Rantin' with Lewis Black

8 p.m. Thursday / Saroyan Theatre, 700 M St. / $39.50-$49.50 / ticketmaster.com, (559) 445-8200

The biting humor of Lewis Black stings Saroyan Theatre on Thursday night.

Black, a Grammy winner and veteran of "The Daily Show," sells out comedy shows across the globe with his smart, angry humor, which ranges from social commentary to politics.

This Thursday's show is titled "The Rant is Due" -- so don't expect The Jolly Funtime Hour. But expect to laugh.

Sullivan appears at Fresno State

7 p.m. Saturday / Alice Peters Auditorium, Fresno State / details at wordfest13@gmail.com / Free

The noted essayist and journalist John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of the nonfiction books "Blood Horses" and "Pulphead" and contributing editor of Harper's magazine, is the featured reader at the San Joaquin Literary Association WordFest event. He'll be joined by poet Camille Dungy and author Davy Rothbart. A book signing will follow the readings.

All that and a bowl of gumbo

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday / Vineyard Farmer's Market, 100 W. Shaw Ave. / $10 / vineyardfarmersmarket.com

As we approach Mardi Gras and Sunday's Super Bowl in New Orleans, Saturday seems like the perfect time for a Gumbo Throwdown.

The annual event at Vineyard Farmer's Market features local chefs battling to dish out the best gumbo -- with the public choosing the winner.

This year's competitors represent: Trelio, Cracked Pepper Bistro, Keith's BoxCar Cafe, Sequoia Brewing Co. and TasteFresno.com.

The $10 tickets get tasters a four-ounce sample of each gumbo dish and a chance to vote for the tastiest.

Something else to watch on Super Bowl Sunday

2-6 p.m. Sunday / Star Palace, 1400 Fulton St. / $10-$15 / (559) 264-2848

There are many Super Bowl traditions. Among them: watching commercials, eating too much and crying yourself to sleep when your favorite team loses.

Here's another: Ladies ignoring football altogether and going to watch chiseled men take off their clothes. Strippers!

That's the point of Sunday's Skin in the City event at Star Palace.

Tickets cost $10 in advance, $15 in advance. And you don't have to worry about figuring out first downs.

A 'Selective' show at The Door

5-8 p.m. Tuesday / The Door Art Gallery, 3073 W. Bullard Ave. / (559) 261-1610 / Free

In the show "Selective Collective," The Door Art Gallery for the first time hosts a show consisting of selected works from the gallery artists, its teachers and the artists who attend classes and drawing sessions at the gallery. Tuesday's opening reception will be followed by a run of the exhibition through February. (Pictured: "Michael" by Anne Lewis.)

Rock with Y&T

7:30 p.m. Friday / Tower Theatre, 815 E. Olive Ave. / $29-$39 / (559) 485-9050

Hard-rock pioneers Y&T raise the decibel level inside Tower Theatre tonight.

The Bay Area-bred band, active since the '70s, is often cited as precursor to the hard-rock explosion of the '80s. Y & T didn't have the biggest hits, but it had a blistering sound and a handful of beloved songs, such as "Summertime Girls," "Mean Streak" and "Rescue Me."

Singer/lead guitarist Dave Meniketti has been at the helm of Y & T since 1973. His supporting cast isn't made up of original members anymore. All of them joined the band in the last 12 years.

Buffett benefit for schools

6:30 p.m. Saturday / Old Administration Building Auditorium, Fresno City College / fresnostate.edu/artshum/buffett, (559) 278-8342 / $45-$100

Emmy Award-winning composer and author Peter Buffett, a son of financier Warren Buffett, will perform in "Life is What You Make It: A Concert & Conversation with Peter Buffett."