Michael Kosta

Date: 2025-03-14 | Duration: 2h 47m

Episode Overview

Michael, a writer and correspondent at The Daily Show, joins Joe fresh off touring Austin for South by Southwest — where every show is sold out. Joe shows him the archery range at his new comedy club before they settle in to discuss Jon Stewart's return to The Daily Show and why Stewart is one of the most important unifying forces in American media. Michael describes the morning writers' room with Stewart: he comes in like a college professor who's also in charge, takes all sides seriously, genuinely debates everything, then someone yells a dick joke and the whole meeting shifts. It's a masterclass in holding the line between sharp political commentary and comedy that everyone can find something in. They also cover the state of stand-up, the comedy club explosion in Austin, and what it means to have all your shows sell out at the biggest music-and-culture festival in the country.

About Michael Kosta

Michael Kosta is a dynamic standup comedian and the current host of "The Daily Show," where he brings his sharp wit and observational humor to a national audience. A former professional tennis player, Kosta combines his love for the sport with comedy in his new book, "Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy," which explores the intersection of these two passions. Additionally, he hosts his own podcast, "Tennis Anyone," where he engages with fellow tennis enthusiasts and fans of comedy alike. Known for his relatable storytelling and charismatic stage presence, Kosta captivates audiences with his unique blend of humor and insights into the world of sports and entertainment. Discover more about him at www.michaelkosta.com.

Key Moments

– Jon Stewart back at The Daily Show — why he's a unifying force
– The Daily Show writers' room — how Stewart runs morning meetings
– South by Southwest Austin — sold-out stand-up shows
– Joe's comedy club — the archery range and what he's built
– The balance between political commentary and comedy
– Stand-up comedy explosion in Austin
0:00:00 – Joe shows off the archery range at his new comedy club
0:00:29 – Jon Stewart — one of the most important people for unifying America
0:00:42 – Stewart's morning writers' room — college professor in charge, then dick joke
2:40:48 – All shows at SXSW are sold out — come wait at the front

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 Joe Rogan Podcast, checking out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Trained by day, Joe Rogan Podcast by night, all day. Yes sir, Michael. Good to see you, my friend. Thank you. Thanks for having me and really appreciate you showing me around. Wow, what a space you've created, man. Thank you. Thank you. That's so cool. Keeps going. I was excited to show you the picture of my sauna. And then you show me, you got an archery. Starting point is 00:00:29 It's so cool, man. Thank you. That's so cool. It's fun. So we were just singing Jon Stewart's praises before this started, but I'm so happy he's back at The Daily Show. And I'm so happy he makes fun of everything. And I'm so happy he still makes dick jokes. Starting point is 00:00:42 You know, it's fun. It's like The Daily Show seems like The Daily Show again like that guy's a very unique dude Very unique person and one of the most important like pieces to like unify everybody He's reasonable. He gets the whole big picture like let's stop being so fucking ridiculously tribal in the morning meeting He'll come in and we're all sitting there, the writers, and he just kind of shuts the door behind him, and we start talking, but it's like a conversation with a college professor, but he's in charge, Starting point is 00:01:15 and it's beautiful. All sides, this, I disagree with that, what about this? And it's like, oh wow, it's really fun to be a part of. And then someone will yell out a dick joke, and then that joke will make it to the show too. It's like smart things and dumb things. That's beautiful. Well, he's never abandoned being a real comic, Starting point is 00:01:31 which is what got him to the dance in the first place. So he always has those instincts. And he's the very best at holding a line and making something even more preposterous just with a facial expression and pointing out like these fucking unbelievably ridiculous in-your-face hypocrisies that we see every day from both sides. Yeah from ...

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Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2290?

Michael Kosta was the guest on JRE #2290. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2290?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2290 with Michael Kosta, topics include Jon Stewart back at The Daily Show — why he's a unifying, The Daily Show writers' room — how Stewart runs morning, South by Southwest Austin — sold-out stand-up shows, and Joe's comedy club — the archery range and what he's built.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2290?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2290 with Michael Kosta is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.