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.
The CD Jokes
Mitch Hedberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the world is cold
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight
Yes, you're lovely
With your smile so warm, and your cheek so soft
There is nothing for me but to love you
Just the way you look tonight
Tearing my fear apart
And that smile that wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart
Lovely, never, never change
Keep that breathless charm
Won't you please arrange it
'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight
Just the way you look tonight
The lyrics of Mitch Hedberg’s song ‘The CD Jokes’ refer to the famous “standard” song ‘The Way You Look Tonight’. The song is originally from the 1936 film ‘Swing Time’ which was composed by Jerome Kern and written by Dorothy Fields. The song has been covered by many famous artists, including Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé.
In the song, the singer claims that when he is feeling low and the world is cold, he will feel a glow thinking of someone special and the way they look tonight. He then goes on to admire the person, stating that there is nothing for him but to love this person just the way they are, with their lovely smile and soft cheeks. The song talks about how the person's tenderness grows with every word, touching his foolish heart. The singer also asks the person to never change and to keep their breathless charm, arranging it because he loves the person just the way they look tonight.
It seems that the song praises someone close to the singer, maybe a friend or a partner. The song wishes for the person's happiness and acknowledges their beauty, implying that the singer has a soft spot for the person. The song may also imply that the relationship between the singer and this person is currently good, as the singer seems content with the way things are between them.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday, when I'm awfully low
At a future point in time when my mood is incredibly bleak
And the world is cold
And circumstances in my life have become harsh and uninviting
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
Your memory and the thought of you will warm and lift my spirits
And the way you look tonight
Specifically, my mind's eye will reflect upon the joyful memory of how you appeared in the evening hours
Yes, you're lovely
I find your appearance to be pleasing and sweet
With your smile so warm, and your cheek so soft
Your smile elicits feelings of comfort and your skin feels pleasant to touch
There is nothing for me but to love you
I am unable to resist my feelings of admiration and affection towards you
Just the way you look tonight
You are unique and special in your own, unadulterated way and there is no need for you to change anything, especially in regards to your appearance or character
With each word your tenderness grows
As you speak with me, you seem to express more kindness and warmth
Tearing my fear apart
This comforting interaction begins to remove my sense of apprehension or dread
And that smile that wrinkles your nose
Furthermore, the expression of happiness evident in the way your countenance changes inspires delight within me
Touches my foolish heart
These sensations affect me deeply and powerfully, causing me act in ways which others may perceive as frivolous or puerile
Lovely, never, never change
You are perfect as you are and in no need of improvement or alteration
Keep that breathless charm
Your natural charisma and captivating demeanor should be maintained at all times
Won't you please arrange it
It would be so kind of you to maintain your stunning personality and appearance, and it would please me greatly to see you do so
'Cause I love you
My feelings of admiration and affection remain unchanging and steadfast
Just the way you look tonight
You are perfect and complete as you are
Contributed by Gabriella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.