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Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy
From a host of The Daily Show and stand-up comic, Michael Kosta, comes a wildly funny and insightful memoir about his unlikely journey from professional tennis player (#864 in the world) to professional comedian (there’s no ranking system in comedy but he’s probably . . . top 50?) .
Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show, he was a professional tennis “star,” reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men’s singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That’s better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy.
In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night.
And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you—and what you end up learning—as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy “sex” in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true.
From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success.
Lucky Loser includes a 16-page photo insert.
Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show, he was a professional tennis “star,” reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men’s singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That’s better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy.
In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night.
And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you—and what you end up learning—as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy “sex” in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true.
From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success.
Lucky Loser includes a 16-page photo insert.
9 pages, Audiobook
Published March 11, 2025
130 people are currently reading
2446 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 28, 2025
I got to know Michael Kosta through The Daily Show. I think he's very funny. (The whole cast is very funny.) I didn't realize he used to be a tennis pro until I saw him in an interview one day. I love to play and watch tennis too, so he immediately had my attention when this book came out.
It was fun getting to know Kosta a bit. Starts with how his love of tennis began, takes us through his short pro career, has us travel the world together with him, and gives us the quick version of how he moved into comedy. Would've liked to have gone through more of the comedy years, leading into/up to his current stint on The Daily Show.
Enjoyed how he shared the way his life perspective broadened with each trip abroad that he described. Having lived in Paris and Tokyo and Korea (and being Korean myself), I had an extra appreciation for his stories in these places. Have to admit I didn't love the Japanese bathroom story though, we Asian women already suffer from unfavorable and unfair sexual stereotypes. Also have to admit that I'm a little glad he's tormented by the Korean match up on Jeju Island. I feel like he walked on court thinking he had the advantage being a big white guy, and he basically admits it. That said, I can forgive him for these biases because a) he's self-aware enough to know who he is, which is why I think his comedy is so good, and b) he was a bit cocky throughout the book and deserves the mental torture and it feels like that white superiority has been balanced out, especially since it still bothers him. I hope his opponent is still telling a glorious story of how he played that day.
Yup, he was kind of arrogant in a snotty and obnoxious way regarding his tennis abilities, which is probably meant sarcastically given he half-heartedly he seemed to take his career. He obviously had a natural ability, and I think that if he'd been more disciplined, he probably could've done much better. But he gave up on tennis professionally, both as a player and a coach, in order to pursue his creative passion. And here's the reason why it's easy for me to overlook his international bumbles - when it comes to his pursuit of comedy, it's filled with as much humility as his tennis game is full of over confidence.
Yes, he was an elite athlete, but he peaked sooner than he could've and it was clear from his stories that he only was in it because he's got a competitive soul. I think he succeeded in comedy because he wanted it more. He says it's because of his belief in himself. There's that, but it's chicken or egg for me. I think he was a lot more committed to succeeding as a comic. And I think the hustle he had to apply in tennis is what helped him stick with it until he made it as a comic.
His family sounds lovely, and it was nice to read a book where father and son are tight. In fact, seems Kosta has had several very good men in his life. It's probably another reason I like his comedy - he doesn't have any hyper masculine energy in it. Would love to see him live someday.
Really liked what he said about Leno. I had a love/hate for Leno, but the part that loved him felt really good about what Kosta experienced with him.
It was fun getting to know Kosta a bit. Starts with how his love of tennis began, takes us through his short pro career, has us travel the world together with him, and gives us the quick version of how he moved into comedy. Would've liked to have gone through more of the comedy years, leading into/up to his current stint on The Daily Show.
Enjoyed how he shared the way his life perspective broadened with each trip abroad that he described. Having lived in Paris and Tokyo and Korea (and being Korean myself), I had an extra appreciation for his stories in these places. Have to admit I didn't love the Japanese bathroom story though, we Asian women already suffer from unfavorable and unfair sexual stereotypes. Also have to admit that I'm a little glad he's tormented by the Korean match up on Jeju Island. I feel like he walked on court thinking he had the advantage being a big white guy, and he basically admits it. That said, I can forgive him for these biases because a) he's self-aware enough to know who he is, which is why I think his comedy is so good, and b) he was a bit cocky throughout the book and deserves the mental torture and it feels like that white superiority has been balanced out, especially since it still bothers him. I hope his opponent is still telling a glorious story of how he played that day.
Yup, he was kind of arrogant in a snotty and obnoxious way regarding his tennis abilities, which is probably meant sarcastically given he half-heartedly he seemed to take his career. He obviously had a natural ability, and I think that if he'd been more disciplined, he probably could've done much better. But he gave up on tennis professionally, both as a player and a coach, in order to pursue his creative passion. And here's the reason why it's easy for me to overlook his international bumbles - when it comes to his pursuit of comedy, it's filled with as much humility as his tennis game is full of over confidence.
