coming back to live and even worse, he's never gonna stop talking about this trip. Yeah, so he teaches you survival skills.

Kind of like worse.

It's way worse. It's way worse, and it's like, oftentimes I'll throw meat away it's gone bad. I don't even know what this animal looks like. And so I really had a profound I don't know what a cow looks like. I had a profound experience out there feeling really connected to nature. And Jordan is such a patient. I mean, I am like an idiot. I don't know how to

You're like, yeah, get your knife, get your knife out, buddy, let's.

Let's go stab somebody.

In terms of like the work that goes into it, like you know, we both we usually come to work every day, do stand up at night?

Now both you know we have two kids. Family terrible, Well.

You have twins? Are we allowed to say that? I mean, yeah, you can say, yeah, also feel good to come to work.

Yeah, it's like a break. Yeah, it's like this past Sunday night, I was exhausted. I was like, I can't wait to go to work tomorrow and relax.

I know. And then what happens when they get older is I start I hate to hate to admit this. I love my children, but I start to see the weekends as the work days and the work days the weekends, and I love both.

But I mean, we also a lucky that we do have a pretty fun job.

Yeah, I'm not like pressing aluminum steel.

Yeah, I'm like, we.

Get to go and hang out with fool people and write jokes all day. What was that workload like being the host? Did you notice a like a massive difference of what it really took from you.

Day to day.

It is wild that the more you're involved, the more the show feels like your show, you know. So I was very appreciative that you get to that morning meeting at nine am before the writer's meeting and you can help select some of the stories, and it's like that really starts things off. Yeah, but the hardest part is you go all day working on the show and that at like six, you're supposed to be mister funny guy.

Grab it a guy to come to the right Yeah, yeah, you.

Have a dentist come to the office. But I got better with the workload as the week went on. Part of the sadness of guest hosting is you kind of feel like you understand what's going on, and when it's over, yeah, you know, it's like a vacation, Like I know that's my dive bar, this vacation. It's like you're going home tomorrow.

But I know Carlos exactly exactly.

So, uh, it's a hard job. It's a slog, it's a day job. It makes me laugh when I read that these celebrities want the job. They don't want the job. They want their name on the poster. It's a hard job.

You gotta like be at work at nine am, correct every day.

And then if you don't know a subject, you got to start to learn it. Yeah, so that's what's fun for me, but it is it's a hard job. And I remember at the Emmys a couple of years ago when everyone was like waiting for their bus because that, to me, that seems like all I ever remember for the Emmys is never knowing where your bus is. Somebody from Succession one of the EPs was like, what you guys do is actually noteworthy?

Oh yeah.

The fucking Succession EP was like, you guys have a hard job. We're just playing make believe over here. And I was like, well, then give us more time at the fucking Emmys, okay, go.

Yeah, Like we get like the writers and different categories are like, oh hey, you guys gonna be the creative arts some means, and we're not going to televise those categories.

And it's like, all right, I know.

One of the things we have every guest host do is a deep dive right into a particular topic that may not get a lot of attention or is really important to them. And you wanted to tackle the plastic water bottle crisis that's killing the environment.

Let's talk about water it's the thing you hope you just sat in on the subway.

According to doctors.

We're supposed to drink water basically every day, and in America, most of us do that with the help of these the number one package drink in the United States. It doesn't coke or gatorade or even hater aid, it's bottled water. We Americans buy fifty billion disposable water bottles a year. And I know what you're thinking, Oh shit, another depressing environment story. So can I not even drink water without ruining my children's future?

But that's the thing.

This is one environment story that actually has a really easy solution.

And I'm gonna tell you what it is.

Another installment of long story short.

What made you pick that and how did you feel it worked on the show? And what did you do to prepare for it?

I like water stories. I believe it might is it hydrologist?

Is that the word that's hydrologist?

Hydrologist? But also the other word that I really like is limnology, the study of fresh water. I know, might I might be pronouncing around total nerd. I love water. I love water. It sounds funny to say into a microphone.

He sounds very high.

I fucking love water. I'm a Michigander. We're surrounded by water. We take it for granted. All these other problems in our world, social problems that they only exist because we're like functioning as humans with flesh because we have water. So it starts with this passion for water. The water bottle became a pitch in the water world that I really resonated with, and that was like, oh my god, we all do this. I mean, Americans using fifty billion

Yeah you know.

So I was like, yeah, gotcha. So I want it to be known to everybody that yes, I have used a plastic bottle in my life, and maybe that's how I know about the subject.

He's being honest as yeah, yeah, growing and change.

Growing and changing. How did it work? I think it worked great?

Funny.

Yeah, I don't know, like how we determine that, Like, has did plastic bottle consumption go down after this piece? That'd be nice enough get on a podcast exactly. One of my favorite parts of The piece is what you have in your hands, right and down.

