Tragically, Mitch Hedberg passed away on March
30, 2005. Mitch was a beloved member of the Comedy Central family, and we join
with his fans in our sadness. He will be missed.
Born and raised in the St. Paul area, Mitch Hedberg decided to start his own
comedy career in South Florida. Not so much for the comedy scene, but for the
sun. His landlord would drive him up and down the coast from club to club in
his pick-up truck where Mitch would lie down in the back to avoid any of the
negative conversations his landlord would try to have with him.
Mitch developed his style in Florida and decided to try it out on different
audiences. He moved to Seattle and toured throughout the Pacific Northwest
honing his act in front of the new audiences. While in Los Angeles, Mitch
booked his first television appearance on MTV's "Comikaze" by
walking into the MTV offices and personally pitching himself to the talent
coordinator. Many cable shows followed including A&E's "Comedy on the
Road," Comedy Central's "Comedy Product," and NBC's
"Comedy Showcase" hosted by Louie Anderson.
In 1996, Mitch got his break with an invitation to perform at the prestigious
Just for Laughs Montreal International Comedy Festival. His performances
secured him a deal with a studio and a spot on "The Late Show with David
Letterman." Letterman enjoyed the set so much that he actually quoted one
of Mitch's bits later in the show.
Mitch's stand-out performances on the Letterman show (on which he appeared 10
times) and at comedy festivals secured a development deal with FOX to create
his own sitcom and prompted TIME magazine to proclaim him "the next
Seinfeld" and The Hollywood Reporter to headline their review of the
Festival, "Laughs are Loudest for Hedberg."
Mitch also released two popular comedy CDs, "Strategic Grill
Locations" and "Mitch All Together," and he wrote and directed
a film, "Las Enchiladas!" which had its premiere at the Sundance
Film Festival.
Known for his dry, observational wit and low-key style, Mitch Hedberg was a
master of turning everyday details into brilliant one-liners:
"I got my hair highlighted, because I felt some strands were more
important than others."
"I wish I could play little league now. I'd be way better than
before."
"I think pickles are cucumbers that sold out."
"A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer."
While he was frequently compared to the comedian Stephen Wright, Mitch's style
was indelibly unique and never could be imitated. He was truly one of a kind.
Unlike many comics who shy away from their fans' attention, Mitch welcomed it.
His official website encouraged fans to send in pictures of themselves posing
with Mitch at his shows. One published anecdote tells of Mitch meeting a group
of college students at a recent show in Florida who mentioned the stifling
heat of their dorm room. Mitch knocked on their door the next morning with a
brand-new air conditioner.
Mitch Hedberg was popular among his peers and had many friends in the comedy
community. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune quoted close friend and comedian Doug
Stanhope of The Man Show as saying "He was the greatest comedian
ever."
Mitch passed away in March, 2005 at the age of 37.
