Career: He began his career in 1989 playing open mic nights in south Florida. Two years later, in 1991, he moved to Seattle and began doing the same there, where his popularity increased. However, Hedberg did encounter some degree of difficulty. It took him more than a few years to come up with a good deal of material, and he also needed to conquer his stage fright, which was so intense that it left a mark on him throughout his career, sometimes even leading to his performing with his eyes closed, which he often incorporated into his jokes.
He first began achieving national exposure with a special on Comedy Central. Hedberg appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman ten times and became one of the show's most successful American comedians. Hedberg was deemed the "Kurt Cobain of Stand Up Comedy" because of his long hair, laid back attitude, drug addiction, and Seattle background. Hedberg was set apart from his stand-up comedy peers by many traits, including his unique pronunciations, an "abrupt" style of punchline delivery, and a curious stage presence that was professional-but-casual and confident-but-shy.
Mitch's joke topics rarely, if ever, treaded into smutty or contentious territory, instead focusing largely on deft wordplay, clever non sequiturs, innocent whimsy, and imaginative "object" observations. Although his stand-up delivery occasionally contained so-called "four-letter words," such language was never central to Hedberg's gags, instead being just exclamation/filler phrases during his stage discourse (his jokes rarely suffered when he performed them on television with the curses omitted - some might argue that they were better for the more universal appeal).
His onstage persona, though slightly nervous, was always quite endearing; he would happily joke with the audience if they hadn't reacted particularly well to a joke. He was happy to criticise his own weaker jokes, such as his statement on Strategic Grill Locations: "That joke was just a carbon copy of the last joke." His jokes ranged from compact one- or two-liners ("I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.") to slightly longer material (usually with multiple punchlines) in which he would take everyday ideas or situations and pick out certain aspects at which to poke humor (the Dufrenes joke is a good example of this). Mitch was also a three-time performer at the Montreal Just for Laughs festival.
Death: Hedberg was known to be a drug user. In May 2003, he was arrested in Austin, Texas, for possession of heroin. In 2004, Hedberg's drug use seemed to spiral out of control. At a September 23 performance in Phoenix, Arizona, Hedberg appeared on stage intoxicated, nearly collapsed, and asked the audience for drugs, which he then ingested in front of the crowd. At several other performances, he openly asked the audience for "any drugs" they might have, including Xanax and other prescription drugs.
Late in the evening on March 29, 2005, Hedberg was found dead by his wife in a Livingston, New Jersey, hotel room. He was 37 years old. His death was first announced by Howard Stern on his morning talk show (on which Hedberg had appeared many times, including less than two weeks before his death) and later confirmed by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Many people who learned of his death thought it to be an April Fool's joke, because it was announced April 1st on his official website. Hedberg had reportedly been preparing for his first HBO special, which was his main goal to achieve as a comedian. The high school he went to in St. Paul put his picture up in the student of the month column following his death, to show how greatly loved he was by the faculty that had taught him, and the many students that had seen him perform. Hedberg was born with a heart defect for which he received extensive treatment as a child. Though this condition initially had been cited as a possible cause of death, in May 2005 the New Jersey medical examiner's office reported "multiple drug toxicity," including cocaine and heroin, as the official cause of death.
Results of the autopsy and toxicology reports were first reported by journalist Peter Hyman in the January 2006 edition of Spin magazine.
Hedberg could be heard as the voice of Jimmy John's radio advertisements during the months leading up to and after his death. (Since his name was never used in the ads, the company likely felt there was no need to pull the ads after he died.) He also was the voice of the Atlanta Thrashers "Hockey Love" ad campaign in 2002-2003. Every performance of the Insomniac tour, headed by Hedberg friend and former tourmate Dave Attell, featured a toast to Hedberg at the end of the show.
Arrows
Mitch Hedberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The parrot talked but he did not say "I′m hungry"
So it died
I get a cold sore, I hate to say it Minnesota
But in a cold sore you put Carmex on it
Cause Carmex is supposed to alleviate cold sores
I don't know if it does help
It′s like cold sore highlighter
Maybe they can come up with an arrow that heals cold sores
I fucking hate arrows man
That try to tell me what direction to go
It's like "fuck you, I'm not going that way
Line with two third of a triangle on the end"
Imagine being killed by a bow and arrow, that would suck
A arrow killed you?
They would never solve the crime
"Look at that dead guy, lets go that way"
I like-I like to hold a microphone cord like this
I pinch it together, then I let it go
Then you hear a whole bunch of jokes at once
I tried to walk into Target but I missed
I think the entrance of Target
Should have people splattered all around
Then when I finally walk in the guy says "Can I help you?"
"Just practicing"
Let me think now
Oh yeah, I hate dreaming
Because you know when you want to sleep
You want to sleep
Dreaming is work you know?
