By Merle Exit
Manager David Czegedi is turning Ben’s Kosher Deli in Bayside into a dinner theatre with “Latkes and Laughs.”
Czegedi teamed with the Wilshire Comedy Group — run by comic Alan Streisfeld, who hosts comedy shows such as this at restaurants across Long Island — to present the evening of theater, food and laughs.
“I think it brings something unique to the dining experience and offers our guests the chance to make a whole evening out of dining with us,” Czegedi said. “Dinner and then a show, all under one roof.”
Several comedy styles will be on display at the show.
Alan Kimbarow, one of the comics scheduled to perform, currently lives in Syosset and has been performing stand-up comedy since 2002.
“To command a room and make all those people laugh was way more intoxicating than I thought and I’ve been feeding the addiction ever since,” he said. “My comedy revolves around my life and the person I am — a morbidly obese, married for 34 years, father of two kind of guy.”
In 2003, he was named the winner of Jewish Week’s Funniest Jewish Comedian on Long Island contest and, at one time, was the exclusive emcee for all the fund-raisers of the Brokerage Comedy Club in Bellmore.
“I still find stage time whenever and wherever I can find it, which is how I got to Ben’s for this particular performance,” Kimbarow said. “When Streisfeld contacted me for this, he asked if I wanted to host and told me how much he was willing to pay, I graciously accepted. He then said, ‘you also get fed.’ Without missing a beat I told him, ‘You should have started with that and you could have saved the money.’”
Comedian Les Bayer will also take the stage and has been making audiences laugh for six years. He was crowned champion of an over-50 comedy competition last year sponsored, in part, by the AARP. He has also appeared at Governors and The Brokerage comedy clubs, Theater 3 in Port Jefferson and several comedy clubs in Manhattan.
“My comedy consists of a lot of one-liners woven around [my] ex-wife and dating,” he said.
Having played the banjo with a bluegrass band for many years, he uses the instrument in his act and does several song parodies.
“I totally enjoy making people laugh,” Bayer said. “There’s nothing better than hearing people having a good time.”
Peter Bales works as an Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Queensborough Community College as his “day job.” In addition, Bales teaches comedy with Stand-Up University at The Brokerage and will also be taking the stage at Ben’s.
“Latkes and Laughs,” scheduled for Saturday night, offers patrons a prix-fixe dinner with dessert and unlimited soft drinks, followed by performances from the three comedians at a cost of $45, including tax and gratuity. The show is set to begin at 7 p.m.
