Ticket To Ride or Carcassone are often named as good games for getting friends into board games, we have and enjoy both. Settlers of Catan is also very popular.
You say "good laugh or at least bust each other's chops" - I've got several card games to recommend. These will all accommodate various numbers of players, and are fun social games. They should be readily available at most local games stores.
Munchkin: Fight monsters, stab your buddy in the back. Very silly game. Million expansions available, which are fun if you really get into it, but not at all necessary.
Fluxx: There's a whole bunch of editions available. Some broadly thematic (pirates, or zombies) and some specific to fandoms (Firefly, Dr Who). Also fairly silly. The rules are always in flux. The cards you play will change the current rules. For example, another player has lots of cards and might be close to winning, so you play a smaller hand limit rule, forcing them to discard a bunch.
Aye, Dark Overlord: One person plays the dark overlord who sent the other players out on a quest which failed completely. Throw each other under the bus trying to pass the blame and explain what went wrong.
Superfight: Draw two cards - one character, one attributes. Another player does the same. Argue why your fighter would defeat their fighter. Rest of the players act as judges.
Aye, Dark Overlord and Superfight are heavy on improv, great for a group that enjoys sitting around BS'ing each other.
