JAN. 23-25: GILBERT GOTTFRIED AT THE TACOMA COMEDY CLUB

Even before Gilbert Gottfried's Comedy Central roast appearances became the stuff of legend, he was always a comedian with a uniquely skewed point of view. He combined an acerbic manner with a clearly very deep affection for the structure and melody of a well-crafted joke. As evidenced in his early days doing half-hours for HBO briefly joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in those doomed '80s years, Gottfried had a talent for taking even rote gags like impressions and putting a deliberate spin on them.

It's a shame that he languished in the public eye for so many years as the perpetually squinting guy with the obnoxious voice. It took his epic telling of the "aristocrats" joke at the roast of Hugh Hefner before people were really made aware of his bloody-minded brilliance. Few comedians are so confident that they can take a joke as far as it can go, effectively drive it into the ground in the process, and still drag the audience kicking and screaming the whole way. Watching Gottfried lay a joke out in explicit and hilarious detail is a sight to behold.

Gilbert Gottfried, 8 and 10:30 p.m., Tacoma Comedy Club, 933 Market St, Tacoma, $15-$25, 253.282.7203

>>> True tales told in Tacoma. Photo courtesy of Facebook

JAN. 26: DRUNKEN TELEGRAPH LIVE STORYTELLING WORKSHOP

Several times I've had comedians and performers say that it helps to approach storytelling in front of crowds with the same enthusiasm you would have if you were telling your buddies a story at a bar. Your mindset should always be somewhere in the realm of, "Oh my god, I can't wait to share this awesome experience with you!"

That's some second-hand advice for any aspiring storytellers out there. My only other advice? Why not attend a storytelling workshop run by the fine folks from the Drunken Telegraph Tacoma storytelling series? As producers of a storytelling show, as well as performers themselves, Megan Sukys and Tad Monroe will be on hand to give you experienced instruction, as well as to hear pitches, should you be interested in performing at the next Drunken Telegraph event.

Drunken Telegraph Storytelling Workshop, 2 p.m., King's Books, 218 St. Helens Ave, Tacoma, no cover, 253.272.8801

>>> An illustration from Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman and Chris Bachalo

JAN. 28: COMICS AND PIZZA CLUB

Nerds don't need much of an excuse to get together and commiserate on the things they love (or hate). Usually, though, this commiseration tends to take place on the wide expanse of the totally necessary yet ever-maddening Interwebs. Howsabout getting some fresh air and talking to real live humans, with all that nerdiness?

Every fourth Tuesday of the month, the Harmon Tap Room is host to a book club that's more likely to discuss the new Matt Fraction or Grant Morrison than the new Dave Eggers. The Comics and Pizza Club selection for the month of January is Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman and Chris Bachalo.

There's still time for you to blaze through it before the meeting, but, come on, you've probably already read it.

Comics and Pizza Club, 7 p.m., Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave, Tacoma, no cover, 253.212.2725