_50 First Jokes is the annual comedy blowout show where fifty standup comics tell their first new joke of that new year. Significant because a joke often gets written and re-written many times over many sets until a final product -- some platonic ideal of a joke -- is reached and ready for a set on late night. Doing it for the first time in front of a huge crowd is a jackass level stunt and maybe that's why it keeps rolling on, six years now.

Having performed and produced the show all 5 times prior, I can tell you it's a bit of pressure, along with jumpy nerves, followed by a high once you're done. Sounds like we're injecting injectable drugs. No, I wish. But the comics really put everything on the line for something interesting and exciting.

After four years, the show branched out to LA thanks to Margie Mintz and Rob O'Reilly. It's back for the second year and it features 49 of LA's best comics and one ex-NYC producer that is me.


50 FIRST JOKES 2012

NEW YORK
January 4, 2012
The Bell House
149 7th St, Brooklyn, NY  11215-3106
$10 in advance, $12 at the door
For tickets, visit ticketweb

January 6, 2012
The Downtown Independent Theater
251 S Main St, Los Angeles
Doors at 7, show at 8 
$8 in advance, $10 at the door
For tickets, visit this link: http://bit.ly/sVDoHj

This Thursday at 8. Promo code gets you $4 off.

Living in LA now. Still adjusting and seeing the ups and the downs. Upside: I live in a studio BY MYSELF! Take that New York real estate. Downside: Eleanor Rigby would have called the apartment "too depressing."

I have shows here now, too. All on the upside!

November 10 @ 8pm
Merrill Davis and Friends
The Improv Lab
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=180562255361519
$10

November 13 @ 7pm
Nonstop Comedy Flight
Spitfire Grill 3300 Airport Ave Santa Monica
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=254285107956312
Free

November 15 @ 8pm
The Good Luck Show
Good Luck Bar 1514 Hillhurst Ave, Los Feliz
Free

But maybe I can talk to you later, from on stage, through a microphone?

Shows for late August and September are being added gradually. Come and see me.

Bridgetown, you were the best fest I ever did have. So many great shows and some of the coolest people in the nicest town. I miss the sleepless hive feeling.  I have tried to re-create it by drinking a pot of coffee every midnight and texting all my friends "Where R U?"

I did bring a home souvenir though, which is This American Wife taped at Bridgetown. Me along with really great comics like Pete Holmes, Moshe Kasher, Chris Garcia, Karl Hess and Erin Lennox.

Give it a listen. It's about sex and dating so be warned: you'll want to have sex or date when you hear it.

Portland, we are going to be together at last. Bridgetown Comedy Festival is on from April 21st - 24th and is packed with comics galore. I can't wait. Look down the road for the vintage moped spewing dark smoke. That'll be me on my rental.

Check out my schedule: http://bridgetowncomedyfestival.com/performer/claudia-cogan/

Hey! You love new videos so this is the best present I could have given you.

These may be NSFW considering there is material about a lez bar (in the second video). But I don't know where you work -- it could be one of those bars and you're like "this is perfect for my lesbian bar!" More likely these are NSFP - Not Safe for Puritans. In which case, any Puritans watching shake their head for days and days before eventually succumbing to Small Pox or starvation at the relatively elderly age of 23. SUCKAZ!!

This coming week is show after show - because Valentines requires this type of non-stop support.

Wednesday 2/9 - Turtle Tank 9pm Arlene's Grocery
Thursday 2/10 - AbeMixture 8:30 Legion Bar in Williamsburg
Friday 2/11 - Ooey Gooey Valentine's Comedy Party 7:30 The Bell House

Me and the other sweethearts in every lineup will be there to delicately kiss your funnybone

Turtle Tank - the monthly summit of amazing comics returns on 2/9!

This Wednesday night at Arlene's Grocery 95 Stanton St (Google Map) sets from New York's comediest comedians:

Victor Varnado - The Awkward Comedy Show on Comedy Central
Sara Schaefer - blogger for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Leah Dubie - commentator on truTV's World's Dumbest Criminals
musical fun from Myq Kaplan (Last Comic) & Micah Sherman (Second City)
Dan St. Germain - fuse and the WTF podcast
Josh Carter - Manhattan Comedy Review

Brought to you by Claudia Cogan and Dave Rosinsky.

And only $5 to get in. No drink minimum.

This is my new web site. The three people who knew and loved the old one will have to let go somehow.  It's a new era, one where Jersey Shore cast members have book deals and the dolphins in our oceans are throwing up silly bands instead of regular plastic bands. Change and grow.