April 1, 2005 Mitch Hedberg, a Comedian Who Performed Surreal Routines, Dies at 37 By JESSE McKINLEY
Mitch Hedberg, the lackadaisical, longhaired comedian whose surreal routines made him a cult figure on the national comedy circuit, died on Wednesday in Livingston, N.J., said his father, Arnold. He was 37.
The cause was not immediately known, said Michael O'Brien, his publicist. The Pioneer Press of St. Paul, Minn., his hometown, reported that Mr. Hedberg had a heart attack.
A shy, self-styled outsider, Mr. Hedberg carved a career out of casual observations delivered in a mumbling drawl. "I'm against picketing," he would say with a sly smile. "But I don't know how to show it."
Comedy was not a natural choice for Mr. Hedberg, who battled stage fright, and sometimes closed his eyes as he performed. Alcohol and drugs, however, played a large role in his on- and offstage routines. According to a profile in The Los Angeles Times, he was arrested in 2002 for possession of heroin. "I used to do drugs," went one of his most quoted jokes. "I still do drugs. But I used to, too."
In recent years Mr. Hedberg had shown signs of breaking into the mainstream, thanks to appearances on "The Late Show With David Letterman" and Howard Stern's radio show. Mr. Hedberg started performing comedy in 1989. His first gigs were at open-mike nights, but within two years he was touring comedy outposts across the United States, sometimes sleeping in his car. In 1996 he earned rave reviews for a performance at a comedy festival in Montreal, which led to appearances on Mr. Letterman's show, MTV and several sitcoms. The next year Mr. Hedberg wrote, directed and starred in a film called "Los Enchiladas!," about unhappy employees at a Mexican restaurant in Minnesota. The film played at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. He also released two CD's of his comedy.
Despite his personal struggles, Mr. Hedberg worked regularly, recently as part of a tour for Comedy Central. According to his Web site, he was to have performed last night at the Improv in Baltimore.
In addition to his parents, Arnold and Mary Hedberg of South Maplewood, Minn., Mr. Hedberg is survived by his sisters, Wendy Brown of Woodbury, Minn., and Angie Anderson, of South St. Paul, Minn.; and his wife, the comedian Lynn Shawcroft.
Mr. Hedberg spoke often of his love for the road, on which he lived for nearly half his life. "My theory is not to stop and smell the roses," he told the Wisconsin State Journal in September. "My theory is to find the roses and then go find more roses in another city."
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April 1, 2005
Mitch Hedberg, a Comedian Who Performed Surreal Routines, Dies at 37
By JESSE McKINLEY
Mitch Hedberg, the lackadaisical, longhaired comedian whose surreal routines made him a cult figure on the national comedy circuit, died on Wednesday in Livingston, N.J., said his father, Arnold. He was 37.
The cause was not immediately known, said Michael O'Brien, his publicist. The Pioneer Press of St. Paul, Minn., his hometown, reported that Mr. Hedberg had a heart attack.
A shy, self-styled outsider, Mr. Hedberg carved a career out of casual observations delivered in a mumbling drawl. "I'm against picketing," he would say with a sly smile. "But I don't know how to show it."
Comedy was not a natural choice for Mr. Hedberg, who battled stage fright, and sometimes closed his eyes as he performed. Alcohol and drugs, however, played a large role in his on- and offstage routines. According to a profile in The Los Angeles Times, he was arrested in 2002 for possession of heroin. "I used to do drugs," went one of his most quoted jokes. "I still do drugs. But I used to, too."
In recent years Mr. Hedberg had shown signs of breaking into the mainstream, thanks to appearances on "The Late Show With David Letterman" and Howard Stern's radio show. Mr. Hedberg started performing comedy in 1989. His first gigs were at open-mike nights, but within two years he was touring comedy outposts across the United States, sometimes sleeping in his car. In 1996 he earned rave reviews for a performance at a comedy festival in Montreal, which led to appearances on Mr. Letterman's show, MTV and several sitcoms. The next year Mr. Hedberg wrote, directed and starred in a film called "Los Enchiladas!," about unhappy employees at a Mexican restaurant in Minnesota. The film played at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. He also released two CD's of his comedy.
Despite his personal struggles, Mr. Hedberg worked regularly, recently as part of a tour for Comedy Central. According to his Web site, he was to have performed last night at the Improv in Baltimore.
In addition to his parents, Arnold and Mary Hedberg of South Maplewood, Minn., Mr. Hedberg is survived by his sisters, Wendy Brown of Woodbury, Minn., and Angie Anderson, of South St. Paul, Minn.; and his wife, the comedian Lynn Shawcroft.
Mr. Hedberg spoke often of his love for the road, on which he lived for nearly half his life. "My theory is not to stop and smell the roses," he told the Wisconsin State Journal in September. "My theory is to find the roses and then go find more roses in another city."
Bernie Mac and Cedric would be still be doing Comic View if this man was still here.