Mitch Hedberg died 20 years ago from a drug overdose, a but new documentary is hoping to give the comedian a fresh audience.
Whether or not you believe in Gosh, it’s hard to believe that the world lost Mitch Hedberg 20 years ago, the comedian overdosing in March 2005. Now, a documentary is hoping to shed even more light on the witty, self-defacing heir to one-liner comedy. For a long time, Hedberg was an “If you know, you know” stand-up and, tragically, he left us long before he may have broken out to a viewer audience. Hopefully the upcoming doc helps change that because, as its filmmaker says, “the world needs Mitch more than ever today.”
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, director Jeff Siegel said of Mitch Hedberg, “In these really complicated, divisive times, nobody can bring people together over hilarious yet ridiculous observations like he can. It’s nearly unheard of for a comic who hasn’t written a new joke in two decades to remain relevant in any way, and yet that’s exactly what Mitch has done.”
No doubt Mitch Hedberg was a unique individual, with a voice, cadence and look that made him a favorite among comedians, late night shows and college kids. Siegel added, “Mitch doesn’t look like anyone else. He doesn’t sound like anyone else. He’s smart, cool, complex, enigmatic and devastatingly funny. Equal parts dreamer, artist and rock star, all combining in such a compelling, irresistible way that Mitch instantly seduces nearly any crowd.”
Being a fan of stand-up comedy and its history, I tend to like hearing fellow devotees’ flex. And as much as I love telling others that I saw George Carlin live, whenever someone drops Mitch Hedberg into the conversation, I’m immediately jealous. And surely many of us spent countless hours rewatching his Comedy Central specials, listening to his CDs and tracking down all of his clips from Letterman.
Now, we’ll get even more Mitch Hedberg through the upcoming doc, which secured interviews with over 100 comedians that knew and/or were inspired by the subject. No official release date or title have been announced, but it would be great to have it this year.
What are your favorite Mitch Hedberg jokes? Give us your best picks in the comments below.
