The Precap with Michael Kosta

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition – The Precap with Michael Kosta

Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Michael Kosta
Guest/Co-host: Matt O'Brien (Daily Show writer/producer)

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Episode Overview

This episode inaugurates "The Precap"—an informal, behind-the-scenes Monday chat where the week’s Daily Show host riffs with a staff writer about major headlines, stories missed during hiatus, and upcoming coverage. Host Michael Kosta and writer/producer Matt O’Brien banter their way through everything from global politics and pop culture to US Open scandals and the realities of parenting, all with The Daily Show's trademark satirical lens.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Daily Show’s Month-Long Hiatus & State of Late Night

• The crew jokes about the show being "off the air for a month" and how the scheduled break, coinciding with heightened uncertainty in late night TV, risked viewers forgetting about them.
  • “We took a month off during the most precarious time in television history to be a late night show...so that people could forget that we were a show.” —Matt O'Brien (04:00)
• Despite the hiatus, Kosta shares that fans reached out missing the show, adding, “No, I respond to every direct message. I get every direct message.” (04:36)

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2. Stories Missed During the Break

Trump & Putin Meet in Alaska

• Both found the U.S.-Russia summit surreal and ripe for satire.
  • “A complete upending of that entire historical relationship in one tarmac moment. The shaking of the hand and then reaching over and putting his hand on Putin's hand. I mean, it was really wild to see.” —Matt O'Brien (05:26)
  • “The President flew seven and a half hours and was still in the United States... Any diplomatic advantage was taken away.” —Michael Kosta (05:43)
• They riff on the performative nature and absurd logistics, such as the "halibut menu left in the printer," underscoring mishaps fitting the Trump administration’s reputation. (07:09)

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Get Engaged

• Both express little interest.
  • “I don't care.” —Michael Kosta (08:25)
• Kosta jokes that Swift’s choice to date an NFL player "hurt her with me," and they lampoon the forced enthusiasm of Swifties. (09:09)
  • “She should have checked with her fans before falling in love.” —Michael Kosta (09:48)

Trump Death Rumors & Obsession with Image

• Discussion about wild rumors of Trump’s failing health and the online obsession with every move.
• The hosts reference Trump's infamous concern for his shoes after an assassination attempt, speculating on whether he was wearing lifts. (10:55–11:44)

The CDC Turnover

• Both agree the CDC’s leadership churn isn’t great fodder for comedy.
  • “I find those topics should be covered by real journalists... but we're looking for the joke all the time.” —Michael Kosta (12:03–12:15)

Burning Man Orgy Dome Destroyed

• The destruction of a legendary Burning Man fixture leads to jokes about God’s wrath versus climate change, and the paperwork required to participate.
  • “One of the least erotic things is all the paperwork and sterile rubber gloves that go into a desert orgy.” —Matt O'Brien (16:09)
• They mock the paradox of anti-establishment counterculture events burdened by legal waivers and logistics.
  • “Burning Man… has a terms and conditions that the legal department came up with.” —Michael Kosta (16:36)

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3. The Week Ahead: Stories They Might Cover

US Open: Where Sports Meet Geopolitics

• Kosta, a former professional tennis player, reflects both on his past and drama at the US Open.
  • “I love the sport of tennis... but I always am afraid to bring tennis into my comedy world...because it’s a global sport. You get real geopolitical stuff.” —Kosta (20:08)
• Highlights include:
  • Russian/Ukrainian player tensions.
  • The viral “Polish CEO” who snatched a hat from a child, refusing to apologize, epitomizing the new era of non-apology culture.
    • “I think it is the Trump permission... Permission to not apologize.” —Kosta (23:52)
  • Internet mob justice and its overreach.

Epstein List & Political Spin

• As victims speak out, Trump calls it a “Democrat hoax”—despite GOP resistance to releasing files.
  • “He’s holding the line, he’s towing the line. There’s nothing particularly funny and it’s more tragic, particularly when you’re humanizing and seeing the victims on the White House property.” —Matt O'Brien (26:46)
  • “It feels like Trump has done so many things that should bother people, but this is the one that his own party is really fixed on.” —Kosta (27:05)

National Guard in American Cities

• Debate about the legality and optics of deploying National Guard for everyday enforcement, violating Posse Comitatus.
  • “Do you want the leader of a world to use the military to enforce his beliefs?” —Kosta (28:16)
  • “A highly skilled, expensive, well outfitted, killing soldier machine is picking up trash. The way I get leaves off my lawn with a bad back on a Sunday.” —Kosta (29:35)
• They predict this would be great Daily Show material, though unlikely to make the final cut.

