Comedy From Scratch is where you go in Westchester County to hear top comics from TV and NYC's major clubs performing long sets on an intimate stage. Past performers include comedians from HBO, Netlfix, Colbert, SNL, the Daily Show, Letterman, the Tonight Show, Comedy Central, and more. Every month, Ben Asher's presents comedy that reaches up into your brain with the force of a fist through the nose. Named "Best Comedy Show in Westchester" by Westchester Magazine.

Every month you can hear some of the most talented comics perform long sets, that other shows don't give them the time to perform. Comedy From Scratch is your chance to get to really watch comedians flex their muscles and hit their stride on stage, at The Idea Kitchen.

Locally-grown comedian Ben Asher presents a tasting of what the area's best stand-up comics are cooking up, at 'Comedy From Scratch' at the Idea Kitchen, every 4th (and sometimes 2nd) Saturday of the month.

Tickets available at https://ComedyFromScratch.eventbrite.com

Show at 8:00 PM. Seating at 7:00 PM (bring your food and drink/wine with you and sit down at our tables to eat before the show and pick out your seats!!)

Admission is $25 in advance, and $30 if purchased the day of the show. (Unlike Comedy Clubs, There is NO 2-Drink Minimum at this show)(and there is Free Parking.) BYOB and your own food/snacks/pizza (Half-Time and Sal's Pizza in Mamaroneck, or Nicky's Pizza in Larchmont is recommended!)

Updates to line-ups may be posted the week of the show here or you can follow @the_ben_asher on Instagram

The February 22nd lineup features:

Joe Pontillo (Amazon Prime; MTV; SiriusXM) – https://www.joepontillo.com/

Joe Pontillo has been on AXS TV's Gotham Comedy Live, MTV's Middle of the Night Show, TLC, and heard on Sirius XM. His jokes have been featured in Timeout NY, the Washington Post and on ESPN.com. He has released two comedy specials 'Delete Your Account' on Amazon Prime in 2018 (also downloadable on Spotify, iTunes, etc) and 2023's 'No One Asked For This' which is currently available on YouTube. You can check out his YouTube and Instagram for various stand up clips as well as sketches both short and long. In 2020 he wrote, directed, and starred in 'Social Media Killed The Super Villain' and in 2022 appeared in 'Sunday Sunday Sunday' both of which ran in multiple film festivals. Born and raised on Long Island and now living in Brooklyn, Joe tours the country throughout the year and has performed in 25 states. He hopes to add the other half in 2024.

Sarah Adelman (The Today Show; The Stand) - https://www.sarahadelmancomedy.com/

Sarah Adelman is a former reproductive health Research Scientist who now performs all over the city at venues including Stand Up NY, Littlefield, Union Hall, The Stand, Greenwich Village Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, Caveat, DontTellComedy, and more. I’ve also opened for Judy Gold in and out of NYC as well as Mohanad Elsheiky and can be seen on two episodes of HBO’s Game Theory season 2. Sarah was an Ars Nova resident for the 2023-2024 season in their Comedy Artist Makers’ Program where she developed and premiered her comedy solo show show EGG off-broadway in June of 2024. The show is directed by Iris Bahr (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks). EGG is touring in 2024 and is an official selection of the 2024 New York Comedy Festival. Sarah’s short film “BUSTED!” was shot in July 2024 and will premiere in 2025.

Produced/Hosted by Ben Asher (New York Comedy Festival; StandUp NBC; Iceland Comedy Festival headliner; Caroline's; Catch A Rising Star; DoublePlusGood Comedy) - http://www.benasher.net

Ben Asher, a writer and comedian from New York, is known for his “brave,” confrontational material, and his skills as a “brilliant joke writer” among fellow comedians. He performs regularly at comedy venues and colleges throughout the metropolitan area, East Coast, and Europe. Audiences are always quick to share their appreciation of Ben’s style of sardonic irreverence and absurd, satiric wit in which he doesn’t just dissect language and taboos - he explodes them. “What Ben Asher says makes me laugh, even though I feel like I shouldn’t."