Yes, he was an elite athlete, but he peaked sooner than he could've and it was clear from his stories that he only was in it because he's got a competitive soul. I think he succeeded in comedy because he wanted it more. He says it's because of his belief in himself. There's that, but it's chicken or egg for me. I think he was a lot more committed to succeeding as a comic. And I think the hustle he had to apply in tennis is what helped him stick with it until he made it as a comic.
His family sounds lovely, and it was nice to read a book where father and son are tight. In fact, seems Kosta has had several very good men in his life. It's probably another reason I like his comedy - he doesn't have any hyper masculine energy in it. Would love to see him live someday.
Really liked what he said about Leno. I had a love/hate for Leno, but the part that loved him felt really good about what Kosta experienced with him.
April 25, 2025
A memoir centered around tennis and comedy is quite unusual. And welcomed by me as if I'm not reading, I'm playing tennis. And I love comedy. Comedian and Daily Show host, Michael Kosta is the youngest of four siblings from Michigan. He had a passion for tennis and achieved success throughout his college years, which gave him the confidence to try playing on the professional circuit, where few players earn a living. Kosta attained a career-high ranking of #864 in the world, which is impressive. After working as an assistant tennis coach for the University of Michigan, Kosta switched careers to stand-up comedy, another tough choice. The challenges of life on the road as a young tennis pro prepared Kosta well for his early days as a comedian.
Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy is a warm and witty account of Kosta's journey from a budding tennis phenom to a successful comedian. Much of the credit goes to Kosta's family. With so many awful tennis parents out there, Kosta's parents got it right. If you are unfamiliar with Michael Kosta, check him out online or listen to his podcast. A performance worth watching is his debut television appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which aired on April 10, 2010, and can be viewed on YouTube. Spoiler: Kosta killed it.
I recommend this highly entertaining book.
4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy is a warm and witty account of Kosta's journey from a budding tennis phenom to a successful comedian. Much of the credit goes to Kosta's family. With so many awful tennis parents out there, Kosta's parents got it right. If you are unfamiliar with Michael Kosta, check him out online or listen to his podcast. A performance worth watching is his debut television appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which aired on April 10, 2010, and can be viewed on YouTube. Spoiler: Kosta killed it.
I recommend this highly entertaining book.
4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
January 30, 2025
This is a fun one, though I must admit I fall squarely in Michael Kosta’s demo. I do standup and I played tennis (capped out in HS). I loved the intersection between the two and how one led to the other. His narrative voice is fun and entertaining, while keeping the serious moments serious. I’m not a huge fan of his comedy, but I’m glad I gave this one a try.
August 31, 2025
DNF. Begon wel geinig met was tennisdingen maar voelde steeds gaarder (naarder) over vrouwen en toen de gedetailleerde (respectloze) omschrijvingen van ervaringen met sekswerkers kwamen ben ik ermee gekapt. Drie keer niks!
April 27, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Two main things this book has going for it!
1) michael kosta is a funny guy! his voice comes through so clearly in this. it’s casual and approachable and so unashamedly honest and has that sort of *wink wink smirk* edge that he has when he performs which makes it a really fun read
2) the overall theme of this book about how life is messy and doesn’t always follow a path from point a to point b. that pivoting doesn’t mean starting over or quitting because everything we learn and experience prepares us for whatever comes next. whether those things are seemingly related or not (i.e. tennis and comedy)
I do think the writing leaves a little to be desired in parts. Some of the connections and pushing of the theme felt ham-fisted at times. Other times it felt really natural and intuitive though!
Overall, a fun look into a really unusual career journey of someone I like a lot with tons of wild anecdotes and great takeaways
Two main things this book has going for it!
1) michael kosta is a funny guy! his voice comes through so clearly in this. it’s casual and approachable and so unashamedly honest and has that sort of *wink wink smirk* edge that he has when he performs which makes it a really fun read
2) the overall theme of this book about how life is messy and doesn’t always follow a path from point a to point b. that pivoting doesn’t mean starting over or quitting because everything we learn and experience prepares us for whatever comes next. whether those things are seemingly related or not (i.e. tennis and comedy)
I do think the writing leaves a little to be desired in parts. Some of the connections and pushing of the theme felt ham-fisted at times. Other times it felt really natural and intuitive though!
Overall, a fun look into a really unusual career journey of someone I like a lot with tons of wild anecdotes and great takeaways
April 27, 2025
I bought this because I enthusiastically follow tennis and thought it might be a nice addition to my tennis book collection. I was wrong. I read only 57% of it and couldn’t take anymore. I dumped it. The only parts I liked were about his family and parents and how grateful he is for them. Then came accounts of his stupid and callous exploits of youth. I don’t have a problem that he did what he did. I just found it all terribly uninteresting, especially the descriptions of his sexual exploits.
I didn’t think he was particularly funny either, except for one spot, and I don’t recall what it was.
Maybe if he were a better writer, or if he had something worthwhile to say, I would have finished it. But that won’t happen.
PS : you have to know how tennis is played to get what he says, even after his few explanations.
I didn’t think he was particularly funny either, except for one spot, and I don’t recall what it was.
Maybe if he were a better writer, or if he had something worthwhile to say, I would have finished it. But that won’t happen.
