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First Posted: 1/13/2012 With a quartet of comedy shows kicking off tonight with Jerry Seinfeld, the F.M. Kirby Center will become a veritable laugh factory this winter. Of course, unless you're one of the fast-fingered few who snatched up tickets for two sold-out performances the moment they went on sale in December, your only chance to catch the former sitcom star might be from your couch, in repeats. Fortunately, the three other upcoming showcases all spotlight top-notch comedians &amp;#8212; and one of them even appeared in the infamous "Seinfeld" finale. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 
Here's the lay of the laughs:

KATHLEEN MADIGAN

The St. Louis native will make her Kirby Center debut on Jan. 27. And by the time her instantly relatable act ends, fans likely will be asking themselves, "What took her so long?" She's insightful, charming and darn funny. Her bit about single-person Christmas cards is a bundle of welcome holiday jeer.

When: 8 p.m. Jan. 27

Tickets: $27

Where you've seen her: As a contestant, and later a judge, on NBC's comedy competition "Last Comic Standing," in her own standup special "Gone Madigan," and numerous times on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." 

Comedic gem: "Missouri was recently ranked No. 1 in crystal-meth labs. We were No. 2 last year, and like Oprah told us to, we set a goal. We kicked Tennessee's a** back to No. 2 where they belong."

LISA LAMPANELLI

By all accounts, "The Loveable Queen of Mean" had them howling during her sold-out show at the Kirby in September. Tickets are still available for her return engagement in February, but even the balcony is filling up, so act fast. But be warned: The outrageous, often raunchy Lampanelli is not for the faint of heart. Expect racist jokes, sexist one-liners &amp;#8230; and to be rolling in the aisles from the moment she takes the stage.

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 18

Tickets: $37.75

Where you've seen her: As the bomb-dropping, ego-decimating scene-stealer of Comedy Central's popular celebrity roasts and on "The Howard Stern Show." In February, you'll see her as a contestant on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice."

Comedic gem: There aren't many clean ones, but her roast of future boss Donald Trump yielded this nugget: "Donald, you've always gotten beautiful women; you've ruined more models' lives than bulimia."

JOHN PINETTE 

With his cherubic face and Bahston accent, Pinette kills with relative cleanliness &amp;#8212; think Seinfeld or Bill Cosby slice-of-life stories &amp;#8212; but dissertations on food are the big man's bread and butter. He gets fired up into a red-faced rage talking about Cold Stone Creamery, a Chinese buffet and trying to order Italian food in France. Trust us, it's all delicious.

When: 7 p.m. Feb. 19, all-ages

Tickets: $36.75

Where you've seen him: In his gut-busting standup specials such as "Show Me the Buffet, I'm Starvin'!" and "Still Hungry." (See a theme?) He also famously appeared in the finale of "Seinfeld," guest starring as the woebegone car-jacking victim Jerry and gang refused to help.

Comedic gem: "One trainer put me on a no-carb diet. They said, &amp;#8216;After a week you won't have any carb cravings. I felt lied to. I had cravings. When you drive by a bakery and you jump out of a moving vehicle, that's a craving!"

With a quartet of comedy shows kicking off tonight with Jerry Seinfeld, the F.M. Kirby Center will become a veritable laugh factory this winter. Of course, unless you're one of the fast-fingered few who snatched up tickets for two sold-out performan