Lighter/Trending Topics

• The Forbes 400 List—Trump’s obsession with his ranking.
  • “This week, where he stands on the Forbes 400 list. It’s New York Fashion Week.” —Matt O'Brien (31:11)
• New York Fashion Week: jokes about "orgy domes" and rampant event branding.
• Trump’s paper "crypto" gain vs. Hunter Biden’s art sales.
• The NFL returns: Kosta eschews fan talk even as he acknowledges the communal power of sports.
  • “As American citizens... let’s also pay attention to what’s happening in Washington D.C. because it is important and it will fuck up the NFL schedule if we don’t.” —Kosta (34:47)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the State of Late Night and Hiatus

• “We took a month off during the most precarious time in television history...so people could forget that we were a show.” —Matt O'Brien (04:00)

On Political Theater

• “A complete upending...in one tarmac moment.” —Matt O'Brien (05:26)
• “The President flew seven and a half hours and was still in the United States.” —Michael Kosta (05:43)

On Taylor Swift & NFL Flirtation

• “Her likability went down for me.” —Kosta (08:48)

On Burnout & Parenting

• “I am a camp counselor...I can tell you how much milk is in the fridge. I can tell you that we need more snacks.” —Kosta (37:06)
• “Summer for parents is exhausting and hard. It kind of sucks.” —Kosta (40:50)

On Modern Outrage & Shame

• “I end up defending this asshole...because the Internet went too far.” —Kosta (22:11)
• “It is the Trump permission... Permission to not apologize.” —Kosta (23:52)

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Timestamps for Significant Segments

• [01:44] – Podcast proper begins; banter about show's break and return
• [05:02] – Discussion of headlines missed during hiatus (Trump & Putin’s Alaska meeting)
• [08:25] – Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce engagement: disinterest and Swifties jokes
• [10:24] – Trump’s health rumors and assassination scare
• [11:51] – CDC shakeup and why some stories don’t work for satire
• [14:09] – Burning Man Orgy Dome destroyed
• [18:43] – US Open, viral moments, and geopolitics in sport
• [26:20] – Epstein List, victims' statements, political spins
• [27:38] – National Guard’s legality, public optics, and farce
• [31:18] – Forbes List, Fashion Week, crypto, and NFL return
• [36:43] – 'Daily Show and Tell' segment; Kosta’s parenting reality check
• [40:50] – Kosta’s “big tot take” on exhausting summer parenting

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The tone is wry, self-deprecating, and conversational, poking fun at both the seriousness and absurdity of recent events. Kosta and O’Brien toggle between wry disbelief and earnest societal critique, blending jokes about cultural and political moments with heavier observations about media, power, and the relentless churn of news.

Listeners get a candid, irreverent look at what stories The Daily Show team watches—and how they decide what’s ripe for satire versus what’s just sad, confusing, or best left to “real journalists.”

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For those who missed the episode, this Precap serves up a nimble, entertaining stroll through the week’s unpredictable news, peppered with sharp jokes and genuine insight about outrage culture, media spin, and the exhaustion of American civic (and parenting) life.

Transcript

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[Michael Costa]

Whoa. When did I get here?

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[Michael Costa]

I swear it was just moments ago that I accepted a great offer from Carvana online.

[Matt O'Brien]

I must have time traveled to the future.

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[Michael Costa]

It is the future.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's.

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It's the present. And just the convenience of Carvana. Sorry to blow your mind.

[Michael Costa]

It's all good. Happens all the time.

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[Michael Costa]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Matt O'Brien]

Costa, are you ready?

[Michael Costa]

I'm ready.

[Matt O'Brien]

I'll take my own cue.

[Michael Costa]

Okay.

[Matt O'Brien]

Hello, everyone.

[Michael Costa]

Welcome to the Pre Cap.

[Matt O'Brien]

Thank you for that. We're gonna be doing this every Monday, sitting down with the week's hosts to hear what they're excited to cover on the show. What they wish they could cover, but will probably get supplanted by something crazier or something more terrifying. And maybe stories that they're sad they didn't get to cover in previous weeks. They didn't get get a bite at that apple. My name's Matt o'.

[Michael Costa]

Brien.

[Matt O'Brien]

I'm a writer and producer on the Daily Show. Can you believe they got me? What a get.

[Michael Costa]

It's nice for me to finally hear what your title is.

[Matt O'Brien]

That was news, honestly, to Comedy Central.

[Michael Costa]

Right.

[Matt O'Brien]

Anyway, after a contentious negotiation, they nailed me down and here I am on the pre Cap. A true highlight. And I'm sitting here with this week's host, the great Michael Costa.

[Michael Costa]

That's right. Thanks, Matt. Thanks for Michael.

[Matt O'Brien]

Welcome.

[Michael Costa]

Thank you.

[Matt O'Brien]

To the pre Cap.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. Which is a preview.

[Matt O'Brien]

Preview.

[Michael Costa]

And a Recap at the.

[Matt O'Brien]

That's correct.

[Michael Costa]

And it could have been the View, the preview. It could have been the View Re. The review. Yes.

[Matt O'Brien]

Well, we're going to go with Pre Cap this week. But the. What did you call it?

[Michael Costa]

The re review.

[Matt O'Brien]

The Cap View.

[Michael Costa]

The Cap View.

[Matt O'Brien]

The Cap View. Welcome to the Cap View.

[Michael Costa]

That's no good.

[Matt O'Brien]

We'll cut that out.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

All right. So the Pre Cap. What did we miss? We've been off the air for a month.

[Michael Costa]

Okay. I wasn't sure that was public, but yep.

