By Jesse Cataldo

The news about Mitch Hedberg’s death began circulating sometime Thursday afternoon, close enough to April 1 that it could have been written as a joke, a rumor, or a prank. Unfortunately, as is too often true with stories of this kind, this was not the case. The 37-year-old comedian, who’d been entertaining audiences since the mid-’90s with his bizarrely styled one-liners, had died of a heart attack in a New Jersey hotel room.

Sandwiched between the last days of the Terri Schiavo controversy and the death of the Pope, Hedberg’s passing went largely unnoticed by the media. The New York Times only ran his obituary on Friday, buried in the back of the paper. For a man who Time magazine had once called “the next Seinfeld,” such an inconspicuous end seemed horribly tragic. Still, one only had to look to the internet to see how much he was loved and appreciated. Blogs and message boards were flooded with sincere outpourings of grief and sadness for a man whose home had been the college circuit.

Painfully shy and reserved, Hedberg needed to overcome a debilitating stage fright before he was initially able to perform on stage. He always appeared live wearing sunglasses to hide his eyes, and was usually looking down. He first became known after a set at the Montreal comedy festival in 1996, a stint that led to the first of many appearances on the David Letterman show. Hedberg became a favorite of both Letterman and Howard Stern, appearing on the latter’s show 10 times over the next few years. His death was first announced by Stern on his show Thursday morning.

Despite the overdose rumors surrounding his death, Hedberg’s heart attack was not necessarily drug related. According to his mother, he had had a heart condition since childhood and was always nervous about it. It’s quite possible, though, that a history of drug use could have exacerbated this condition. He was arrested in the spring of 2003 for drug possession and spent time in the hospital. According to Wikipedia.com, his dependency had worsened in recent months. The site reported that he even propositioned the audience for drugs at several recent tour stops, and more than once collapsed on stage. Hedberg last performed on campus in December, an event that many students will probably never forgive themselves for missing.

With his ever-present sunglasses and long hair, Hedberg easily affected the ’70s image of the laid-back druggie. His appearance had earned him roles in Almost Famous as the Eagles’ road manager, and on “That 70’s Show.” Despite this reputation, Hedberg was anything but a stoner comic. His wry, simple jokes subtly poked fun at the quiet absurdities of every day life, be it getting a receipt for a donut or the idea of an escalator being out of order. Paired with his laconic, spaced-out delivery and his rapid-fire non sequitur delivery, Hedberg’s routine was astonishingly original and unique. In a world where most stand-up comedy is so stale and rehashed, he will be sorely missed.

Comedian Mitch Hedberg, who visited the University last semester, died last week. (Image courtesy theroyalmagazine.com)