Comedian Mitch Hedberg dies at 37 Jokester was set to perform at Baltimore's Improv; Cause of death unknown
By Jonathan Pitts Sun Staff Originally published March 31, 2005, 5:05 PM EST
It seemed like just another on-air phone call. Shortly before 10 a.m. today, the hosts of the Kirk, Mark and Lopez morning show on 98 Rock (WIYY-FM) dialed the number of standup comedian Mitch Hedberg, who was scheduled for a phone interview.
The nationally known jokester was booked for five straight shows at Baltimore's Improv beginning last night.
A distraught-sounding woman answered and said that Hedberg wasn't available. She hung up.
The mystery wasn't cleared up until midafternoon today, when the comedian's publicists announced that Hedberg, 37, had passed away the night before. The cause of death was still unknown.
Stephanie Drummond, producer of the drive-time show, was grappling with her disbelief today. Hedberg, who had become a semi-regular in recent years on such national TV shows as Late Night With David Letterman and Late Late With Craig Kilborn, had appeared many times on the station, which works closely with the Improv chain.
"He's a wonderful guy," she said. "His delivery is so dry. He's like [deadpan comic] Steven Wright, with a little bit of hippie in him."
The show was bombarded with e-mails asking about Hedberg today, many wondering if it was an April Fool's joke. It wasn't.
"We'll be playing a lot of his highlights on the [Friday morning] show," she said. "He'll be missed."
Just two weeks ago, the long-haired comic had tried out a few new jokes on the Howard Stern Show. Some were about satellite radio, which he said he was beginning to hear frequently during his cross-country travels. "There's a reason you can curse" on satellite radio, he said. "Nobody's listening."
The Improv announced this afternoon that comedian Randy Kagan, who was slated to open for Hedberg, would be headlining tonight through Sunday.
I was going to post about this yesterday, but didn't get around to it.
Some of his funny one-liners. That's where I got my signature. I was going to use this one, but it was too long:
You know they call corn on the cob, corn on the cob, but that's how it comes out of the ground, man. They should call that corn, they should call every other version corn off the cob. It's not like if you cut off my arm you would call it Mitch. Then reattach it and call me Mitch-all-together...
This is absolutely horrible. Mitch has been my favorite comedian for a couple of years now. I loved his presentation and dry sense of humor. I've been wanting to catch one of his shows but never got around to it. He will be missed. RIP
"Guess [Ryan Kerrigan] really does have a good motor. And is relentless. And never quits on a play. And just keeps coming. And probably eats Wheaties and drinks Apple Pie smoothies and shaves with Valvoline." -Dan Steinberg DC Sports Bog
Wow, some funny schtick! Similar to Steven Wright.
