The 2011 Charleston Comedy Festival is set for Jan. 19-22, and tickets are now on sale.

Produced by Theatre 99 (Charleston’s Home for Improv Comedy) and the Charleston City Paper (the premier source for news, arts, and entertainment), the annual event once again brings in some of the hottest improv, sketch, and stand-up artists from Chicago, New York, Canada, Atlanta, and LA to Charleston for a long weekend of comedy.

This year, the Charleston Stand-Up Competition finals will kick off comedy fest week with a Tuesday night show at Theatre 99.  On Wednesday and Thursday nights, there will be shows by local troupes  Cats Hugging Cats, Full Love Throttle, Neckprov, Hot Pants, Moral Fixation, and Human Fireworks. Out-of-town performers Nate Baratze, The Shock T's, and the Village Theatre will take over the Charleston Ballet Theatre on Thursday for a night of stand up, sketch, and improv.

 On Friday night, choose from 15 shows at various venues across town, including a show by Robot Johnson, Introducing Fish Taco, and This is Chucktown at South of Broadway Theatre in North Charleston and a stand up show featuring Nate Baratze, Dave and Ethan, and Tom Keller at the Pour House on James Island.

 Downtown venues will be packed to the gills too with performers like Todd Barry, J. Reid, and Kenny Z on both Friday and Saturday nights. If you can't find something funny to see, well then, you're just being difficult.