[Matt O'Brien]

Most people are just now realizing that was scheduled. That was scheduled.

[Michael Costa]

It's not like something happened. Then we went off the air for a month. It was a scheduled off the month.

[Matt O'Brien]

A long scheduled break for the show to go off the air for a month to refuel our brains. And now.

[Michael Costa]

It didn't help that it was two weeks after.

[Matt O'Brien]

After Colbert.

[Michael Costa]

Colbert just got canceled, so it didn't help.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

But it was nice to have a month off of work.

[Matt O'Brien]

We took a month off during the most precarious time in television history to be a late night show. It's true. So that people could forget that we were a show. All right. But we're back and now people are so excited. The millions of people listening are so excited to have us back. So why don't we just talk about some of the biggest messages?

[Michael Costa]

You know, Matt, people do actually tell me that they miss the show when we take a break.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

I mean, I'm being serious. I get messages saying, we need the show back.

[Matt O'Brien]

Okay, that's good. I feel like those are people that just want to feel like they're contacting a celebrity that's possible to have some, you know, to feel something like, oh, you're on the show. Nobody says anything to me.

[Michael Costa]

Right. No one ever says anything to me.

[Matt O'Brien]

Okay.

[Michael Costa]

No, I respond to every direct message. I get every direct message.

[Matt O'Brien]

Just a series of bots telling you, oh, 100% we miss show. No, that's fantastic that people reach out and notice that the show's gone.

[Michael Costa]

Yes.

[Matt O'Brien]

All right, so you've got a big week coming up. So some of the stories that we missed.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

And maybe we can just weigh in on them now, because there's nothing better than weighing in on things long after they've happened. Putin and Trump, they met in Alaska. Of course.

[Michael Costa]

I thought that was. That was the only one where on vacation, I was like, oh, it'd be fun to run that through the Daily show machine.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yes.

[Michael Costa]

There was a lot of fun stuff there.

[Matt O'Brien]

I mean, a complete upending of that entire historical relationship in one tarmac moment. The shaking of the hand and then reaching over and putting his hand on Putin's hand. I mean, it was really wild to see.

[Michael Costa]

Also, the President flew seven and a half hours and was still in the United States. I mean, Putin's travel was way less.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yes, that's true.

[Michael Costa]

So any diplomatic advantage was taken away. Even though it was a home game for America, it was an away game. It's like when baseball teams would go play in, like, Puerto Rico, you know, it's like it's not. And it's a home game, but it's not a home game.

[Matt O'Brien]

They're sleeping in their childhood bedroom. Is that what you're saying? That's what I'm trying to say.

[Michael Costa]

No, but I thought that would be a fun one to talk about, because then the next day, I think Trump had everybody fly to him in D.C. i don't know, I thought, you know, I was like, hey, that'd be fun to.

[Matt O'Brien]

Not to mention the entire thing was sort of. I mean, it was this big event. But then it was. It was very cryptic. They were very careful about giving these sort of ambiguous reviews as to what went down. That kind of thing. There was not. It felt like this huge moment and not much changed after. It was completely performative.

[Michael Costa]

They did release the menu. They did. And then they didn't eat it. They didn't do the dinner.

[Matt O'Brien]

Was that one of the things that was left in the printer at a hotel was the menu?

[Michael Costa]

Yes. So there was a menu, and it was halibut. Of course it was. You think actually it'd be salmon, but.

[Matt O'Brien]

They flew in halibut from South America to Alaska meanwhile.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. So they left something in the printer, which really does summarize a lot of this administration. And I bet you other administrations left things in the printer, but for whatever reason, it just really fits with the Trump administration.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's another moment of a long line of classified information being mishandled, whether it's a chat, a group chat on signal, or a rogue printer behind a Holiday Inn desk.

[Michael Costa]

And I guess they chose not to eat dinner. I just, you know, I was thinking, look, I think I was thinking about the chef. I was thinking about the sous chefs. I was thinking about the person who sourced the fish. I was thinking about the fish, the poor fish. Those fish were raised their whole life to be eaten by high level.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

And then instead it was eaten by.

[Matt O'Brien]

Now they're just ground into slurry to be sprinkled.

[Michael Costa]

They've been turned into Omega 3 fatty tablets into tablets. This pot is crushing it.

[Matt O'Brien]

So far we've covered a lot. You take that the daily. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey, of course, got engaged. Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

I don't care. Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah. That is a piece of meat that's been picked over a lot.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

And yeah, who cares?

[Michael Costa]

And I don't even have a, I don't even have a take. Yeah. Other than I don't care.

[Matt O'Brien]

Is it because. Did you care? Did you ever care? You know, I mean, at first it was. I mean, it's been a big story now for a few years.

[Michael Costa]

Does anybody else feel like. Once Taylor Swift started to date an NFL player, I felt like that was. That hurt her with me. That hurt her with, with me. That, that lessened my. When Taylor Swift started dating an NFL player, for me, her likability went down well.

