Mitch Hedberg was a stand-up comedian known for his odd subject matter, subdued delivery and memorable routines that often consisted of a string of one-line non sequiturs.

Hedberg began his career playing open microphone nights in south Florida. Two years later, in 1991, he moved to Seattle and began doing the same there, where his popularity increased. 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 it left a mark on him all through his career. He first began achieving national exposure with a special on Comedy Central. Hedberg appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman 10 times, and became one of the most successful American comedians.

Mitch 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 performance in Phoenix, Arizona on September 23, Hedberg appeared on stage intoxicated, nearly collapsed and asked the audience for drugs, which he then orally 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.

Early in the morning on March 30, 2005, Hedberg was found dead in a New Jersey hotel room, reportedly from heart failure. He was 37 years old. His death was first announced by Howard Stern on his morning talk show and later confirmed by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press from his home town of St. Paul, Minnesota. Hedberg had reportedly been preparing for his first HBO special.

The specific cause of his heart failure remains unknown. He was born with a heart defect for which he received extensive treatment as a child, and speculation over the effect of drugs on this condition have both been cited as possible causes of death.