Michael Kosta
About Michael Kosta
Michael Kosta, born September 27, 1979, is an American stand-up comedian and former professional tennis player. He is an Emmy award-winning rotating host and senior correspondent of The Daily Show, where he was hired as a correspondent in 2017 and was the most-watched guest host in 2023. He has also hosted The Comment Section for the E! Network with producer Joel McHale and co-hosted Fox Sports 1's Crowd Goes Wild. His one-hour stand-up special for Comedy Central debuted in 2020.
Kosta was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and went to Huron High School before attending the University of Illinois, where he played on four Big Ten Championship tennis teams. After earning a bachelor's degree in Speech Communications in 2002, he played tennis on the ITF and ATP tour for two years and was once ranked #864 in the world before being hired as the Assistant Men's Tennis Coach for the University of Michigan. While coaching, he began to explore stand-up comedy, and in 2005 he began a full-time job as a stand-up comic based in Los Angeles.
Kosta has had major appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Conan, Chelsea Lately, and Late Night with Seth Meyers, as well as a half-hour Comedy Central Presents special in January 2011. In 2015, he released his first comedy album, Comedy For Attractive People, on Comedy Dynamics Records, and in 2022 he released his one-hour Comedy Central special Michael Kosta: Detroit. NY. LA. He has been a rotating co-host of The Daily Show since 2024. He hosts his own podcast, Tennis Anyone, and in 2025 released a memoir, Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy, published by Harper Influence. He is married with two children.
Videos (492)
Videos 1 to 24 of 492.
1:33Mark Carney great stick handling | Michael Kosta
968.6K views
1:02More and more Americans are organizing and expressing their discontent. All sides welcome.
730.9K views
0:13New hack unlocked
81.5K views
38:18Tennis Anyone w/ Michael Kosta | Stephen Colbert & My Love of Late Night
63.6K views
1:29This is your life. Thank you Molly Shannon for being so open & vulnerable. You're a true SuperStar!
43.4K views
6:01Michael Kosta stand up comedy
40.4K views
0:13Say something in Mandarin
34K views
0:52When I Was On Name That Tune
30K views
0:5920/40 Anyone else feel the same way? What are your examples?
28.4K views
0:59They are radicalizing me.
28.2K views
39:25New Material: Making Fun of ICE, Cold Weather & An Almost Dry January | Michael Kosta | FULL SET
26.5K views
42:02New Material: Iran War Makes No Sense, Ranting Against Pickleball, & Jokes About March | FULL SET
22.1K views
0:53The Level of Trump's Presidential Communication
19.4K views
0:16USA quick thoughts
18.8K views
0:29New York City baby.
17.9K views
3:18Michael Kosta annoyed at texters
15.9K views
0:55The Truth About ICE Training | Michael Kosta
15.8K views
0:48Some Kosta thoughts on our current southern border situation…
14K views
0:52Anyone else have this same wife?
13.8K views
0:19Ridiculous I wasn’t invited to this year
13.7K views
0:47Some of these attention-getting posers say they are alpha but are far from it
13K views
35:26Tennis Anyone w/ Michael Kosta | Laughing at Comedians in Saudi Arabia
13K views
1:10My thoughts this AM
13K views
0:28Comedians Doing the Riyadh Comedy Festival
12.6K viewsGuest appearances (109)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Michael Kosta.
Guest appearances 73 to 96 of 109.
13:46Michael Kosta Blows the Lid Off Three Conspiracies | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
96.6K views
7:16Michael Kosta On Having Jon Stewart As His Monday ‘Opener’ | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
95.6K views
1:01With new standards set on PFAs in drinking water, can Michael Kosta still use a nine-year old Brita?
Jon Stewart
94K views
1:24Why Michael Kosta Went from Pro Tennis Player to Comedian - After the Cut | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
93.1K views
18:17Michael Kosta's Top Moments as Guest Host | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
91.8K views
1:13Michael Kosta: A Doctor of Many Charts | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
90.9K views
1:33Michael Kosta’s Tips for Living With Your Parents | The Daily Social Distancing Show
Jon Stewart
85.9K views
5:09Michael Kosta On Trying To 'Find The Funny' While Filming in Eagle Pass, TX | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
79.8K views
2:10Humanity can’t thrive if astronauts stay abstinent, so Michael Kosta finds out how to smash in space
Jon Stewart
79.7K views
1:58Wordle 101 with Pro Michael Kosta | The Daily Show
Jon Stewart
64.8K views
1:59How Michael Kosta went from staring at himself in a glass door to hosting
Jon Stewart
62.7K views
1:15Michael Kosta shares why the Beastie Boys would be the perfect headliner for an concert
Jon Stewart
60.9K views
5:14Michael Kosta Stand-Up Performance - Late Night with Seth Meyers
Seth Meyers
50.5K views
1:45Registered cinephile Michael Kosta couldn't be more excited about this summer's popcorn buckets
Jon Stewart
47.3K views
9:01Michael Kosta on Booze
Neal Brennan
47.1K views
1:08:52Michael Kosta | Blocks Podcast w/ Neal Brennan
Neal Brennan
34.7K views
5:47Michael Kosta's GENIUS 'Birdman' Joke
Neal Brennan
19.8K views
1:12:33Tennis feat. Michael Kosta | I Don't Know About That with Jim Jefferies
Jim Jefferies
16.6K views
0:45Michael Kosta FORGOT He's Funny
Neal Brennan
12.4K views
1:13Michael Kosta: "It's OK to QUIT"
Neal Brennan
12.3K views
1:04What Michael Kosta texted Trevor Noah when he hosted The Daily Show
Neal Brennan
11.2K views
1:08:55Michael Kosta | Senses Working Overtime with David Cross | Headgum
David Cross
10K views
1:09Michael Kosta & Neal Brennan on New Jokes Bombing
Neal Brennan
7.9K views
0:57"Effort is Sexy" - Michael Kosta
Neal Brennan
6.8K viewsChannels on this page: Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Neal Brennan, Jim Jefferies, David Cross
Frequently asked questions
What is Michael Kosta best known for?
He is an Emmy award-winning rotating host and senior correspondent of The Daily Show, where he was hired as a correspondent in 2017.
Was Michael Kosta a professional athlete?
Yes, he is a former professional tennis player who played on the ITF and ATP tour and was once ranked #864 in the world.
Where did Michael Kosta play college tennis?
He attended the University of Illinois, where he played on four Big Ten Championship tennis teams, and earned a bachelor's degree in Speech Communications in 2002.
What memoir did Michael Kosta write?
In 2025, he released a memoir titled Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy, published by Harper Influence.
What are Michael Kosta's Comedy Central specials?
He had a half-hour Comedy Central Presents special in January 2011 and released his one-hour special Michael Kosta: Detroit. NY. LA. in 2022.
Comedians similar to Michael Kosta
Same comedic style, across countries
