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Hedberg Article By Matt Eiken

// March 31st, 2005 // 5 Comments » // Thoughts

Comedian Mitch Hedberg dead at 37

BY MATT PEIKEN

Pioneer Press

Even family and close friends had a hard time understanding Mitch Hedberg, a St. Paul native who ran away from home and, despite living a scattershot life, became a runaway success as a standup comic.

Hedberg, whose space-case persona was as much part of his soul as it was his act, died early Wednesday morning in a New Jersey hotel room. He was 37. A medical examiner hasn’t issued findings, but Hedberg’s family is told he suffered a heart attack. His wife was with him.

(more…)

Confirmed: Mitch Hedberg Dead At Age 37

// March 31st, 2005 // 33 Comments » // Thoughts

Comedian Mitch Hedberg is reported to have died of a drug overdose. The only source at the time I am posting this is the Howard Stern show. I will continue to follow this and try to get a more reliable source.

Mitch has a very unqiue style that he used to deliver his comedy. He also has a very unique way of seeing the world. What a tremendous loss if true.

Update 12:47 pm: It is confirmed that Mitch has passed away. Comedy Central has a picture of him with his year of birth and death. This is a tragic loss of a special individual that I was lucky enough to meet a few years back. RIP bud.

Update 11:33 am: Mitch is scheduled to do a show tonight at the “Baltimore Improv” so I gave them a call and asked them if there was a show tonight. The girl on the phone told me there was going to be an announcment at 2:00.

Update 10:43 am: I just ran across this.
(Via Dispatches From The Culture Wars)

I just received an email from a reader who works at Comedy Central that Mitch Hedberg has died of an apparent heroin overdose. I knew Mitch only vaguely, from running into him on the road a couple times, so it’s not a personal loss. But he was one of our most creative and daring comedians, and his voice will be sorely missed. Comedy Central is working on a tribute on their webpage and I will add a link to it as soon as it’s finished.

Update 9:06 am: I am of the opinion that this is a hoax. Being so close to April Fool’s day and all. When Howard Stern is the only source after all of this time has passed you have to wonder about the credibility of the information. There are unconfirmed whispers floating around different sites that comedian Patton Oswald has confirmed his death but that seems less credible than the Stern information. I will keep checking into it.

Update 7:01 am: According to someone who was listening to the Stern show this is how it was described to have been confirmed on the radio.

Howard [actually Gary D'ellabate] got the info from a major comic agent. Howard was dubious until Gary and Artie assured him the agent would know. Then Craig Gass [another standup who's a show regular] called and confirmed. Said he had just been on the phone with Mitch’s wife. Also confirmed by e-mail from Doug Stanhope [sp], [the standup who teamed up with Joe Rogan for the Man Show Part Deux], who was Mitch’s friend.

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Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe

// March 30th, 2005 // 2 Comments » // Thoughts

I had breakfast at this place called Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe on Walnut St. in the downtown area. Breakfast is interesting because it seems like it can only be so good; everyone makes it and you can’t change things up that much. This place really stood out. It has a great location downtown and it is very laid back and friendly. The food was really good and they had something I had never heard of but ended up loving.

In addition to offering hash browns they also made sweet browns. They were like hash browns except they were made with sweet potatoes and had a little cinnamon at the top. They were excellent.

Anyone interested in a good place to stop in and have breakfast in Springfield needs to check this place out.

I Plead The Fif

// March 30th, 2005 // No Comments » // Thoughts

Today I have a date with my lawyer at the Polk County Courthouse. It seems as though some in Polk County do not appreciate the speed at which my vehicle was passing through their town and they decided they wanted me to dress up and look nice for them in their own house.

Last night I took my first trip to Hammon’s Field to watch a little SMS baseball. It was very relaxing because of the weather and great atmosphere. The hot dogs are fantastic. I think I know where I will be spending time this summer.

