ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Mitch Hedberg, a Minnesota-born comedian who worked in nightclubs, television and film, died in New Jersey, his family said. He was 37.
Hedberg, who struggled with drugs and alcohol, 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.
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.
Hedberg delivered absurdist, random observations in a spacy staccato. His long, dirty blond hair harkened to the image of a 1970s stoner.
Jokes about Hedberg’s drug use were a staple of his act. He took a hiatus from performing for several months after a May 2003 arrest in Austin, Texas, for felony possession of heroin.
Hedberg had two popular comedy CDs, “Strategic Grill Locations” and “Mitch All Together.”