[Matt O'Brien]

I, I, it always made me laugh because the, what do they call Taylor Swift's. The Swifties. Yeah, they were, they've always been hysterical about, you know, her deserving the best. And they'd always rooted for her to be with Prince Charming. Just this perfect.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

You know Eric from the Little Mermaid guy. And she started dating Grog.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

And they kind of had to get behind it. Oh, yeah, he's, he's the one we were talking about. Prince Charming.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

It was always an odd match. And I think if Swifties had had their way, that was not who they would have matched her up with.

[Michael Costa]

And she should have checked with her fans before falling in love. That is true every celeb. And this is. I do, I've, I've done this as a celebrity. You need to check with your fan base before you make any life decision and make sure it's cool with them.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Very important. A poll on Instagram.

[Matt O'Brien]

I was gonna say you've already told people that you will respond to any and every dm, so, yeah, I think things are gonna get a lot busier for you online. Okay. We had Trump. There was a rumor, of course, that he was dead and that he had died.

[Michael Costa]

Really?

[Matt O'Brien]

Trump online, there was a big, that was one of the big online conspiracies is that he was dying or his health was failing quickly, that JD Vance was behind the scenes moving to assert his power because it was possible that Trump was going to die. There was a lot of rumors that he wouldn't stray far from Walter Reed. And it was really just because he hadn't been seen in public for three days.

[Michael Costa]

Do you remember when he was shot? Of course you do. I find it interesting that the first thing he said after eight bullets whiz past him was, can you get my shoes? I've always wondered what's going on there.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

A lot of people online think he wears lifts.

[Matt O'Brien]

Guys, let me get my shoes.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. Like, I faced death. I. This is scary. I don't really know what happened. You know, you've been in a car. Think about after a car accident. There's noises. It's scary. Have you ever said, like, oh, where's my book bag? After, you know, that was strange.

[Matt O'Brien]

An assassination attempt, but you will not make me walk barefoot across that lawn.

[Michael Costa]

Correct. And a lot of people online think he was wearing lifts. Oh, I don't know.

[Matt O'Brien]

Interesting.

[Michael Costa]

I don't know.

[Matt O'Brien]

And that's what he was trying.

[Michael Costa]

And that's what we'll cover this week on the Daily Show. I don't know. I just thought that was very, very interesting.

[Matt O'Brien]

Of course, the CDC is a bit of a mess.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

You know, people are being hired and fired within a week.

[Michael Costa]

I don't find those topics as fun to cover on the Daily Show. I find those topics should be covered by real journalists.

[Matt O'Brien]

Sure.

[Michael Costa]

Whereas the Daily show, we like to cover a story, but we're looking for the joke all the time. Putin meeting with Trump. Trump saying to me, that's a funnier thing to put through the Daily show machine than, hey, a bunch of people who are out there to protect our lives and our children's lives were fired. Go, writers.

[Matt O'Brien]

Well, sometimes we'll pivot to say how the media is covering it, the spin on it. Right.

[Michael Costa]

That's what our job is.

[Matt O'Brien]

Sort of the shameless spin coming from both sides of the aisle.

[Michael Costa]

Yes.

[Matt O'Brien]

That happened with, I mean, Putin and Trump. Not only was that a pretty remarkable footage to look at, but the spin that happened after the words, certainly on the right and left. The left, you know, obviously saying it was a sign of weakness, the right spinning it as a sign of strength and all and cherry picking all these little things. I feel like that's something we would have latched on.

[Michael Costa]

Correct.

[Matt O'Brien]

Is. Is, you know, the stark division between how it's covered. Of course, same with rfk. But you're right. I mean, there's nothing inherently funny about the CDC director resigning.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. And like, sometimes a month after, you know, being hired, sometimes you gotta cover it if you're hosting that day. And that's the news. But I will say, when I saw that story, I said, I'm happy, but we don't have to cover that.

[Matt O'Brien]

Okay. And of course, my. The most, I think Prominent story that we missed was the Burning man orgy dome was destroyed by a dust storm in the desert after many, many, many years of service.

[Michael Costa]

Is that true? Has the orgy dome been around for a long time?

[Matt O'Brien]

It's been around, yes. It's a long standing tradition of Burning Man. I've never been to Burning man, but my understanding and from the footage I've seen is it's been around for many years. The thing that I liked about that story personally is there was a argument that happened on social media. Some people argued it was climate change that destroyed the Burning man orgy dome, but other people are arguing that it was God's wrath.

[Michael Costa]

I was gonna say 100% God's wrath. Yeah. There's always a. There's gonna be a Christian element.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah. So you had to kind of choose a side.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Is it. Is it nature or is it climate change or is this just smiting?

[Michael Costa]

I love, love, love when nature just subtly reminds us that I'm in control of this. And people underestimate wind. I don't know if you have a rooftop in Brooklyn and you try to maintain a garden up there, but wind is no joke.

[Matt O'Brien]

Wow, that's a pretty big brag.

[Michael Costa]

Wind is tough. And I have never been to Burning Man. I have been to many orgy domes and a dome in the desert. You gotta deal with wind.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yes. This is something they should have anticipated, Correct? Yeah, you're right. You'd think after years and years that.