There I am laying in my comfortable bed in my hotel room
It′s beautiful
Next thing you know I have to build a go-kart with my ex-landlord
I want a dream of me watching myself sleep
Hey man, you know I went to the Home Depot the other day
Which was unnecessary
I need to go to the Apartment Depot
Just a big warehouse with people standing around saying
"Hey, we ain′t gotta fix shit"
In Mitch Hedberg's song "Arrows," the lyrics express a series of humorous and sometimes absurd observations about various topics. The first verse introduces a parrot that doesn't say "I'm hungry" and consequently dies, highlighting the comedic twist of expectation. The second verse discusses the use of Carmex for cold sores, noting its potential to make them more noticeable rather than heal them. Hedberg playfully suggests the idea of an arrow that could heal cold sores, further emphasizing the absurdity of the notion.
The following verse expresses Hedberg's disdain for arrows that dictate directions. He metaphorically compares the triangle-ended line on an arrow to a symbol of authority, challenging the notion that he should be told where to go. This notion is extended into an imagined scenario of being killed by an arrow, which Hedberg quips would make it difficult to solve the crime since arrows don't leave obvious evidence.
Hedberg then humorously describes how he holds a microphone cord, releasing jokes one after another, suggesting a rapid-fire delivery of punchlines. He moves on to an amusing description of missing the entrance to Target, proposing a macabre idea of people splattered around as a marker for the entrance. This notion adds to the irony and absurdity that underlies his comic style.
Continuing with his observations, Hedberg expresses his dislike of dreaming because it feels like work. He humorously juxtaposes the comfort of his hotel room with the unexpected task of building a go-kart with his ex-landlord, highlighting the unpredictable and sometimes nonsensical nature of dreams. Finally, Hedberg humorously muses about the need for an "Apartment Depot" where people don't have to fix anything, mocking the less-than-helpful experiences he has had at home improvement stores.
Overall, the lyrics of "Arrows" demonstrate Mitch Hedberg's dry, deadpan delivery style, his penchant for surreal and absurd observations, and his ability to find humor in everyday situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey I bought myself a parrot
I made the decision to purchase a parrot
The parrot talked but he did not say "I′m hungry"
However, the parrot did not communicate its hunger
So it died
As a result, the parrot perished
I get a cold sore, I hate to say it Minnesota
I must confess, Minnesota, that I develop cold sores
But in a cold sore you put Carmex on it
To treat a cold sore, applying Carmex is customary
Cause Carmex is supposed to alleviate cold sores
It is believed that Carmex can reduce the discomfort of cold sores
I don't know if it does help
However, I am uncertain of its effectiveness
But it will make them shiny and more noticeable
Yet, it does make them appear shiny and more conspicuous
It′s like cold sore highlighter
In a sense, it acts as a highlighter for cold sores
Maybe they can come up with an arrow that heals cold sores
Perhaps they can invent an arrow that has healing properties for cold sores
I fucking hate arrows man
Personally, I have a strong aversion towards arrows
That try to tell me what direction to go
Especially those that attempt to dictate my path
It's like "fuck you, I'm not going that way
It's almost as if they are being defiant, saying 'screw you, I won't follow that course'
Line with two third of a triangle on the end"
Referring to the symbol of an arrow, composed of a line and two-thirds of a triangle at its tip
Imagine being killed by a bow and arrow, that would suck
Just imagine the unfortunate scenario of losing one's life to a bow and arrow
A arrow killed you?
It would be perplexing to attribute one's demise to an arrow
They would never solve the crime
The investigation would likely struggle to solve such a crime
"Look at that dead guy, lets go that way"
Rather absurdly, it could result in investigators pointing at the deceased and suggesting a direction
I like-I like to hold a microphone cord like this
Personally, I enjoy grasping a microphone cord in this manner
I pinch it together, then I let it go
I bring it close, then release it
Then you hear a whole bunch of jokes at once
The result of this action is an onslaught of jokes simultaneously
I tried to walk into Target but I missed
Upon attempting to enter Target, my aim was off
I think the entrance of Target
In my opinion, the entrance to Target
Should have people splattered all around
Ought to display individuals scattered in disarray
Then when I finally walk in the guy says "Can I help you?"
Subsequently, as I finally step inside, an employee greets me with the inquiry 'May I assist you?'
"Just practicing"
To which I coyly reply, 'Just honing my skills'
Let me think now
Allow me a moment for contemplation
Oh yeah, I hate dreaming
By the way, I have a strong distaste for dreaming
Because you know when you want to sleep
It is often the case that when you desire sleep
You want to sleep
You truly wish to enter a state of slumber
Dreaming is work you know?
However, dreaming requires effort
There I am laying in my comfortable bed in my hotel room
Picture me, lying in comfort upon my hotel bed
It′s beautiful
The setting is quite magnificent
Next thing you know I have to build a go-kart with my ex-landlord
Yet suddenly, I find myself obligated to construct a go-kart alongside my former landlord
I want a dream of me watching myself sleep
Instead, I desire a dream in which I observe myself in a state of slumber
Hey man, you know I went to the Home Depot the other day
Allow me to share, my friend, that recently I visited the Home Depot
Which was unnecessary
However, it proved to be a superfluous excursion
I need to go to the Apartment Depot
What I truly require is an establishment known as the Apartment Depot
Just a big warehouse with people standing around saying
Simply a vast warehouse inhabited by individuals idly gathered, uttering phrases
"Hey, we ain′t gotta fix shit"
Their common refrain being 'Hey, we are not obliged to repair anything'
Contributed by Nathan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.