As I sit typing this, Associate Editor Michelle Matthews rolls her eyes at me as I try to berate acclaimed female comic Margaret Cho.

“There are no good female comedians. None,” I claimed.

Her retort kind of catches me by surprise. She starts with Sarah Silverman. Then there’s Tina Fey. She is two in, and I’m already swallowing my words. I get it.

Like most inner-office debates, we take it to YouTube. Here at Generation, when we need to know something, we need to see it in streaming video. Who has time to cross check with The Times? We need video clips, dammit.

Lisa Lampanelli will be here on Friday, and I can tell you that I don’t like her.

The thing about comedy, however, is that everyone has a different opinion. DNA, fingerprints, snowflakes and a sense of humor, right? I like Doug Stanhope. Todd Barry. Brian Posehn. I like guys that’ll swear, but not for the punch line, and can mix some thought-provoking intelligence with an anecdote about pubes. Now, YouTube doesn’t include every live performance from the comedienne’s decade-long career, but my commitment to Comedy Central’s programming, and my broadband connection are enough to let me know that I, Andrew Blake, am not a fan.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t be.

Lampanelli touches on things that some of her contemporaries wouldn’t poke with a ten-foot pole. When I say contemporaries, you need to understand that the 47-year-old comic has managed to put herself on a level where she might find herself prett lonely. Despite a routine heavy on homophobia, racism, and an arguably intolerable penchant for discussing her love of black cock, she earned a Grammy nomination in 2008 and was in negations with Fox for a sitcom. She also did two movies with Larry the Cable Guy, so all that glitters is not gold, you know?

With Buffalo being a very small name on a not-so-large national comedy circuit, it is no surprise that the big name acts that hit up the town are few and far between. The Center for the Arts is one of a few local venues that host comedic talent akin in recognition to Lampanelli, so unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks to catch Seinfeld at Shea’s or take the #8 to Allen and fight off winos outside Nietzsche’s’ for open mic night, this might be your best bet if you’re looking for a laugh off the screen on Friday. I’m just not going to guarantee any guffaws. If you caught her at last month’s Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy, you’d know that spousal abuse and racism (Black people like fried chicken? And white women? This is your material? Really?) are just the tip of the questionably funny iceberg. Smoke a bowl, abandon all sense of good character, and if the money is still burning a hole in your pocket, come on down Friday to check her out. You might wanna stuff your knapsack with rotten tomatos just in case.