[Michael Costa]

It would be fortified, they should make it an aerodynamic fixture. But I guess that's the point. I guess.

[Matt O'Brien]

Like an orgy pyramid.

[Michael Costa]

A pyramid, yes. But I guess they're probably really locked into the dome thing.

[Matt O'Brien]

You gotta imagine there's probably many horny engineers that would be willing to come in pro bono and fix the orgy dome design architects, 100%. Also, one thing that I liked about the article about the orgy dome is they're talking about how you go and you have to sign a release.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, wow.

[Matt O'Brien]

And then you're given. A lot of people bring rubber gloves. And it just. It felt like one of the least erotic things is all the paperwork and sterile rubber gloves that go into a desert orgy. It just. To me, it took some of the hotness away from the desert orgy. Was the legal paperwork you had to go through before entering the orgy dome. All right, we'll move on from that.

[Michael Costa]

No, that is true. And it sucks to think that Burning man, which is this, I believe, celebration of free spirit and nature and breaking conventions, has a terms and conditions that the legal department, that the legal department came up with.

[Matt O'Brien]

And just reams and reams of paperwork. File. You know, it's like an old school doctor's office. Let me pull your file and see to make sure we have all of your signed contingencies removed before you go and have fun on a soiled mattress.

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[Michael Costa]

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[Michael Costa]

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[Matt O'Brien]

The pre cap. Let's see here. This is the pre cap guys just reminding you this is the pre cap. So this week let's talk about some of the things we could maybe get into this week. Now, all of this certainly could get easily preempted or knocked out by something crazier because that's just how the news works. All right. The US Open. You're big. Of course. A former semi professional tennis player.

[Michael Costa]

Sure. Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Was that fair to say?

[Michael Costa]

Well, the semi is unnecessary.

[Matt O'Brien]

Okay. You're a former professional tennis player.

[Michael Costa]

We'll say that.

[Matt O'Brien]

I like that you are a former professional tennis player. It was how you made a living.

[Michael Costa]

Ranked 864 in the world.

[Matt O'Brien]

Was my high 864th in the world. You know, bias highest I got. That's if you relative to the number of tennis players, that's got to be top 1%.

[Michael Costa]

I think it's higher than that, probably.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah, you're right. You're right. No, you're right. All right, so I'm here with the 864th best tennis player on the planet 25 years ago. 25 years ago.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Michael Costa. So, yeah, the US Open finished this past weekend. Any thoughts about the tournament? Anything you saw? I know you won a few nights.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, I mean, I.

[Matt O'Brien]

When you're there, do people say, hey, it's professional tennis player?

[Michael Costa]

They certainly don't say, hey, it's professional tennis player. They sometimes say. They point at me and they say, hey, that's that guy we hate. I actually stole that from a Robin. Robin Williams had a funny story about that. He was walking through Central park, and a dad and his son saw him, and the son turned to the dad and said, hey, dad, look, it's that guy we hate. Like, what a beautiful. Like, this is how we bond. Hating this person.

[Matt O'Brien]

I wonder what stage in his career that was. Was it after Awakenings?

[Michael Costa]

You know, was it. So I. You know what? I. I love the sport of tennis, and I love watching the sport of tennis, but I always am afraid to bring tennis into my comedy world, the other world. But what's interesting about tennis, in particular, the US Open, is because it's a global sport. I mean, you get real geopolitical stuff. And that I do think is relevant in the Daily show world.

[Matt O'Brien]

Real cultural tension.

[Michael Costa]

Absolutely. Like when a Russian player plays a Ukrainian player and the Ukrainian player refuses to shake her hand after that. That's fun to me. It's not fun. It's sad. But that is, like, real. And I think tennis.

[Matt O'Brien]

It raises the stakes, for sure.

[Michael Costa]

Yes.

[Matt O'Brien]

Beyond just the wins and losses.

[Michael Costa]

Correct.

[Matt O'Brien]

There's larger representation of your country, culture, pride.

[Michael Costa]

Yelena Ostapenka telling Taylor Townsend, a black American that she was uneducated. You know, a white Eastern European telling a black American woman, you know, that.

[Matt O'Brien]

Immediately gets saucy on her home turf.

[Michael Costa]

Correct.

[Matt O'Brien]

In America. In America, at the US Open.

[Michael Costa]

Right. So that gets very saucy very fast. Yep. The Polish construction CEO stealing the hat from the what looked like a wealthy young boy gets real saucy real fast. You know, I mean, I don't know. I don't know if you remember, everyone was criticizing the Polish construction man. He immediately lashed out and said, I don't apologize, and I will sue anybody who criticizes me. You know, immediately this tiny little tennis thing became like a political.

[Matt O'Brien]

That clip Is everywhere.

[Michael Costa]

Clips everywhere.

[Matt O'Brien]

By the way, the Internet hunts him down in a half hour.

[Michael Costa]

That's.

[Matt O'Brien]

That is terrifying.

[Michael Costa]

That is terrifying.

[Matt O'Brien]

No one is safe.