PS : you have to know how tennis is played to get what he says, even after his few explanations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 16, 2025the 864th-best book i've ever read about a tennis player turned comedian
January 12, 2026
I like Michael Kosta on The Daily Show. His face is on the cover of this book. His face reminded me of how much I like him on The Daily Show and so I read his book. Without reading what it was about. Not even a line of the blurb. Not even the title. Not even glancing to the left of his face to see a ball that is either used for a racquet sport or for your dog to retrieve. Whoops.
This is almost completely about tennis.
I don't really care about tennis, but I'm familiar with the rules. I played for fun with my best friend in high school. I'm pretty damn good at it on the Wii. I was equipped to get the gist. And there was a lot of gist to get because Kosta was a professional tennis player prior to becoming a comedian. And he's going to tell you about it. A lot.
This book starts in childhood (or the parts of it that were relevant to tennis) and takes us up until a special comedic TV performance. Included are specific matches, family time, traveling around the world, sex capades and drunk capades (sorry but no ice capades), lessons learned and the slow but steady climb through practice, practice, and more practice (in both tennis and comedy).
Kosta is persuasive in tying his success in comedy to his having been a serious athlete (learning to lose, practicing, being comfortable in front of crowds, etc.).
I wouldn't call this "hilarious" per say, but there are a handful of funny moments. For the story being told, I preferred it this way rather than the author trying to make a joke every two lines. The book is still highly readable. There were multiple times where I thought to myself, "Why the hell do I even care about any of this?" and then kept reading and reading and reading because I couldn't put the damn thing down. I loved the mix of interesting behind-the-scenes information, humor, vulnerability, and self-reflection about a journey much different than my own.
3.5 Stars
This is almost completely about tennis.
I don't really care about tennis, but I'm familiar with the rules. I played for fun with my best friend in high school. I'm pretty damn good at it on the Wii. I was equipped to get the gist. And there was a lot of gist to get because Kosta was a professional tennis player prior to becoming a comedian. And he's going to tell you about it. A lot.
This book starts in childhood (or the parts of it that were relevant to tennis) and takes us up until a special comedic TV performance. Included are specific matches, family time, traveling around the world, sex capades and drunk capades (sorry but no ice capades), lessons learned and the slow but steady climb through practice, practice, and more practice (in both tennis and comedy).
Kosta is persuasive in tying his success in comedy to his having been a serious athlete (learning to lose, practicing, being comfortable in front of crowds, etc.).
I wouldn't call this "hilarious" per say, but there are a handful of funny moments. For the story being told, I preferred it this way rather than the author trying to make a joke every two lines. The book is still highly readable. There were multiple times where I thought to myself, "Why the hell do I even care about any of this?" and then kept reading and reading and reading because I couldn't put the damn thing down. I loved the mix of interesting behind-the-scenes information, humor, vulnerability, and self-reflection about a journey much different than my own.
3.5 Stars
April 28, 2025
I’m a Kosta fan and it was really fun to hear his story!
I listed to the audiobook which was a bit underwhelming since Kosta is a performer. I felt his narration was stale at times and lacked his personal comedic flair.
However there were great moments in this book. It’s really exciting hearing an artist who has the mindset of an athlete and how he approached his career in this way.
Overall a good read if you are a fan of his and want to hear his journey.
I listed to the audiobook which was a bit underwhelming since Kosta is a performer. I felt his narration was stale at times and lacked his personal comedic flair.
However there were great moments in this book. It’s really exciting hearing an artist who has the mindset of an athlete and how he approached his career in this way.
Overall a good read if you are a fan of his and want to hear his journey.
March 19, 2025
Hilarious memoir of growing up, competing in youth, scholastic, collegiate then professional tennis only to realize comedy is you true calling.
I don't understand the choice of the title "Lucky Loser" as nowhere in his bio was he a lucky loser. (someone who advances in a tennis tournament due to a winner having to drop out) He worked hard, for years at tennis and then standup to be where he is today. He didn't benefit form the misfortune of another.
I don't understand the choice of the title "Lucky Loser" as nowhere in his bio was he a lucky loser. (someone who advances in a tennis tournament due to a winner having to drop out) He worked hard, for years at tennis and then standup to be where he is today. He didn't benefit form the misfortune of another.
July 14, 2025
I think Michael Kosta does a great job showing his humor and character through his writing. He shares great anecdotes and provides a lot of interesting side-by-side comparison between competitive tennis and stand-up. It would be interesting to hear more stories about his time and experience in late night so far.
January 3, 2026
This book was what my grandpa would have called a "real corker." I laughed out loud multiple times.
I read several of the negative reviews and I understand not wanting to read about Kosta's sexual exploits (because I didn't want to either), but knocking the book because you don't understand tennis? WTF? Why did you even pick up the book? It has a dude throwing a tennis ball on the cover.
