I know that Stripes was a fan and thought some of you others may be interested. Since this article it was confermed that he died of a heroin overdose. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Comedian Mitch Hedberg dies at age 37
Associated Press

MBM
ST. PAUL -- Mitch Hedberg, a Minnesota-born comedian who worked in nightclubs, college campuses, television and film in a wide-ranging career, and who struggled with drugs and alcohol, died in New Jersey, his family said. He was 37.

Hedberg died Wednesday in a hotel room in Livingston, N.J. Pending the medical examiner's report, the cause of death appears to be heart failure, said his mother, Mary Hedberg. She said her son was born with a heart defect and frequently felt anxious about his condition.

Mary Hedberg said speculation that her son's death was drug-related was gossip.

"We don't know that for a fact," she said, but added, "it's not a secret Mitch used drugs. Whether that played a role in his death or not, we don't know."

Jokes about Hedberg's drug use were a staple of his act and he took a hiatus from performing for several months after a May 2003 arrest in Austin, Texas, for felony possession of heroin.

Hedberg was born in St. Paul. After graduating from Harding High School, he rose through the ranks at Minneapolis' Acme Comedy Co. and caught his big break through a Comedy Central special.

Hedberg's one-liners, dished off in a spacy staccato, were based on absurdist, random observations. His long, dirty blond hair harkened to the image of a 1970s stoner.

A hit on "The Late Show With David Letterman," on which he appeared 10 times, and "The Howard Stern Show," Hedberg once was dubbed "the next Seinfeld" by Time magazine. But TV-series fame eluded him because his unique style of mumbled one-liners didn't lend itself to the sitcom format. His rambling, non-sequitur style often drew comparisons to Steven Wright, but Hedberg disagreed.

"If I made potato chips and put them in a can, people would say I was ripping off Pringles," he said. "But what if I put them in a bag?"

Hedberg had two popular comedy CDs, "Strategic Grill Locations" and "Mitch All Together." He acted in the movie "Almost Famous" -- smoking fake pot with Peter Frampton -- and appeared on Fox's hit series "That '70s Show."

Drawing on kitchen jobs he held before becoming a performer, he wrote, directed, produced and acted in the slacker comedy "Los Enchiladas," filmed at St. Paul's Boca Chica restaurant and the Maplewood Mall. The film was featured at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

Hedberg was held in high regard among his peers.

"He was the greatest comedian ever," said his close friend, Doug Stanhope of cable TV's "The Man Show," who recently opened for Hedberg.

He is survived by his wife, comedian Lynn Shawcroft, his father and mother, Arne and Mary Hedberg of St. Paul, and sisters Wendy Brown of Woodbury and Angie Anderson of South St. Paul.

Visitation was scheduled for Monday at Woodbury Funeral Chapel in Woodbury, with funeral services Tuesday at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Woodbury. Burial will be private.