The Joke That Saved My Life | Cory Kahaney | TEDxAsburyPark

On our worst days, it is often a joke that can save us. We can sometimes remember the joke as vividly as the crisis because it marked the shift from despair to hope. Cory shows how humor is a tool anyone can use to conquer fear, endure trauma, and manage chaos. “As a victim of domestic violence, I know what it’s like to feel trapped and powerless. Fortunately, on my worst day, I stumbled upon my superpower. My then-husband was about to about to disfigure me with a jagged piece of wood and I disarmed him with nothing more than a joke. It wasn’t a particularly funny joke, but it was enough to interrupt and diffuse the situation. Since then I have used this technique to overcome any and all obstacles.” Learn more at https://tedxasburypark.com/

An award-winning comedian, Cory Kahaney has been seen on CONAN, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, and America’s Got Talent. She also made a record 7 appearances on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Cory was a grand finalist NBC’s Last Comic Standing and had her own Comedy Central special. Cory’s off-Broadway hit “The J.A.P. Show” ran in NYC for 6 months.

Along with co-host Maureen Langan, Cory conceived “The Radio Ritas,” a nationally syndicated radio show for Greenstone Media, a company created by Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda to provide radio programming for women.


Her one-person show, "Having it all and other Myths," was produced as a TV special for HBO and led to 2 development deals. Awards include ‘Best Comedian in NYC’ by Backstage Magazine and ‘Best Female Comedian’ by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets.

Cory’s Website and Social Links:
www.corykahaney.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoryCajones
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cory.kahaney
The Joke That Saved My Life
On our worst days, it’s often a joke that can save us and we can sometimes remember the joke as vividly as the crisis. Cory shows how humor is a tool anyone can use to conquer fear, endure trauma, and manage chaos. “As a victim of domestic violence, I know what it’s like to feel trapped and powerless. Fortunately, on my worst day, I stumbled upon my superpower. My then-husband was about to disfigure me with a jagged piece of wood and I disarmed him with nothing more than a joke. Since then I’ve used this technique to overcome any and all obstacles.”

An award-winning comedian, Cory has been seen on CONAN, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, and America’s Got Talent. She also made a record 7 appearances on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and was a grand finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Cory had her own Comedy Central special and her off-Broadway hit “The J.A.P. Show” ran in NYC for 6 months. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx