Craig Ferguson

• Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.

• Begins: 8 p.m. Friday.

• Ticket prices: $35 and $55, $3 more the day of the show through the Rialto, www.rialtotheatre.com or 740-1000.

• Upsides: Ferguson takes off his FCC-approved gloves when he takes the stage, letting loose with hilarious stories and political and personal observations. It's not for the faint of heart or anyone expecting a kid-friendly, clean show. But the alum of "The Drew Carey Show" — he was the scandalous department store manager Nigel Wick — takes on a harder edge as a stand-up than you'd guess from his "Late Late Show" persona. Ferguson has become late-night's dark horse, sneaking in and beating "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" at least twice in 2008, in April and in November. Some are even speculating that the Glasgow, Scotland-born Ferguson, 46, who became a U.S. citizen last February, could be David Letterman's "The Late Show" heir apparent. Hey, we just love when he starts his nightly monologue with "It's a great day for America, everybody, and I'll tell you why" — and he's so sincere!

• Downside: His Tucson show isn't a matinee, which would make this tough call a whole lot easier.

Gabriel Iglesias

• Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.

• Begins: 8 p.m. Friday.

• Ticket prices: $34 through the Fox, www.foxtucsontheatre.org or 547-3040.

• Upsides: The "Que Locos!" alum is flat-out funny, drawing on his everyday life and girth for laughs (check out his hilarious "Donut" routine on YouTube). The 32-year-old California native has parlayed his high-energy personality, affinity for loud Hawaiian shirts and lifelike sound effects (among his noted impersonations are Presidents Bush and Clinton, George Lopez and the late croc wrestler Steve Irwin) into an enviable career in recent years. Noteworthy among his kudos: Being disqualified from "Last Comic Standing" in 2006 after making it to the finals, a trio of Comedy Central specials, and guest shots on "Showtime at the Apollo" and the late-night network circuit — "The Tonight Show," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and, yep, Ferguson's "The Late, Late Show."

• Downside: His show appears all but sold out. You might get lucky, though, and catch him sampling the President's Plate at Mi Nidito's on South Fourth Avenue after the show.

— Cathalena E. Burch