Bill Burr is laughing at you. And me. And the rest of us mindless gerbils who are trapped in the exercise wheel of modern society, too preoccupied to notice that if we just step off the wheel, we might actually get some traction towards realizing our dreams and living meaningful lives. It’s the oft-forgotten fundamental truth about comedians—they’re not just just funny guys; they are sharp-witted, smooth-talking social critics, the kind of people who’ll make you laugh at the fact that you’re an asshole…and you’ll pay them for it. Bill Burr is no exception, though he’s got the guy-next-door friendly looks to make you forget it. Burr was raised just south of Boston, and he looks like a stereotype from that city—an average red-headed guy who wears Red Sox paraphernalia. As a young man, according to his Web site, Burr was “always putting laughter before his studies, (and his) dreams of pursuing any sort of respectable profession died in the sixth grade.” Since 1995, he’s actively pursued comedy and is now considered one of the hardest-working comics in the country, performing over 300 shows annually. Come to the Town Ballroom on Friday night, and laugh along as Burr makes fun of the absurdity of everyday American life, exposing everything from our consumerism to our racism, support of the Bush administration, dysfunctional personal relationships and, of course, our inordinate fascination with technology.

Friday, July 27 at 7pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main Street (852-3900, townballroom.com). $20