I ran across this and it gave me a chuckle. (Via Very Important Things)

Additions…

// March 29th, 2005 // No Comments » // Thoughts

I have added a few more blogs to the list. Give them a few clicks and see if you find something interesting.

Simply Recipies
P/P (Photos/Poems)
Z+Blog

Flood Of New Music

// March 29th, 2005 // No Comments » // Thoughts

There is a lot of good music that has just come out or is being released soon. You can listen to new Weezer, Beck, and Gorillaz tracks in the Radio Blog below.

“Beverly Hills” by Weezer - It is always good to hear new work from Weezer. This is a single that has been released from their album “Make Believe” coming out May 10th. (Via Weezer) This song brings a lot less finesse than we usually see from a Weezer rockish type tune. It has really strong percussion and it kind of reminds me of something you would hear from the Foo Fighters. There is a great bridge and really cool instrumental styling at the end. It is a good track but I hope they come with a little more on the rest of their album. With this group’s history in mind I do not believe they will disappoint.

“E-Pro” by Beck - This is old school Beck. This track and album will take you right back to ‘96 and the“Odelay” album. Beck has wandered off into a melancholy vibe recrod with “Sea Change” and has reeled himself back in with his newest work “Guero,” which is already in stores. “E-Pro” has a great beat and makes you want to move from beginning to end. There is the famous Beck “Stream of concious” type lyrics through out. I think this one will be big.

“Talking trash to the garbage around you.”

“Feel Good Inc” by Gorrilaz - You never quite know what you are going to get with the Gorrilaz. The illegitimate son of Blur’s Damon Albarn and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien combine to make a tune that is a bit more poppish than their other works. “Feel Good Inc” has a laughing loop that is infectious and lyrics that blend really well with the beat. This is classic Gorrillaz. Music that is fun and does not take itself to seriously.

We Have What Due Today?!?

// March 28th, 2005 // 1 Comment » // Thoughts

I started my “second block” class today which means the class does not go the entire semester just the second half of it. I double checked the room number and walked into the class, as usual it was just a group of kids pretty much keeping to themselves. Folks usually do not get talkative until they are in class together for a few days. Someone made a comment about the weather and I started talking to them about something else. Time passed and something did not feel right. I could have sworn two girls in the corner were talking about an assignment that was due but I thought I was just hearing things because it was impossible for something to be due the first day of class.

More time passed and I noticed a small text book poking out of someone’s bag. It had nothing to do with English; the class I was supposed to be in. I looked over at a guy who is also in my Biology class and asked him, “This is an English class right?” He looked at me like I was an idiot. “Nope, this is American History,” he explained.

Basically, I sat around talking to people from a class that I was not supposed to be in. I guess it never struck them as odd that some guy who had never been in the class decided to just drop in and start gabbing like it was his job.

I made my way out of the class and looked at the door. There was a tiny, and I mean tiny note in the window that explained the class I was supposed to be in has been moved to another room.

I have a knack for making situations a lot harder than they have to be.

The Sandy Beaches Of Blue Springs, MO

// March 28th, 2005 // 1 Comment » // Thoughts

Spring break was very enjoyable. There were no drunken “Girl’s Gone Wild” chicks or sunny beaches but there was a very comfortable home and people that I enjoyed spending my time with. I spent some time with the Danny’s family who has a ton of people over to their house for Easter as set forth by tradition. I am lucky to have another family who treats me as their own. I have met some great people through the Collins clan.

My family went to Plaza III for brunch and it was excellent. The food was great; I tried “Eggs Benedict” for the first time. We sat near former Kansas City mayor and current U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. I thought that was pretty cool.

I really didn’t get to see as much of my friends as I would have liked to. I hung out with Megan once for a very short amount if time and there are a lot of the guys I did not see at all. I went over to Evan’s Sunday night and it seems as though he will in fact be living in NYC this summer. He got a kick ass internship with a firm that has a lot of people’s names in it. I will try to visit him at some point.