Some people praise comics as being pee-your-pants funny. Others want to see scabrous political commentary. What I really want is to hear a man in a fur coat with a magic, ass-whuppin’ belt, declare, “Sine your pitty on the runny kine!” From The Chris Rock Show, where the immortal character and subsequent movie Pootie Tang were born, Chris Rock has elevated himself from sketch comedy to being perhaps the biggest name in the stand-up game. His early struggles on SNL during the early ’90s are long behind him, and his middling film career—Dogma excepted—no longer matters. In recent years, before Obama got everyone talking about race (at least out in the open), Rock has put that topic in the spotlight—while being consistently funny, smart, and trenchant about it. The man has serious comedy chops. Or, as Pootie would say: “sa da tay.” Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., 467-5510, www.theparamount.com. $45.50- $75.50. 7:30 p.m. LAURA ONSTOT

Thu., April 10, 7:30 p.m., 2008