Mitch Hedberg

Mitchell Lee Hedberg (February 24, 1968 – March 30, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian known for his surreal humor and deadpan delivery. His comedy typically featured short, sometimes one-line jokes mixed with absurd elements and non sequiturs. Hedberg's comedy and onstage persona gained him a cult following, with audience members sometimes shouting out the punchlines to his jokes before he could finish them. Early life Hedberg was born on February 24, 1968, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the son of Arne and Mary (née Schimscha, 1943–2012) Hedberg. He was of Finnish-Swedish (from his paternal grandparents), Czech, and German descent. Hedberg attended Harding High School in Saint Paul. He took little interest in school, and claimed he was barely eligible to graduate. Career Hedberg began his stand-up career in Florida, and after a period of honing his skills, he moved to Seattle and began to tour. He soon appeared on MTV's Comikaze, followed by a 1996 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman that brought him his big break. He won the 1997 grand prize at the Seattle Comedy Competition. The next year he appeared in an episode of Fox's series That '70s Show.