In 2022 Ben recorded a half-hour special "An Intimate Evening of Provocative and Deranged Humor" at The Nest rock club, in Brooklyn, NY. In 2024, Ben recently opened for Greg Fitzsimmons. Also, in 2022, Ben's show Arthur Avenue Comedy was featured in the NY Comedy Festival as one of only two comedy shows in Bronx. In 2014, Ben traveled to Iceland to headline in the Iceland Comedy Festival. He was also the finalist in the 2014 Funniest Jewish Comedian Competition. In 2013 Ben was in the New York Comedy Festival. Ben has been a guest on Sherrod Small's 'Races Wars' podcast.

Ben currently produces and hosts the weekly Arthur Avenue Comedy show in NYC's Bronx borough, the monthly Comedy From Scratch at The Idea Kitchen, which was named “Best Comedy Show” by Westchester Magazine, and Slide-In at Slate-Nightclub in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, and has produced and hosts a monthly comedy show in Park Slope, Brooklyn and New York's East Village, DoublePlusGood Comedy, (formerly Nasal Vice! Stand-Up,) where, since 2013, rising comics perform long, 20+ minutes sets, every month. He also co-produces/hosts The Homebrewed Mic, giving New Yorkers a sample of homebrewed beers and comedy.

From TimeOut NY: For comedy connoisseurs tired of seeing their favorite comics squeeze their sets into five minutes, Ben Asher's showcase provides full-length sets and a chill atmosphere for diverse acts to thrive in.

Press: In addition to being a TimeOut New York 'Critics Pick', TimeOut NY has frequently called Ben's show the "best cheap things to do," of the week and one of the “most amazing things to do” of the month, and the New York Times has listed it show as an editor's choice multiple times.

Victor Varnado (Conan; Jimmy Kimmel Live; Adult Swim; Comedy Central) - https://www.instagram.com/robotosupremo

Victor will now be performing on the April 26th show.

QUESTIONS:

Is This Venue Handicapped Accessible?

YES. And please let us know how we can help you if you need any assistance.

What Age is Appropriate For This Comedy Show? Should I Bring My Children?

The material comedians discuss may be what you consider 'Adult' material. Anyone under 16 years of age should be accopanied by a parent or guardian. We would discourage you from bringing any child under 11 years old. If you child is age 11-15, and loves dark stand-up comedy (think George Carlin or Sarah Silverman) and you do, too, then we don't have any problem with them coming. However, if you child's only exposure to comedy is watching Seinfeld, Friends, or any situation comedy from TV, please do not assume you will be comfortable with material being discussed. Comedians on the show may discuss ANY aspect of human existence, or non-existence, in the darkest, most absurd way possible

More show info available at:

https://www.instagram.com/the_ben_asher

o r

https://www.facebook.com/BenAsherComedy

or

http://www.benasher.net

What can you seriously expect? Just look which comics are frequently on my shows. This show is no BS.

Past performers on Ben Asher's shows include comedians and writers from Saturday Night Live, the Tonight Show, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Daily Show, HBO, Netflix, including:

Ophira Eisenberg (NPR's Ask Me Another),

Mark Normand (Comedy Central 1-Hour Special),

Phoebe Robinson (HBO, 2 Dope Queens),

Myq Kaplan (Netflix Special, Comedy Central Presents, Conan, Tonight Show),

Mike Lawrence (Comedy Central Half-Hour, Roast Wars champ),

Emmy Blotnick (writer Colbert, Comedy Central The President Show),

Sam Morril (Comedy Central 1-Hour Special, Colbert, special ‘Up On The Roof’),

Liz Miele (Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham"; Caroline's),

Erik Bergstrom (Comedy Central Half-Hour, Colbert),

Matteo Lane (Netflix, Late Nite w/ Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half-Hour),

Mike Recine (Conan; Comedy Central Half-Hour),

Jena Friedman (The Daily Show, Conan, Adult Swim)