[Michael Costa]

It is terrifying. And also, I hate how I end up defending this asshole all the time on the Internet because the Internet went too far. What he did was terrible. The guy's a prick. But now it's like his home phone number and his address, and it's like. So now I'm going, look, the guy's.

[Matt O'Brien]

An idiot, but this is now a cataclysmic event in his life.

[Michael Costa]

Yes, correct. Correct.

[Matt O'Brien]

That sucks.

[Michael Costa]

If you don't remember what happened. A player tried to hand a hat to a boy that was, you know, waiting for an autograph, and the Polish CEO grabbed it from him before the boy could get. Before the boy could get it. So. And it's one of those beautiful player.

[Matt O'Brien]

Didn't notice. He was just signing autographs. Who was. Who was the player?

[Michael Costa]

I forget. Yeah, I forget. But it was a fun. It's one of those perfect viral Coldplay dancing moments where we love to weigh in, but we don't really feel any stakes.

[Matt O'Brien]

Is it also. And I imagine this can happen at any tennis tournament, but it doesn't feel like something that would happen at Wimbledon.

[Michael Costa]

You're right.

[Matt O'Brien]

Right. I mean, you're right. It's a little rowdier at the US Open.

[Michael Costa]

At Wimbledon, that guy would have been sniped from a long distance. Once he did that. No. New York.

[Matt O'Brien]

He would have been banned for life.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. Yeah. It's a private club. No. New York is rowdier. It's got that reputation. And. Yeah, that was a. I. What I find interesting about that is the fact that that man refused to apologize. I don't know. That's in the zeitgeist a lot now. And I think it is the Trump permission.

[Matt O'Brien]

Permission to not apologize.

[Michael Costa]

Correct that. You know that. Yeah. That is very much relevant in all subjects of our life now. And it's an interesting conversation about.

[Matt O'Brien]

Dig in and just let it pass.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yep.

[Michael Costa]

Which, you know, I would have if that was me being caught stealing from a young child. And by the way, I have done that many times. Yeah. But I'm. When I get caught, I would say, whoops, I shouldn't have done that. Here's the hat back. But I'm kind of a hero.

[Matt O'Brien]

Do you want to go into some of the things that you've stolen from children or. That'll be for the next pre cap. You got to leave him wanting more. There's got to be an arc to.

[Michael Costa]

This, but also Matt. I have been a young boy, of course, waiting for an autograph from someone.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yvonne Lendl.

[Michael Costa]

Jana Novotna.

[Matt O'Brien]

Okay, sure.

[Michael Costa]

And not gotten what I wanted, but the people around me have. That's a thing.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's a life lesson.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, it's a life lesson.

[Matt O'Brien]

Yep.

[Michael Costa]

And it does make you think about stuff. Foul balls. Hello. Hey. That was in my hand. And there's someone. So maybe this is how American.

[Matt O'Brien]

It bounced right past me.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, maybe this is how American kids get some great.

[Matt O'Brien]

That kid goes on to do great things.

[Michael Costa]

Correct.

[Matt O'Brien]

You know, or opens fire in public. We're not sure, but we'll wait to see.

[Michael Costa]

Well, the Internet will track him down in 10 years as well and see what hell, he will not apologize.

[Matt O'Brien]

Oh God. It'd be interesting to see if that stays in streaming now on Peacock, we.

[Michael Costa]

Sell toilet tissue and local newspapers. That is in order of quality. From the crew that brought you the office, my name is Ned Sampson.

[Matt O'Brien]

I am your new editor in chief.

[Michael Costa]

Comes a new comedy series.

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Have you read this paper? Uh huh.

[Matt O'Brien]

It sucks. But we are going to make it better.

[Michael Costa]

Meet the underdog journalists.

[Matt O'Brien]

I hope it's not too disruptive to have me shake everything up.

[Michael Costa]

Don't be so selfish. Defecating with major issues. Oscar. Oh God, not again.

[Matt O'Brien]

The paper only on Peacock. Streaming now.

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[Matt O'Brien]

All right, so a few things here. Epstein list, of course, is making a comeback. The victims are speaking out. Trump immediately calls it a Democratic hoax. I mean, literally, while they're still on the White House grounds, he comes out and says that the Epstein thing is a Democrat hoax.

[Michael Costa]

It's funny that he says Democrat because it really seems like it's the Republicans that are really fixed on this who.

[Matt O'Brien]

Are not voting to release the file. It's pretty clear cut, but he's holding the line, he's towing the line. There's nothing particularly funny and it's more tragic, particularly when you're humanizing and seeing the victims on the White House property.

[Michael Costa]

What's interesting about this topic from day one is that it feels like Trump has done so many things that should bother people, but this is the one that his own party is really fixed on. And hey, I'm all good. If they want to get fixed on this. Good. But they should also get fixed on the other stuff, like sending federal troops in to enforce local law. That's kind of fucked up.

[Matt O'Brien]

Well, let's talk about that. Of course, let's talk about that. The National Guard is in multiple cities.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Dc, although la, it was just ruled illegal. And so Posse Comitatus is coming up a lot, which is a law that basically keeps a separation between the military and local law enforcement. Basically a law from 1878.

