Back on stage, Hedberg collapsed to the floor again in a completely incoherent mess. For an achingly long time he simply laughed, attempting to talk and slipping right back into laughter. Commenting that he liked drugs, especiallyXanax, but he was happy with anything, several small pills found their way to the stage, at least one of which he swallowed after mumbling "What is this?" He sat back down on the stage and became the picture of a drunken, washed up loser. Seats quickly began emptying, entire rows vacant, and at one point a man approached the stage with a card. Stumbling to him to retrieve the card, Hedberg read the contents aloud. "'Jesus loves you.' Not tonight, man, not after tonight."
Mumbling that the Celebrity Theater owner was going to be mad in light of a previous incoherent Tempe Improv show, he questioned his performance, lamenting it, repeatedly mumbling that he wanted to "end strong" - Stephen Lynch had started strong, he stated, and Lynch ended strong, and he wanted to not disappoint the fans. He was wrong on all counts, unfortunately. At best he could only end as weakly as he began, but even with shouted lines of bits from audience members he was unable to complete most of his jokes. Upon tossing off a well-worn bit, he simply threw his hands in the air in mock victory, and Al Madrigal jumped in to save the show's end.
This is Hedberg's peak. He will never again be as popular as he is right now, and he's simply throwing it away on drug abuse that he puts on display for his fans. There was next to nothing humorous about his performance - if anything, most people stayed to see if he would make it through his entire act, or, like gawking at a gory accident, stayed to see the slowly unfolding disaster. Unfortunately, that's exactly what we unwittingly paid for.
(You get what you pay for at the beautiful lull. Free? Yeah! And it's worth it!)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Ross Thomas
This makes me want to weep.
2 - Scott Pepper
This is horrible. I saw Hedberg less than a year ago open for Lewis Black and Dave Attell, and he was absolutely brillant, stealing the show completely from his more famous colleagues. Hopefully he can pull himself together before he throws away his career.
3 - Tom Johnson
I hope so too. My wife said there was an interview with him in the paper before the show and he was upset that HBO hadn't given him a show yet. He's apparently been pulling off a lot of seriously degraded and drug-adled performances lately, or not showing up at all, so it's easy to see why HBO would be hesitant to offer him anything. Either way, it's incredibly sad - last night was hands-down the most depressing thing I've ever actually witnessed happening on stage.
4 - Ross Thomas
This, for example. Why are comedians so self-destructive?
5 - Arnold
I doubt the card I gave him with the spiritual message on the back did anything to make him think twice about the condition it seems he has himself in, but Mitch is by far my favorite comedian whose jokes are a staple among my friends and I's conversations. For some reason I just couldn't get up and leave. I hope he finds help and comes back strong. Thanks for taking the time to post the events of the show online - you've saved me allot of typing. ;)
6 - Brian Capp
I was at this show and paid 70 bux for my wife and I. We were there to see Hedberg, as I am not really into singing comedians...thats why I go to rock concerts.
Anywayzzzz, Stephen Lynch went on first because he had some BS to do in San Diego (I guess CA is first priority), apparently Hedberg usually comes on first which is obvious now why.
It was worse thatn the review suggests, its as if the almost 3000 people who paid 32.50 each (sold out) did not matter. His need to be waysted [sic] was more important. Doesn't he have a handler or manager to keep him from going on drunk? He would spend 20 minutes complaining about the pressures of being a comic. Well I am an insurance producer, would my clients pay to listen to me complain about the pressures of being in insurance, plus the 3 kids I amd raising? Not.
I wish I had brought my kids, I can not think of anything that would horrify them into not drinking alcohol, it would have been a more powerful statement.
The stuff with the old lady who herself wanted to be part of the show was downplayed in this review, is he still married to Lynn?, he was making out with some old lady who had to dye her hair blonde because it was grey, but she still thinks she is 25 and had attention issues. She thought she was part of the show.
He asked for xanax and people through pills on stage and he took them, I am not sure what it was but xanax is rather small and the pills he took were rather large. Probably that old b*@&ch's estrogen.
2 things about this show that piss me off the most.
1. He was brilliant in San Diego from what I hear from friends.
2. and worst of all for a comic. HE WAS NOT FUNNY.