I read several of the negative reviews and I understand not wanting to read about Kosta's sexual exploits (because I didn't want to either), but knocking the book because you don't understand tennis? WTF? Why did you even pick up the book? It has a dude throwing a tennis ball on the cover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
All my friends who work in pro tennis, play pro tennis or just are tennis fans will totally relate to this book!
He played collegiate and then pro tennis and then became a stand up comedian! Some very funny relatable moments!
He played collegiate and then pro tennis and then became a stand up comedian! Some very funny relatable moments!
October 25, 2025
Michael Kosta, a host of the Daily Show, and my brother’s former college tennis teammate, is hilarious. I was drawn in from beginning to end. It’s raw, honest, insightful, and will make you laugh out loud. Really enjoyed the read!
January 6, 2026
A memoir focusing on tennis and stand up is very niche, but I like both subjects and I liked this book. The author seemed very honest and I enjoyed reading about his slutty adventures [complimentary].
June 12, 2025
It was fine. A light read; mostly entertaining.
June 21, 2025
I knew this book would be hilarious but it surprised me by also being so real emotionally and vividly taking you behind the scenes of a young athlete and later comedian. Also so refreshing to hear about his gratitude for his wonderful, supportive family.
April 30, 2025
What fun! I knew of Michael Kosta from his funny "Warm and Fuzzy" interview series on the Tennis Channel, but I didn't know much more about him. I thoroughly enjoyed his tales of trying to make it in both professional tennis and professional comedy. I hope he writes a sequel, because I would definitely read it!
Read
March 29, 2025We listened to this engaging and entertaining memoir about a Michigan native who broke into the ranks of professional tennis and is now a successful stand up comedian. I liked learning about his upbringing emphasizing family relationships contributed to his drive and eventual success. The author is the narrator. I am looking forward to seeing Korda perform.
March 22, 2025
With Michael Kosta's Lucky Loser, am I reading my own memoir?
https://popculturelunchbox.substack.c...
This is part 1 of a multi-part series on Michael Kosta’s new memoir Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy.
Daily Show comedian Michael Kosta doesn’t remember anything before he was about nine years old, when he got stung by hornets—or at least a single bee. It was odd reading that in his new book Lucky Loser because that is one of the few things I remember before I was nine: trimming some hedges and getting stung by hornets (I’m pretty sure it was many hornets, but I suppose it could have been just one bee).
I was more than just a few pages in when I realized there were going to be a lot of similarities between this guy and myself. Like me, he was the youngest sibling and realized “there was an entire family that existed for a while before you ever came along.” So we both missed an entire dynamic that was going on before we came along, but there were a lot of benefits in being the youngest because parents are usually just too tired and have given up by then.
Back to the hornet thing, to be more accurate, I actually do remember a random hodgepodge from before the age of nine, and so does Kosta. He particularly remembers when he was four, growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his favorite brother gave him a tennis racket for Christmas. I also remember playing a lot of tennis before the age of nine.
When we wanted to get outside and have fun, if we weren’t swimming in Dunlap Lake, tossing the football in our back yard (sometimes the ball went in the lake and I remember my two older brothers often made me be the retriever), or playing baseball across the street when the corn wasn’t growing in the field, the family would grab our gear and head to either the high-school courts or the nicer ones at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (home of some storied men’s tennis teams back in the 1980s).
Kosta too writes about all the fun his family had using its $600 annual membership at the Racquet Club of Ann Arbor:
“The atmosphere was always laid back and supportive. It was a little bit about connecting with the family but mostly about just running around and making us kids tired so we would easily go to sleep later. I would see some of the other dads down there with their kids putting lots of pressure on them and feeding them balls and screaming at them to move their feet. It never looked like fun. Kosta Family Tennis was fun. I think that’s why I love tennis so much.”
He remembers that his mother was great and she helped train his curiosity and, dare say, his eventual Daily Show success because she would play something called the Tennis Ball Game. She would sit down with young Michael and the other kids, but always one-on-one, and ask a question then throw him a tennis ball. He would answer but he couldn’t toss the ball back to her until he asked a question. Back and forth it went, and it seems like an excellent trick to get kids, especially infamously grunting and mumbling teens, engaged. I’ve tried it out with my own kids and it works! Kosta writes that, from his experience, athletes generally know how to play the Tennis Ball Game because they’ve had a coach like his mother, but comedians generally have no clue and thus don’t know how to basically follow social norms or even take part in a two-way conversation.
I can also identify with Kosta, who I incidentally saw perform at the Kennedy Center a few months ago, because he says people found it fun to be around his family.
“We were the funny family. Whether it was watching my dad almost have a heart attack from laughing so hard at a family viewing of the 1988 film of A Fish Called Wanda or my brother Todd and me putting on lip-syncing performances of Michael Jackson for our grandparents, who were terrified.”
I don’t know that my family was viewed as the funny family, although we might have been. But I thought we were hilarious. (I think we still are.) It may be a defining factor in what keeps us so close to this day. Even though my parents divorced when I was nine, they still hang out with us together till this day. My dad has always been a lighthearted goofball, probably because of his training in and love of theater. He instilled in me an ability to frequently dish out wacky idioms and other offbeat descriptions of things. And my mom was surely attracted to those qualities of his at one point, having her own flair for the comedically dramatic. There has never been a board game that’s been played in which my mom hasn’t drawn attention to herself for her proclivity towards gently cheating in, what seems to me, the name of adding even more fun to the gaming process.
