Adam Cozens ’06 is a comedian who has entertained audiences through his work on programs like Saturday Night Live, MTV, The Daily Devo Show, and in a variety of other venues for years. His interest in comedy sparked during his time as an undergraduate student at Azusa Pacific University and has taken him across the country. Through connecting with classmates, fellow writers, and his local community, Cozens has followed his dreams and creative calling.
Coming to APU to pursue media communication, Cozens expanded his passion for humor by writing letters home. “I started writing an email letter home to all my friends and family called ‘Letters to the Masses,’ and I would put one out each week. It was a way to keep people updated on my life,” said Cozens. “As I was writing them, I would put humor into it, and people would write back telling me how much they enjoyed it. That was my first time writing solely for the sake of being funny.” Writing home included jokes about campus life, the dining hall, and classes, as well as informing friends and family about what he was up to. It was not until later that Cozens pursued his dream of writing comedy professionally in New York.
Taking a leap of faith after graduation, Cozens decided to leave his job in Seattle
and booked a one-way ticket to New York City to pursue comedy. “I started doing open
mics and got better and better. I started it as a means to an end to get a writing
job. But I slowly realized that if I was going to do this, I needed to take it seriously
and learn to respect and enjoy it. That was 18 years ago, and I’m still enjoying performing
stand-up comedy to this day,” said Cozens. Taking that chance opened him up to writing,
performing, and producing, finding opportunities with Saturday Night Live’s Weekend
Update, America’s Funniest Home Videos, MTV, and more.
Working onstage and off, Cozens was able to learn more about himself as a performer. “I wish someone had told me that when you start stand-up, it’s not as intimidating as I made it out to be. You don’t need to worry about being good from the jumpstart because you aren’t going to be,” said Cozens. “Once you go to an open mic night, you gain confidence. But I didn’t know that, I had only seen the polished final product, not all the work that had gone into it.” Through the years onstage, Cozens gained confidence and found his rhythm performing. “I started writing authentically to who I was. I was telling stories and framing jokes around my life and my upbringing, and soon the relationships I was in—my wife and kids. I became much more of who I am as a performer.”
Originally from Seattle, Cozens came to APU for the community and warmer weather. Through venues like the KAPU radio show and discipleship groups, Cozens formed deep connections with fellow students on campus. “I loved that APU allowed me to be myself. It is a brief time that you are on campus, but the ability to be in a place where you can be yourself and get to know others beyond shared Christian identity allows for friendships that transcend our time at college. We could be the most organic versions of ourselves,” said Cozens. Through these connections, Cozens grew in his faith, recognizing what it meant to be a believer outside of his home church. Through spending intentional time with other students, Cozens realized the power of good conversation and genuine connection.
Nowadays, Cozens is a husband and father of two young children, and lives in Glendora. He is also a part of several comedy projects. He is a producer and writer for The Daily Devo Show, a children’s show streaming on Yippee TV. “The production part is so much fun. I like being the person that people can turn to about the details and developing a rapport with everyone on set,” he said. With a background in monologue joke writing, Cozens applies his skills to a younger, Christian audience. “The whole point is to give them an inspiring message that makes their day better, makes the lives of those around them better, and helps them to go out into the world and positively influence others,” said Cozens.
Cozens also runs the Instagram page, “Memes of Glendora,” which has amassed over 16,000 followers. Sharing daily memes about the community of Glendora, Cozens points out the quirky traits of the town. “There are so many funky things about Glendora. There’s a man-made castle built in the 50s, a world-famous donut shop, and peacocks running everywhere. It’s a weird little town that I’m lucky enough to live in,” said Cozens. This Instagram page has also been able to help its community, sharing GoFundMes, providing support after the fires in January, and posting community events. “It's a cathartic place,” said Cozens. “The world can feel overwhelming sometimes, but Memes of Glendora is a collective melting pot of Glendora jokes, frustrations, and current events.”
Cozens is also writing for podcasts, working as a marketing manager for entertainment companies, and continuing to do stand-up gigs. “I am so fortunate to work a job where I can drop my kids off at school, walk around my neighborhood, and be invested in life outside of my 9-to-5. I get to perform when I want to, not because I feel the stress of having to,” said Cozens. “My biggest takeaway is that comedy has opened so many doors for me. I am so blessed by God that I feel this calling to do these wacky, creative endeavors.”