[Michael Costa]

Rutherford beehives.

[Matt O'Brien]

I knew that. I didn't write it down. From 1878. That basically says that the military cannot enforce the law. It keeps troops from out of our streets, essentially.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. I mean, let's think about that.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's pretty cut and dry.

[Michael Costa]

Let's think like, do you want the leader of a world to use the military to enforce his beliefs?

[Matt O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

And that is what separates this country from a lot of other countries.

[Matt O'Brien]

Of course, it seems like a fairly.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

That's one of the basic principles that they founded it on. Right.

[Michael Costa]

And from what I can tell, he's kind of doing this knowing it's illegal, but just hoping to slowly desensitize us to this idea that federal troops are.

[Matt O'Brien]

And just selling it as a true improvement to the quality of life. It's funny to me to hear him brag, there was no crime. There's zero murders in D.C. last night. Well, the National Guard has been deployed, so yeah, that should be the case.

[Michael Costa]

Wasn't there footage of some of these National Guard, like, picking up trash?

[Matt O'Brien]

Yes. So that would be another thing is these troops who have been trained.

[Michael Costa]

Here we go.

[Matt O'Brien]

Oh, here it is.

[Michael Costa]

They're wearing reflective vests, like crossing guards. Yeah. By the way, this is belittling to these armed service men and women not to pick up trash. People gotta pick up trash.

[Matt O'Brien]

Of course.

[Michael Costa]

But this is not what they're trained to do.

[Matt O'Brien]

This is not what they signed up for.

[Michael Costa]

It's not what we are paying for. But so, yeah, to me, Matt, this has got Daily show written all over it. Of course, you know, a highly skilled, expensive, well outfitted, killing soldier machine is picking up trash. The way I get leaves off my lawn with a bad back on a. On a Sunday wearing the same vest.

[Matt O'Brien]

That they give to people directing traffic after a concert.

[Michael Costa]

Yes. So to Me, if I'm China or North Korea and I see this footage, this is like America. You are. You've lost it.

[Matt O'Brien]

Just drop candy wrappers on our CDs.

[Michael Costa]

By the way, that is a clean looking walkway there. It's clean than anything in New York City.

[Matt O'Brien]

I will say it looks clean. And there are no murders happening during the footage.

[Michael Costa]

So that's great Daily show fodder.

[Matt O'Brien]

Absolutely.

[Michael Costa]

Will we cover that? Probably not. Make it because something else will come along.

[Matt O'Brien]

The Forbes 400 list drops this week. It's something that President Trump pays attention to and I could see him complaining about where he's ranked. The liberal media hates him and wants to make him seem less wealthy. That, unfortunately, is something that will probably push out more important issues in his mind.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

This week, where he stands on the Forbes 400 list. It's new York Fashion Week, of course.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

I'm sorry I didn't bring this up earlier.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, yeah, for sure.

[Matt O'Brien]

And you're excited about all those, the shows, the parties, the big tents that are erected. What else happens during Fashion Week?

[Michael Costa]

Orgy domes.

[Matt O'Brien]

There's orgy. There's definitely Bryant Park. The Bryant Park Orgy Dome sponsored by Paramount Plus.

[Michael Costa]

Well, Forbes put Trump as number one as like a little as a appease the man.

[Matt O'Brien]

Well, he did just make $5 billion on paper from crypto.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, wow. Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Which that drives me pretty crazy.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

The fact that Hunter Biden tried to sell some paintings using his family connections and Trump's made $5 billion putting his name on a crypto coin that he's deregulated as president. But the NFL is back.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Are you into the NFL at all?

[Michael Costa]

No. No. And you know, I stopped wearing any sports looking paraphernalia out in public, period, because people would ask me what I thought of the nickel package defense or hey, did you see that Detroit traded the relieving pitcher? And I would go, why am I in this conversation?

[Matt O'Brien]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

I support athletics.

[Matt O'Brien]

This is an old Detroit Tigers T shirt that's at the very bottom of my drawer.

[Michael Costa]

And I strongly believe in the community power of sport and rooting together and. But I don't want to talk about the off shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons. Third quarter foul with a stranger.

[Matt O'Brien]

But as a tennis player, you know, as a, of course, football, a big team sport. As a tennis player, do team sports anger you?

[Michael Costa]

No, I think team sports are awesome because you really do have to rely on your, you know, you're only as good as that weakest link. You do have to rely on the person to your left and your into your right. That's also why I chose tennis, because I was tired of passing the ball to wide open Spencer and then he misses the fucking goal. Yep. Give me the rock, Spence. I'll put it. I'll put it in the back of the net.

[Matt O'Brien]

It lines up. It lines up. Maybe that's tennis. Stand up comedy.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

You're relying on yourself.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

You will. You'll get all the glory or all the failure.

[Michael Costa]

Let me say this, and this is going to get serious for a second. I'm happy the NFL's back. I'm happy people like the NFL.

[Matt O'Brien]

I'm happy on Paramount.

