Hello Psychos!
The 17th annual “50 First Jokes NYC” is happening Saturday, January 6th, 2024 at The Bell House. We’re doing TWO shows this year, each with a different set of 50 comedians. That means 100 comedians total. AWESOME! There’s a 6:30pm show. And a 10pm show. You can get discounted tickets to the late show using promo code “JFOD” at checkout.
Also, for those of you wonderful folks who are not in NYC, “50 First Jokes” is happening in over 15 cities nationwide, including Ann Arbor (MI), Athens (GA), Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Lafayette (LA), New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh (NC), San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. If you’re in the area, make sure and check out your local comedy scene’s 50FJ show! Feel free to message me for more info about any particular show!
I’d like to express my gratitude by focusing on some 2023 comedy highlights. I often times get discouraged with this very challenging and uncertain career that I decided to embark upon many years ago. I think it’s important to be grateful for the wins that I’ve strung together. Also, I haven’t been manic or depressed for over three years. That’s a big deal for me. I’m optimistic that I can stay well moving forward and accomplish some worthwhile things. So here’s my comedy year in review, written in an action-packed, present-tense style to make me seem cooler than I actually am. Also, I say some version of ‘Thank you’ a whole lot throughout lol.
January: I help kick the comedy year off right by hosting a sold out “50 First Jokes” show at The Bell House. 400 elated souls experience 50 hilarious comedians each telling the very first new joke they’ve written for the New Year. It’s so fun! Special thanks to Sachi for being such an awesome co-producer. For the rest of the month, I grind away doing stand up spots around NYC, including at my long-running weekly Friday night show “Live From Outer Space” at Cobra Club. Thanks so much to Max and Myka for co-producing and Caprica for working the door. During this time, I work hard to tighten up my act that I will be taking on the road. I also jump on board to help co-produce a monthly show called “Comedy At Sundown” in my neighborhood. Thanks very much to Bob for letting me be a part of it.
February: I’m in NYC all month! Spots, spots, spots! My act is coming together!
March: I headline at “Comic Cents” in Boulder and “The Denver Comedy Lounge” in Denver. My act works pretty well! Cousins of mine come out to one of the shows, so do some good friends. It’s a blast! Thanks so much to my dear pal, Ben, for making it happen. And thanks to my new friend, Jeff, for the ride to Boulder and being so damn funny hosting.
April: I return to DC, where I lived for 5 years when I was on “Redacted Tonight.” I get to perform at the awesome club “Hotbed.” The shows are super fun! Thank you for having me. Then, back in NYC, on my birthday, I record my second full-length stand up special, “John F. O’Donnell: Live at Cobra Club.” Thanks to Dan for all his hard work on that project. Next, I head to Atlanta where I get to perform at The Laughing Skull and Star Bar. Thank you for an awesome time. Also, special thanks to Andy for making that trip great.
May: I’m in NYC all month! Spots, spots, spots! I start writing/developing my new solo show “I’M ON LITHIUM: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder.” Here’s the show description: John F. O'Donnell is an accomplished, national headlining comedian with over 20 years of experience. He's also struggled with Bipolar 1 Disorder for just as long. In his brand new hilarious and heartfelt one man show, "I'M ON LITHIUM," John recounts a wild manic episode he went through back in 2008 in Dublin, Ireland. It's an amazing whirlwind of a story that is equal parts funny, vulnerable, insightful and, ultimately, redemptive. John is proud to present this new work as the next chapter in his longtime continued efforts to use comedy to destigmatize mental illness.
June: I headline “Last Best Comedy” in Bozeman, Montana and It’s so damn fun! The crowds are great and the entire LBC crew is awesome. Thanks for having me. And thanks to Paco for the amazing hospitality. The next night I do a brewery show in the small town of Townsend. I have no idea what to expect. Will my material translate to rural Montana?! It turns out the folks are cool af and we have a spectacular time. Thanks so much, Kaiser and Thomas. Now it’s off to Seattle where I perform at Comedy/Bar. What a great room run by great folks! Thanks very much for having me. And thanks to my great pal, Taylor, for making the trip fantastic. I also get to perform on the “Joketellers Union” show run by my longtime friends, the great Emmett and Brett. It’s so fun. Thank you.
July: I’m in NYC all month! Spots spots spots! I continue to write/develop my new solo show “I’M ON LITHIUM.” I start performing excerpts of it around the city.
August: I get to go to Prague with my mother and brother. What a special trip! Of course, I have to perform stand up while I’m there lol. It turns out there’s a burgeoning super cool English-speaking stand up scene in Prague! The Metro Comedy Club is the first English-speaking stand up club in the country, and I get to do spots there. It was really cool to get to perform in front of an international crowd. I’d like to give a big thank you to Kristýna and Grant and Brian and all of the other great comics in that scene.
September: I’m in NYC all month! Spots spots spots! I now have a completed draft of “I’M ON LITHIUM.” I’m excited to run it!
October: I headline “Dead Horse Comedy” in Arlington, VA. It’s super fun! Thanks so much for having me. The next night I’m in Frederick, MA at the Cellar Door. Also, a great time! Thank you. Now it’s off to Michigan to do shows with the great Shelly! My dear friend of 20 years! I get to do stand up one night in Ypsilanti at this cool music venue, Ziggy’s. And the next night I get to premiere the new solo show “I’M ON LITHIUM” in Ann Arbor at this rad performance space, NOW Studios. Thanks very much to Petals. And thanks to Shelly who made it all happen.
November: I’m in NYC all month! Spots spots spots! I’m so psyched to have performed the solo show in full in Ann Arbor. Now I just want to keep working on it and prepare for the NYC premiere!
December: Over 50 people come out to see the NYC premiere of “I’M ON LITHIUM: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder.” Thank you all so much! The performance happens in the East Village at Baker Falls, the new home of the Knitting Factory. Thanks to my old pal, Nick, for making it happen. Also, thanks to Carson. And thanks to my great friends, Dina and Matt, for doing opening sets. Thanks to Andrew and See Think for filming. I’m grateful to say that the show goes over very well. I’m so psyched and appreciative! Baker Falls gives me a date in January 2024 to perform it again. Wednesday, January 24th at 8pm. I’m looking forward to it! I’m full of gratitude!
Love,
JFOD
Hey I want to host a 50 First Jokes in Savannah next year. Is there anything I need from you to do it? Blessing? JK
John congratulations on being balanced for 3 years. That's awesome. As someone who was diagnosed bipolar 25 years ago I can appreciate how difficult it is. Hope to see your show soon.