Few comedians embody the archetype of the guy we all want to hang out with more than Nick Swardson. He’s a prodigious drinker, loaded with stories of drunken behavior gone terribly wrong (don’t ask him to show you his watch when he’s blitzed, if you know what we mean); he shares much more information about his private life than seems appropriate, including a disastrous “massage” at a suspect spa; and he’s got boundless enthusiasm. Whether it’s high-fiving monkeys or eating Taco Bell while drunk, Swardson makes everything seem like the coolest thing ever, but his stand-up is only one part of his appeal. Swardson also brought us roller-skating prostitute Terry Bernadino in Reno 911!, Gay Robot on Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time and the 2006 cult favorite Grandma’s Boy. And here’s the great thing: For a few hours this weekend, you can actually hang out with Swardson—well, from the audience, anyway.
Nick Swardson July 25 & 26, 10 p.m., $54. Mirage, 702-792-7777.