Kosta writes about his need for attention, which I again can relate to. “Was something missing in my upbringing that caused me to need more affection, attention, and recognition from others? Or was everything fine and I was just born wanting to be the center of the universe for no discernible reason? I tend to think it’s the latter.” Same for me. I mean, look, I’m writing this article and I would appreciate it if people would read it. Kosta realizes that people like him and me are “really annoying to be around. Always interrupting, acting out, making jokes.” People have told me I do all that, and, meanwhile, I’ll tell anyone who will listen about that time 10 years ago when I won a first-place trophy in TennisDC, beating out many dozens of other players in the season-ending tournament.
The last comparison I’ll make for now of these two dudes … Kosta writes about the importance of the “backboard” in both his chosen interests. The backboard is pretty obvious in tennis. It’s a wall that you hit the tennis ball against again and again, for hours, in order to get better. For comedy, the backboard is doing three shows a night with almost nobody in the clubs. That’s practice for later on when there are lots of people in the seats. I haven’t spent hours hitting the ball against a backboard or wall in many years, although I did that a lot with our brick garage wall back at that childhood Dunlap Lake house. I think a better analogy for me is how much time I spent as a kid drawing comic books and MAD Magazine-like spoofs, writing reviews of movies, and creating sports and music magazines. Those were clearly my “backboard” to a professional and personal life as a writer, journalist, and marketing/storytelling strategist.
https://popculturelunchbox.substack.c...
This is part 1 of a multi-part series on Michael Kosta’s new memoir Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy.
Daily Show comedian Michael Kosta doesn’t remember anything before he was about nine years old, when he got stung by hornets—or at least a single bee. It was odd reading that in his new book Lucky Loser because that is one of the few things I remember before I was nine: trimming some hedges and getting stung by hornets (I’m pretty sure it was many hornets, but I suppose it could have been just one bee).
I was more than just a few pages in when I realized there were going to be a lot of similarities between this guy and myself. Like me, he was the youngest sibling and realized “there was an entire family that existed for a while before you ever came along.” So we both missed an entire dynamic that was going on before we came along, but there were a lot of benefits in being the youngest because parents are usually just too tired and have given up by then.
Back to the hornet thing, to be more accurate, I actually do remember a random hodgepodge from before the age of nine, and so does Kosta. He particularly remembers when he was four, growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his favorite brother gave him a tennis racket for Christmas. I also remember playing a lot of tennis before the age of nine.
When we wanted to get outside and have fun, if we weren’t swimming in Dunlap Lake, tossing the football in our back yard (sometimes the ball went in the lake and I remember my two older brothers often made me be the retriever), or playing baseball across the street when the corn wasn’t growing in the field, the family would grab our gear and head to either the high-school courts or the nicer ones at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (home of some storied men’s tennis teams back in the 1980s).
Kosta too writes about all the fun his family had using its $600 annual membership at the Racquet Club of Ann Arbor:
“The atmosphere was always laid back and supportive. It was a little bit about connecting with the family but mostly about just running around and making us kids tired so we would easily go to sleep later. I would see some of the other dads down there with their kids putting lots of pressure on them and feeding them balls and screaming at them to move their feet. It never looked like fun. Kosta Family Tennis was fun. I think that’s why I love tennis so much.”
He remembers that his mother was great and she helped train his curiosity and, dare say, his eventual Daily Show success because she would play something called the Tennis Ball Game. She would sit down with young Michael and the other kids, but always one-on-one, and ask a question then throw him a tennis ball. He would answer but he couldn’t toss the ball back to her until he asked a question. Back and forth it went, and it seems like an excellent trick to get kids, especially infamously grunting and mumbling teens, engaged. I’ve tried it out with my own kids and it works! Kosta writes that, from his experience, athletes generally know how to play the Tennis Ball Game because they’ve had a coach like his mother, but comedians generally have no clue and thus don’t know how to basically follow social norms or even take part in a two-way conversation.
I can also identify with Kosta, who I incidentally saw perform at the Kennedy Center a few months ago, because he says people found it fun to be around his family.
“We were the funny family. Whether it was watching my dad almost have a heart attack from laughing so hard at a family viewing of the 1988 film of A Fish Called Wanda or my brother Todd and me putting on lip-syncing performances of Michael Jackson for our grandparents, who were terrified.”
I don’t know that my family was viewed as the funny family, although we might have been. But I thought we were hilarious. (I think we still are.) It may be a defining factor in what keeps us so close to this day. Even though my parents divorced when I was nine, they still hang out with us together till this day. My dad has always been a lighthearted goofball, probably because of his training in and love of theater. He instilled in me an ability to frequently dish out wacky idioms and other offbeat descriptions of things. And my mom was surely attracted to those qualities of his at one point, having her own flair for the comedically dramatic. There has never been a board game that’s been played in which my mom hasn’t drawn attention to herself for her proclivity towards gently cheating in, what seems to me, the name of adding even more fun to the gaming process.