I have this giant, massive half gallon that I feel twice a day.

I love that you have that. God, it's a big one too.

That's great, it's enough to keep getting up to reach.

No, it's excellent. It's excellent. And it was really important for me that this long story short had an answer, had a solution. Yeah, really important because we're all tired of hearing that the climate's changing and then just being like, Okay, well I can't. What do you want me to do? Fight big oil?

Yeah, using a refillable water bottle cuts down on fossil fuels, creates less waste, and could even save you sixteen thousand dollars over its lifetime.

That's enough to pay for.

A luxury vacation or sixteen shitty vacations. So, long story short, this is like the easiest choice in the history of no brainers. If everyone in the United States just went with a reuse of water bottles, we'd save money, solve an environmental crisis. And the best part of that is

That's how you save the player.

One of the favorite parts of the piece was when it was like, hey, open your kitchen cupboard right now, you have nine of these things already, Like you already have them, so just.

Start to use gifts and you're like, I don't want this.

Yeah, just you already use it. So it's simple. If people take one thing from it, it's just use a reusable water bottle. I truly believe in twenty years we're going to look back on this timeframe like our parents that look back on smoking. Oh yeah, and be like, oh, you just use the disposable water bottle. Of them used a day a day, so it's ridiculous. So it was a small little attack, I hope, and I hope it. I hope it helped.

Yeah, Pool and Springs comes from Yeah.

Come well, Pool and Springs can still sell us water, but just sell it in a usable double the price.

Yeah, you said you're like water stories really quick, I have one. I'm not sure what you mean by water stories.

Maybe this one and we'll see.

I do have twins I'll make this quick, and so I drink a lot of water so I can make enough breast milk for them.

It's so important.

And at the very beginning, I was drinking so much water I gave myself hyponatremia.

No. Yes, I've never known anybody to actually adds.

I started feeling, you know, nauseu is sick, dead, dizzy, And so I went to the doctor that took my blood. I had washed out all my electrolytes. I had no cue over over water, overwatered, and my doctor was like, just stop drinking water.

I have never heard anybody. I mean, I'm fully believed that this entire world would be way healthier and less war and anger if we were just more hydrated. But you are the one.

Who little too far plenty of breast milk though I had a lot of breast milk, right, but it looked at it and they were like, super athletes, get this, people who use party drugs like ecstasy.

Yeah, And I was just like, oh, well, we can add black dating others to that list.

I thought you could give babies water.

Oh you're not supposed to do that. Yeah, you learned that the hard way.

I didn't, but I was like, probably filling up a bottle, and my wife was like, what the fuck are you doing.

Also, they can just take a bath by themselves too, right.

Right, Yeah, No, but it's good that you drink that much water.

Yeah, I'm doing it before we do wrap up.

Was there anything that really stood out from your hosting week that you wanted to talk about or say, you know, the share that maybe you didn't get a chance to.

I think the viewers know this because they're really loyal to us. But there's just so many people involved. Yeah, and I tried to thank a lot of people. But you leave the building going like audio or oh, like the graphics. There's just so many people connected to the show that work, and it's just a really fun team environment.

Yeah.

I love stand up too because I get to say and do whatever I want. But it's fun to be in a team environment. We're all moving towards the same goal, which is to shoot the show, and it's to make you look good, and it's to make me look good.

And one day we'll accomplish.

Even deesus tonight he's out there trying to make me look good. No, but I was very appreciative of the week. And you the writers did an excellent job making me feel like me, thank you.

That's important. Yeah, you're welcome. You're welcome, Cat, And how did your family feel like about you hosting?

Like? It was great?

Yeah, it was great. I said on my own podcast, The Tennis Anyone Podcast with Michael Costa that I don't understand how anybody could do this without like a supportive partner. Oh yeah, I mean I wasn't home all week. My kids came to the show Monday. I kissed him on the head and then ran into the writer's room. So this was a team effort all around. I felt very supported at home. It's very important. And then to have the enthusiasm of my wife too, kept coming to the

You're like, what's time in her life? She was proud of you, exactly.

Possibly, or she's just like, no, you actually have something fun to go to now.

It's not just like a bar show exactly.

So I felt a lot of love and it makes you feel good inside. And then Monday I came back to this studio to shoot something because they needed to throw me off a ledge and die in a project conspiracy piece, and I said, this is perfect.

You're like, yep, and I'm back.

So thanks for asking me such cool questions.

Kat Oh, hey anytime. And again, I really I think you crushed it. It was super fun and you know everyone at the show and the writing stuff especially, I think everyone had a blast that week and we're cheering for you and wanted you to succeed, and you did.

That's nice. I felt it.

Thank you all right, awesome.

Thanks for listening to The Daily Show Ears edition. I'm Michael Costa and.

I'm Kat Radley.

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