[Michael Costa]

Plus I'm happy that I walk past a bar in an airport and a lot of people are cheering for whomever. But I also think we need to be paying attention to America and our government right now. Okay. So it might feel like a welcome distraction. Good. Go support your team. Go. High five. Go make the seven layer dip. That no one can identify all seven layers ever. No one even knows what three of the layers are of the seven layer dip. But I think let's let as American citizens, and I'm looking in one of these cameras here, let's also pay attention to what's happening in Washington D.C. because it is important and it will fuck up the NFL schedule if, if we don't. Can we put signing off.

[Matt O'Brien]

Can we put some inspiring music under slow motion? Under that slow motion a wa flag as you remind us what's important.

[Michael Costa]

That's right.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's fourth and one, you know, with little time left in the.

[Michael Costa]

In the democracy.

[Matt O'Brien]

You understand?

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

You understand.

[Michael Costa]

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[Michael Costa]

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[Matt O'Brien]

See mintmobile.com all right, Mr. Costa, it's time for a segment that I'm told we're calling the Daily show. And tell.

[Michael Costa]

I like that.

[Matt O'Brien]

So what's something just off the top of my head, I'll just ask you what's something you've watched, read, listened to or argued about or just been on your mind lately? Anything. Well, I mean. August, summer.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, I mean, you know, let me just start by saying I do love my children.

[Matt O'Brien]

Of course.

[Michael Costa]

Okay. Yes, it's very important.

[Matt O'Brien]

I've started so many sentences and conversations.

[Michael Costa]

Like this, but I. Yeah, I feel that the summer. As a parent, I mean, I don't. I am a camp counselor. Yeah, it is. You're asking me about this new stuff. I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about. I can tell you where the construction paper is in our house. I can tell you that we need a new color pencil sharpener. I can tell you how much milk.

[Matt O'Brien]

Is in the refrigerator.

[Michael Costa]

How much milk is in the fridge. I can tell you that we need more snacks. I mean, I was at Home Depot multiple times this summer buying thicker gauges of plastic tarp in the painting section. Creating with some, with some water, creating a slip and slide for my children. Then I went to a friend's house and their dad, you know, like the better dad version was like, you gotta put dish soap on there. That's how they really slip and slide. So not only did I then feel belittled by this prick, but then I saw kids really flying at his house.

[Matt O'Brien]

So back to Home Depot you go.

[Michael Costa]

Back to Home Depot I go. Now I gotta buy a gross of hand soap.

[Matt O'Brien]

It is like a serial killer shopping list which is just various tarps and soaps, cleaning supplies and you know, I.

[Michael Costa]

Guess all of this to say, and this is why having children is great. It makes me appreciate 40 years later that my parents did that. You don't ever think about that.

[Matt O'Brien]

If I can just stop you real quick about so going to Home Depot to, you know, buy. I don't know what the current cost of a slip and slide is.

[Michael Costa]

That's a good point. You mean just buy the actual slip and slide?

[Matt O'Brien]

15 bucks. I don't know. What did you spend on tarps, by the way?

[Michael Costa]

They don't ever. Yeah, exactly. They don't tell you. Like now I have, you know, 900 square feet of tarps somewhere. Something I have to do with that was just an example of my summer has been. It's parenting, man.

[Matt O'Brien]

Summer vacation when the kids are off from school. I have two small children. Is not relaxing.

[Michael Costa]

No.

[Matt O'Brien]

And it's 247 engagement with.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

Which we love, of course. Best decision I've ever made it.

[Michael Costa]

What's amazing about kids is all they really want is your. Is your full engagement. But they know when you're bullshitting it. Even if I'm looking at you child and I'm nodding up in town, they'll. She'll go like, dad, dad, you're not paying attention. I'm like, how did you fucking know?

[Matt O'Brien]

Yep. Or sometimes I'll read almost an entire book to my son and I'll be zoning out.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, yeah, Big time.

[Matt O'Brien]

And then he's asking questions about the story and I have to pretend that I was paying attention to whatever we were reading or listening to.

[Michael Costa]

You're thinking about the posi coma totus act. Of course.

[Matt O'Brien]

Thank you. Or the Polish CEO. What's he going to do with that hat?

[Michael Costa]

I think he stuffed it in another woman's bag. So let me say that in a non sexual way. I think he took the hat and he put it in a woman's bag that was his girlfriend or wife. So that's also funny that he stole the hat from a child to give to a woman he's courting.

[Matt O'Brien]

It's a love story.

[Michael Costa]

It's a love story. So anyways, my big tot take. You heard it here first at the pre cap. Is that summer for parents is exhausting and hard. It kind of sucks. Yeah.

[Matt O'Brien]

There we go. All right, so that's. So that's gonna do it for the pre cap. And thanks, Michael Costa, for sitting down and discussing a lot of stuff that we will probably completely ignore by tomorrow morning because it will be supplanted by something crazier. And that's just the nature of it. Have fun behind the desk this week and please tune in to watch our good friend Michael Costa behind the desk on the Daily show this week, and thanks for listening. We'll see you on the next pre cap.

[Michael Costa]

See ya. Thanks, Matt. Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount. Plus, this has been a Comedy Central podcast.