Kosta writes about his need for attention, which I again can relate to. “Was something missing in my upbringing that caused me to need more affection, attention, and recognition from others? Or was everything fine and I was just born wanting to be the center of the universe for no discernible reason? I tend to think it’s the latter.” Same for me. I mean, look, I’m writing this article and I would appreciate it if people would read it. Kosta realizes that people like him and me are “really annoying to be around. Always interrupting, acting out, making jokes.” People have told me I do all that, and, meanwhile, I’ll tell anyone who will listen about that time 10 years ago when I won a first-place trophy in TennisDC, beating out many dozens of other players in the season-ending tournament.
The last comparison I’ll make for now of these two dudes … Kosta writes about the importance of the “backboard” in both his chosen interests. The backboard is pretty obvious in tennis. It’s a wall that you hit the tennis ball against again and again, for hours, in order to get better. For comedy, the backboard is doing three shows a night with almost nobody in the clubs. That’s practice for later on when there are lots of people in the seats. I haven’t spent hours hitting the ball against a backboard or wall in many years, although I did that a lot with our brick garage wall back at that childhood Dunlap Lake house. I think a better analogy for me is how much time I spent as a kid drawing comic books and MAD Magazine-like spoofs, writing reviews of movies, and creating sports and music magazines. Those were clearly my “backboard” to a professional and personal life as a writer, journalist, and marketing/storytelling strategist.
April 29, 2025
I listened to the audio book read by the author. As a comedian he does a great job with the narration. The book is funny (duh!) and contains some real gems for tennis players.
If you are curious about what it's like to be really, really good at tennis but not quite good enough to break into the the sport's top ranks (Kosta reached #864 in the world), you might also check out "The Racket" by Connor Niland (career high of #129).
SPOILER: While Niland's ATP ranking was much higher than Kosta's, even he failed to earn a living from the sport.
Tennis pro and Comic are two brutal and unlikely professions that Kosta nonetheless connects. His career as a tennis professional gave him the ability to manage his emotions and nerves, shake off defeats, and equipped him for the long, hard road that begets success.
I'm reminded of Steve Job' quote that:
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."
Kosta clearly benefited a lot, non-financially, from the years of tennis he played at college, and as a touring pro in Europe and Asia. He writes / speaks elegantly about his experiences in Netherlands, France, Japan and South Korea, describing their different cultures and attitudes to tennis. He also laughs at his naive, cash-strapped younger self who encounters his share of trouble and then some.
Experience is, as Kosta shows us, what you make of it. And in tennis, comedy, and life, timing is everything. On this score, Kosta gets things right.
If you are curious about what it's like to be really, really good at tennis but not quite good enough to break into the the sport's top ranks (Kosta reached #864 in the world), you might also check out "The Racket" by Connor Niland (career high of #129).
SPOILER: While Niland's ATP ranking was much higher than Kosta's, even he failed to earn a living from the sport.
Tennis pro and Comic are two brutal and unlikely professions that Kosta nonetheless connects. His career as a tennis professional gave him the ability to manage his emotions and nerves, shake off defeats, and equipped him for the long, hard road that begets success.
I'm reminded of Steve Job' quote that:
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."
Kosta clearly benefited a lot, non-financially, from the years of tennis he played at college, and as a touring pro in Europe and Asia. He writes / speaks elegantly about his experiences in Netherlands, France, Japan and South Korea, describing their different cultures and attitudes to tennis. He also laughs at his naive, cash-strapped younger self who encounters his share of trouble and then some.
Experience is, as Kosta shows us, what you make of it. And in tennis, comedy, and life, timing is everything. On this score, Kosta gets things right.
September 17, 2025
3.5 stars for the funny footnotes and stories.
I love MK on the Daily Show, and when I heard he used to be a pro tennis player, I was intrigued. When I heard he grew up in A2, even more so. When I saw Amazon had this for $1.99 on Kindle, I was in. Thought I'd start it while I was enjoying the US Open. I loved the A2 stories and thought his close-knit, supportive family was great - A2 was such an awesome place to grow up, with a small town feel, but yet all the access to sports and cultural opportunities, and being able to ride your bike everywhere...I digress.
I thought maybe the stories about his tennis career went on a little too long, but they did show how he was exposed to different cultures and wasn't always the privileged white boy (but let's be fair, he's entitled throughout). I liked hearing about his early days struggling in comedy (definitely go look up his appearance on the Tonight Show, it's great), and I have a feeling there's another book coming about his "real" breakthrough. I could feel his voice come through in the stories, and was glad he didn't shy away from telling the stories of him being a hormonal hot young guy. I wish there had been a little peek into the transition from that guy to the 40 something married father he is now. I guess I'll have to wait - I'll definitely read that next book when it comes out. :-)
I love MK on the Daily Show, and when I heard he used to be a pro tennis player, I was intrigued. When I heard he grew up in A2, even more so. When I saw Amazon had this for $1.99 on Kindle, I was in. Thought I'd start it while I was enjoying the US Open. I loved the A2 stories and thought his close-knit, supportive family was great - A2 was such an awesome place to grow up, with a small town feel, but yet all the access to sports and cultural opportunities, and being able to ride your bike everywhere...I digress.
