Comedy Central’s The Daily Show host of the week, Michael Kosta, unwittingly announced to the world on Wednesday that he lives in a bubble. While discussing former reality show personality Spencer Pratt’s rise in the Los Angeles mayoral primary, Kosta wondered, “How did this country get so stupid?” and concluded it was because nobody reads books anymore. Speaking of books, Kosta later welcomed actress Chase Infiniti to the show to promote her work in the Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments to promote the idea that America is a sexist dystopia.
On Pratt, a dismayed Kosta asked and answered his own question, “A reality TV star? Running for office? Well, I'm sure if we make fun of him enough, he'll only be in charge for 11 years, tops. How did this country get so stupid? Oh, that's right, we stopped reading books.”
The Daily Show's Michael Kosta reacts to the rise of Spencer Pratt by asking "How did this country get so stupid? Oh, that's right, we stopped reading books." Speaking of books... (1/2) pic.twitter.com/I5KKkjtKhL
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) June 4, 2026
Kosta may read books, but he reads the wrong ones. Later, Kosta gushed over Atwood’s works and asked Infiniti, “It is kind of a big responsibility. These Margaret Atwood books, Handmaid's Tale debuted ten years ago. The Testaments was written in 2019, a lot of the same themes that are relevant today. The patriarchy is still evil. People are clapping at that. How did you feel with that responsibility, to take on that character, Agnes?”
Infiniti began by saying some nice things about her fellow cast and crew members before joining in on the Atwood praise. "The source material alone, like, Margaret Atwood, incredible, and The Handmaid’s Tale, the book, I studied it in school, and even the TV show, like, it is so, so loved for so many reasons. So, I really wanted to make sure that I did right by her writing right by the fans, and also by Hannah because she is such a beloved character as well.”
Kosta wondered how the country got so stupid and then praised a book and adaptation to try to argue that same country is something akin to a misogynistic dystopia. Pratt may be an eccentric individual, but Kosta should definitely focus more of The Daily Show’s attention on the city’s failed politicians that make him appealing and then read another book.
Here is a transcript June 3 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
6/3/2026
11:04 PM ET
MICHAEL KOSTA: A reality TV star? Running for office? Well, I'm sure if we make fun of him enough, he'll only be in charge for 11 years, tops. How did this country get so stupid? Oh, that's right, we stopped reading books.
…
KOSTA: It is kind of a big responsibility. These Margaret Atwood books, Handmaid's Tale debuted ten years ago. The Testaments was written in 2019, a lot of the same themes that are relevant today. The patriarchy is still evil. People are clapping at that. How did you feel with that responsibility, to take on that character, Agnes?
CHASE INFINITI: Well, I think it felt very—you know what is crazy, I didn't feel very anxious stepping into it because I knew that the whole cast and the whole crew going into it—because I'd met a couple people beforehand especially, like, Bruce Miller, our showrunner and I knew that they were already welcoming me in with so much love and so much care.
KOSTA: Yeah.
INFINITI: And also, just with incredible energy and so I kind of had that to relieve the anxiety that I felt going into it because it is a massive responsibility. And just the source material alone, like, Margaret Atwood —
KOSTA: Amazing.
INFINITI: — incredible, and The Handmaid’s Tale, the book, I studied it in school —
KOSTA: Yeah. Yeah.
INFINIT: — and even the TV show, like, it is so, so loved for so many reasons. So, I really wanted to make sure that I did right by her writing
KOSTA: Sure.
INFINITI: —right by the fans, and also by Hannah because she is such a beloved character as well.
