Bill Cosby Performs At Club Ahead Of Retrial

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Bill Cosby made his first public appearance in some time when he performed at a local jazz club ahead of his retrial in April.

The performance came Monday night at the LaRose Jazz Club, located on Germantown Avenue in the city's Germantown neighborhood. Cosby took the stage wearing a gray sweatshirt that said "Hello Friend." He began by performing with the Tony Williams Jazz Quartet, which honors jazz great Tony Williams.

He then followed that with a special stand-up comedy performance, his first public performance in years.

"I came here tonight to enjoy being with my friend and the musicians and the people who came," Cosby told Fox29.

During his set, he reportedly joked he "used to be a comedian" and stayed on the stage for around 45 minutes.

He also touched on his age and his growing blindness, NPR reports.

"You laugh when blind people walk into things," Cosby reportedly said. "And guess what? Blind people laugh when sighted people fall down."

The crowd was largely supportive of his performance, laughing at his jokes and cheering at times, reports state.

Since allegations that he drugged and indecently assaulted Andrea Constand surfaced, dozens of other women have come forward with similar stories and accusations. Cosby's career essentially came to a full halt around two years ago. Last June, his trial ended in a mistrial when the jury was deadlocked. His retrial is set to begin in April.

Cosby has been active on social media in recent days, posting several updates featuring him at local barbershops, and ultimately, the jazz club.

AP Photo/Michael R. Sisak