I thought maybe the stories about his tennis career went on a little too long, but they did show how he was exposed to different cultures and wasn't always the privileged white boy (but let's be fair, he's entitled throughout). I liked hearing about his early days struggling in comedy (definitely go look up his appearance on the Tonight Show, it's great), and I have a feeling there's another book coming about his "real" breakthrough. I could feel his voice come through in the stories, and was glad he didn't shy away from telling the stories of him being a hormonal hot young guy. I wish there had been a little peek into the transition from that guy to the 40 something married father he is now. I guess I'll have to wait - I'll definitely read that next book when it comes out. :-)
April 3, 2025
Since last year, I started watching tennis intentionally more and engaging myself with the current tour. I was surprised to find out that Michael Kosta who I have seen snippets of on The Daily Show was a former *professional* tennis player. A ranking of #864 which is serious business. A good chunk of the book covers his tennis journey with the last 10% about comedy. He's correct in that a lot of the skills he learned from collegiate and professional tennis carries over to his comedy career, prepping him for the infinite disasters that would arise.
I love the juxtaposition of Kosta's Midwestern-kindness against the inevitable all-American white man arrogance. This was a really insightful and self-reflective memoir paying appreciation to the people and experiences along the way written with his humor and honesty. There were some memories he recalled which gave me pause, but I understand he was an uneducated and semi-sheltered 20-something. While that is no excuse, he does express remorse and guilt and seems to have panned out to be a decent person now. I find his journey and pivot to a second career a lot more fascinating than say a ghost written memoir about the top tennis players.
I love the juxtaposition of Kosta's Midwestern-kindness against the inevitable all-American white man arrogance. This was a really insightful and self-reflective memoir paying appreciation to the people and experiences along the way written with his humor and honesty. There were some memories he recalled which gave me pause, but I understand he was an uneducated and semi-sheltered 20-something. While that is no excuse, he does express remorse and guilt and seems to have panned out to be a decent person now. I find his journey and pivot to a second career a lot more fascinating than say a ghost written memoir about the top tennis players.
July 20, 2025
I am familiar with Michael Kosta from TDS and even there I can go back and forth on if I like him or not. I grabbed this book at the library because it seemed lighthearted and I had many questions after seeing the cover.
I did enjoy reading this book and learning more about his life. I had no idea he was a professional tennis player/coach and I found that part of the book very interesting, much to my own surprise. He applies lessons learned as an athlete to his pursuit of comedy which was also an interesting perspective.
Kosta talks about his childhood and family which was really sweet and supportive in a way I could never relate to but it showed a side of him I don't see in his comedy and probably made my opinion of him better. As a parent who tries really hard to curate a certain type of life for my children, it was really nice to see how appreciative he was of his parents and siblings.
I read a physical copy but I could easily hear the words in his voice in my head. The book concludes before he reaches TDS so it left me wanting but overall I found the book quite entertaining and enjoyable.
I did enjoy reading this book and learning more about his life. I had no idea he was a professional tennis player/coach and I found that part of the book very interesting, much to my own surprise. He applies lessons learned as an athlete to his pursuit of comedy which was also an interesting perspective.
Kosta talks about his childhood and family which was really sweet and supportive in a way I could never relate to but it showed a side of him I don't see in his comedy and probably made my opinion of him better. As a parent who tries really hard to curate a certain type of life for my children, it was really nice to see how appreciative he was of his parents and siblings.
I read a physical copy but I could easily hear the words in his voice in my head. The book concludes before he reaches TDS so it left me wanting but overall I found the book quite entertaining and enjoyable.
October 28, 2025
3.5 stars for me.
The Daily Show's Michael Kosta recounts his youth as a pro tennis player (#864 in the world), an assistant college tennis coach, then a stand-up comedian. The behind-the-scenes peeks at tennis and comedy were highlights. Kosta is candid, and his smirking sense of humor comes across in funny, sometimes cringe-inducing situations.
To see my full review on Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see Lucky Loser.
Find hundreds of reviews and lots of roundups of my favorite books on the blog: Bossy Bookworm
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The Daily Show's Michael Kosta recounts his youth as a pro tennis player (#864 in the world), an assistant college tennis coach, then a stand-up comedian. The behind-the-scenes peeks at tennis and comedy were highlights. Kosta is candid, and his smirking sense of humor comes across in funny, sometimes cringe-inducing situations.
To see my full review on Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see Lucky Loser.