Does anyone want to buy my 2 Hedberg CD's Mitch All Together and Strategic Grill Locations.
Thanks for listening to my rant!!!
-Brian
ps. this was his funniest joke out of the 3 he told in 1 and a half hours. "I don't get it, is it a Hippopatamus or a really cool styling O-Patamus
7 - James
It sucked to see Mitch fall apart up there. I was shocked, I couldn't believe I paid to see him. He is still the man though.
8 - fez
I was there that night, and it is rather unfortuante to see such a talent fall into bad performance as that. I stayed the duration out of respect. You couldn't help feel bad for him. Hope he comes back "strong."
9 - brandi
I saw Mitch Hedberg in Houston on Sept 30th. We had front row tickets so the fear that Mitch Hedberg would either pass out and fall on us, or throw up on us was not unrealistic. How sad is it that Hedberg has drugged his way into a cliche? I can say one thing for him..the guy is brilliant. To be that wasted and still be able to stand and utter at least partially complete sentences is an amazing feat! Stephen Lynch was great, although it appeared that he had snorted just a teeeny bit too much cocaine prior to his performance. I hope they both manage to get their stuff together because they are both great comics!
10 - Marilyn
FWIW I saw Mitch on Saturday Night 10/16/04 at Town Hall in NYC. He was in great form, and did a wonderful show. So maybe he did learn a lesson from the Phoenix show. He did make one comment, that alluded to his troubles--He said, out of the blue, at the beginning of his set "I'm fine, whatever you may have heard"
11 - zach
i saw him the next night in san diego and he was stone sober and complaining because he said that 'after last night his manager wouldnt let him do anything before the show'. he kept repeating that he was way funnier drunk.
12 - steve
Wish me luck, I am driving out to Vegas tomorrow to see him. I am a HUGE fan and hope he can just keep it together for his set. Then lets get wasted together afterwords. Ill keep yall updated. I left out the o and the u on purpose.
13 - Lono
I saw him about two years ago and he was hilarious... firing on all pistons. Apparently in comic circles he is well know for heroin. Bummer!
14 - steve
I am the one who saw him in Vegas. He kick ASS! Top notch, great mood, very quick and witty. I was yelling jokes out with him like I was at a rock concert. Good job brotha. Cant wait to see you again soon. Steve.
15 - ivy
Boston was a repeat of Phoenix (per TJ's 9/24 interview), perhaps to a lesser degree. The show proved that Mitch is incapable of not being funny but his performance definitely took a strange and antagonistic turn.
Both CD's are great and his performance at Skidmore College earlier this year was hysterical.
16 - Jennifer Rice
I am glad I finally found this site. You know, I saved up money so I could take my boyfriend to see our favorite comedian on his 2yr anniversary of sobriety. hah! What a joke. We had both seenhim years before and were impressed. I cannot say we were this night. It is weird to see a "celebrity" literally throw their career down the toilet right in front of your face. It was like being at a Doors show and Jim Morrison is passing out on stage. My boyfriend said it looked like a chalk outline when Mitch was just lying there far from sober. It was sad and disappointing. It did do something positive for both of us though. It reminded us of how we were back in the day and how we could be now. We've accomplished so much with clarity. There is nothing wrong with drinking, but if someone takes too much money out of their pocket to support you and to be entertained, you better deliver. I have lost much respect and money we cannot get back. That night as soon as I got home I emailed clear channel with my complaints, because Celebrity said they could not refund my money. Weeks later, they offered me tickets to nothing but crappy shows. There aren't many comedians that can really hold my attention, and that night I lost $70 and a whole lot of respect for someone I thought was different and refreshing. Thanks a lot Mitch!
17 - katy
I saw Mitch in philly last night, 11/27/04, and wasn't aware of his 'problems' lately. Imagine my surprise when he came on stage, wasted and barely able to tell a joke. At first, i thought it was part of the show, then, after an hour of mostly incoherent babble, i sat cringeing and looking at my watch, and apologising to friends whom i'd encouraged to come, telling them "he is one of the funniest comics you'll ever see".