Find hundreds of reviews and lots of roundups of my favorite books on the blog: Bossy Bookworm
Follow me on Instagram! @bossybookwormblog
Or Facebook! Bossy Bookworm
June 13, 2025
Very quick read. I've always found Michael Kosta funny on the Daily Show, and his charm comes across well in this memoir. BE WARNED: it is a book about tennis and comedy and practically nothing else. If you don't care about those two things, you won't care about Kosta. Love him but it's true; he shares very little about the rest of his life (next to no personal life, no wife, no kids, etc even though he briefly mentions having them now). One of the things I was disappointed most about was the book ends right as he starts to gain success in the comedy world. I would have loved to read some anecdotes from his TDS era. At one point he makes a crack about a second memoir—maybe that was less of a joke that I assumed. It feels like it ends so early given that there's about 10 years of his life he doesn't cover. Whatever, I guess I'll read the next one too! As the man himself says, that's the Kosta doin' business.
Read
July 2, 2025I’m actually not overly familiar with Michael Kosta other than from the Daily Show, but I enjoyed hearing about his life and experiences in tennis and comedy. I loved hearing about his family growing up, the Kosta family adventures made me smile. The writing in this was ok, a bit repetitive at times but easy to read. He included a lot of info about his random hookups which felt like an unnecessary over share. He had a very interesting path to finding his way in comedy and I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t say it’s my fav memoir I’ve read recently.
One thing that drove me crazy on the audiobook, the footnotes. The author starts each one by saying “footnote”, reading it and then saying “end footnote”. Every. Time. Not a fan of that style. Given he is a performer, I also was surprised that his narration was a bit robotic and one note. I switched to the book and other than an over use of parentheses, I did enjoy it more reading the physical copy.
One thing that drove me crazy on the audiobook, the footnotes. The author starts each one by saying “footnote”, reading it and then saying “end footnote”. Every. Time. Not a fan of that style. Given he is a performer, I also was surprised that his narration was a bit robotic and one note. I switched to the book and other than an over use of parentheses, I did enjoy it more reading the physical copy.
October 17, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded down.
Michael Kosta can be hilarious. This memoir isn't. In fact, far less humor than one would expect, given the author.
Far more insights into life itself, and how the mentality and discipline of a professional athlete can (should?) be applied to other vocations.
Not sure we needed the anecdote about the author having unprotected bathroom sex with a groupie in Japan, but points for honesty?
This memoir ends with the author's first appearance on The Tonight Show in 2012, which means the majority of this book is spent on his years toiling on the tennis circuit. Hard not to feel disappointed with this choice.
Perhaps there will be a second volume down the road which includes the last 13 years. Glad to have read this memoir; glad to have read it as a library book rather than paying for it.
So: a pleasant enough read, but it easily could (should?) have covered more ground.
Michael Kosta can be hilarious. This memoir isn't. In fact, far less humor than one would expect, given the author.
Far more insights into life itself, and how the mentality and discipline of a professional athlete can (should?) be applied to other vocations.
Not sure we needed the anecdote about the author having unprotected bathroom sex with a groupie in Japan, but points for honesty?
This memoir ends with the author's first appearance on The Tonight Show in 2012, which means the majority of this book is spent on his years toiling on the tennis circuit. Hard not to feel disappointed with this choice.
Perhaps there will be a second volume down the road which includes the last 13 years. Glad to have read this memoir; glad to have read it as a library book rather than paying for it.
So: a pleasant enough read, but it easily could (should?) have covered more ground.
May 2, 2025
This is not the kind of biography I usually read. But I think he's funny, and he's a fellow Illinois alum. So why not. I enjoyed learning someone else knows why U of I had to build its undergraduate library underground. I felt righteously validated that someone fairly famous knows the same cornfield campus trivia.
But there's a lot of tennis in here. I know that's obvious from the title and cover. I was duly warned. But I don't really like tennis, and this book is packed with arcane tennis anecdotes that he stretches to achieve more widespread appeal. Some of those didn't work for me.
I also think some of the non-tennis or tennis-adjacent anecdotes were maybe too personal to publish. I went from waning interest to embarrassed, and back, a few too many times for me to find all the book enjoyable.
But there's a lot of tennis in here. I know that's obvious from the title and cover. I was duly warned. But I don't really like tennis, and this book is packed with arcane tennis anecdotes that he stretches to achieve more widespread appeal. Some of those didn't work for me.
I also think some of the non-tennis or tennis-adjacent anecdotes were maybe too personal to publish. I went from waning interest to embarrassed, and back, a few too many times for me to find all the book enjoyable.
April 9, 2025
This was an okay, quick read. About 2/3 of the book is on Kosta's attempt to become a tennis pro and the rest on his journey to becoming a stand-up comic. Despite that, I wanted more on tennis, on how Kosta earned each one of his 13 ATP points. He spent more time on his attempts to circumvent his curfew in an Amsterdam hotel, his visit to Amsterdam's Red Light District or his experience in an American bar in Tokyo than he did on his tennis junior career or his college career or on his actual matches as a pro. Did he play in any Futures matches in the US? We don't know. If you want to learn about life on the lower rungs of the tennis tour, read Conor Niland's The Racket instead of this one.
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