Sadly enough, he KNEW he was blowing it and kept apologising, then told us not to go online today and write horrible things about him, b/c they're hurtful for him to read. So, here i sit, feeling guilty for betraying his wishes and sad that i'm witnessing a brilliant talent wasting everything he has accomplished; but i'm also upset that i forked over $126 for 3 tix for everyone!!!!
I hope the best for him, and hope he finally gets himself back together. He seems like a sweet, intelligent guy who had great potential.
18 - EWilliams
Hmmm... this sounds exactly like the DC show he just performed on Jan 22, 2005. Except for the makeout session. My boyfriend and I went on the recommendation from a friend who said this supposed comedian was hilarious. It was a horrendous show and it seems that he keeps repeating himself from these other reviews I have read. I have never seen such a train wreck!!!!! What I dont understand is why people like him and keep going to see him. I dont think I even smiled once. I really wanted to write a review on his website but unfortunately they dont have a section for that. I just get so enraged even thinking about the time I wasted going to see him. He isnt funny, his jokes SUCKED and the state he was in was embarassing!! The whole time I was stopping myself from screaming "YOU SUCK, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET OFF THE STAGE"!!!!!!!!!!
19 - Amie Kotlik
My husband and I saw Mitch in Pittsburgh 1/27/05 and though he was not totally trashed, we were disappointed. He seemed to spend too much time with his back to the audience and off the stage, getting another beer and doing God knows what else. He also had to keep referring to jokes in a notebook; my husband and I felt like guinea pigs as he repeatedly would say "That joke needs work" or "By March that joke will be better" or "That joke sucked. It's not going anywhere." Unfortunately most of the material never went anywhere. At one point he laid on the floor far from his stool and said, "Oh, I need my notebook. I can't do this without my notebook," which we felt was extremely pathetic let alone embarrassing. We are both fans of Mitch and we hope that he gets it rogether or he'll quickly be a has-been.
20 - madison
Glad I found this site and this information.. it explains so much. Boyfriend and I went to see Stephen Lynch and Mitch in Cleveland 2 12 05. Lynch came out first- Amazing, fast witted and funny.
Mitch came out with his notebooks in hand . A great deal of boring bad material (I could go to a bar and be just as entertained by the drunks there) We wanted to leave but felt like trapped rats (our seats were front and center.. no where to run without making a scene). He rambled on longer then he was suppose to (woman backstage started yelling out the time to him)... After the show we over heard the stage crew mention how ridiculous he is getting with his act-dragging on for longer then Anyone wants and not making much sense.. let alone making much comedy -- never again.
21 - matt
This is interesting to read. I just saw him at Caroline's in New York. It was my second time to see him. The first time was great, whereas this time was not as good. To echo all these other stories, he came out so drunk that it looked like he could barely stand up, and I too literally wondered if he would be able to finish his set. And again, he mumbled through a lot of jokes and didn't finish jokes that he started and then apologized repeatedly for how bad he was doing. That said, it wasn't as bad as some of the other reviews posted here. He was still funny and it was still a good show, just nowhere near as good as he's capable of. But from reading the other posts, it sounds like this is a definite pattern and a problem for him. Hopefully he'll realize it and fix it.
22 - JP
I am employeed by a comedy club in VA where Mitch was scheduled to appear Wed. March 21st thru Today, the 26th. Unfortunately, Mitch has been 'ill' and just not shown up for work Wed, Thurs, and 2 shows on Friday. A phone call would have been nice, but we're all just standing around waiting and hoping he'll come staggering thru our door. So, Mitch if you ever read this, please remember that many people's livelyhood depend on your attendance.
23 - Tom Johnson
Mitch Hedberg's death March 30/31 of a heroin overdose is being reported by Howard Stern today, and it is backed up by listeners of a Baltimore area station (Hedberg has been playing Baltimore this week.) I can find no reliable news sources reporting this, but it does not appear to be a sick early April Fool's joke, I'm sad to say. I will make an official post when I find out more.
24 - mike
Damn, Mitch.
25 - David Riley
Nope, he's gone. My friend had tickets to go see him tonight, and the Baltimore Improv confirmed it. His publisher just announced it a few hours ago. It's not on his website yet, but... damn. What a waste. Another Jim Morrison or Lenny Bruce.