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People are sharing their favorite Mitch Hedberg jokes, 20 years after his passing

"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're goin', and hook up with them later."

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Comedian Mitch Hedberg

It will have been twenty years this month since comedian Mitch Hedberg passed at the age of 37, and he's still revered by many as one of the best stand-up comics who ever lived. He had a delivery unlike any other. A combo of styles that was pieced together in such a specific way that no one could quite replicate it. Sometimes it was one-liners, sometimes not—but it was always observations about life from a mind that refused to think "inside the box."

In honor of his one-of-a-kind absurdity, fans online are sharing their favorite Hedberg jokes, plus telling stories about the few lucky times they saw him perform.

Across two Reddit threads, both entitled "What's your favorite Mitch Hedberg joke?," fans were eager to share their answers

@johnny5comedyisalive
What's your favorite dwelling cheese? #mitchhedberg #comedy #standup #standupcomedy #fyp #fypcomedy

There were the shorter jokes:

"I’m highly opposed to picketing, but I don’t know how to show it."

"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're goin', and hook up with them later."

"Dogs are always in the pushup position."

And then the longer premises with twists. (Some are performed differently than Reddit fans remember.)

Map Safety

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

“I wanna hang a map of the world in my house. Then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations that I've traveled to. But first, I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down.”

My house, my choice

"I bought a two-bedroom house, but it's my choice how many bedrooms there are, isn't it? This bedroom has an oven in it. This bedroom has a lot of people sitting around watching TV. This bedroom is over in that guy's house."

Prove your donut

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"I bought a donut. They gave me the donut and a receipt. I said, "Whoa, man, there is no need to bring ink and paper into this transaction. I give you the 50 cents, you give me the donut." I can't fathom a situation where I have to prove I bought this donut. A skeptical friend asks, "Is that your donut?" And I say, "Yeah, and I got the documentation to prove it. No wait, it's at home in the file, under D for donut."

Koala scatter

"My apartment is infested with koala bears. It's the cutest infestation ever. Way better than cockroaches. When I turn on the light, a bunch of koala bears scatter. And I do not want them to. I'm like, 'Hey… Hold on, fellas… Let me hold one of you and feed you a leaf.'"

Who can eat at a time like this?

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

“When you go to a restaurant on the weekends and it’s busy, so they start a waiting list, they say, 'Dufrene, party of two, table ready for Dufrene, party of two.' And if no one answers, they’ll say the name again: 'Dufrene, party of two.' But then if no one answers, they’ll move on to the next name. 'Bush, party of three.' Yeah, but what happened to the Dufrenes? No one seems to care. Who can eat at a time like this? People are missing. You people are selfish. The Dufrenes are in someone’s trunk right now, with duct tape over their mouths. And they’re hungry."

Of course, people didn't just relay the jokes. They talked about why the jokes worked and how Mitch would deal with one that bombed. One Redditor points out, "Even jokes that bombed were hilarious... 'Cause then he'd be like, 'Oh, that didn't work? I'm going to take all those words out and replace them with new words. That joke will be fixed.'"

The OP of the thread later revealed, in part, "The fact that all you guys know all these Mitch jokes means he was obviously an awesome Force, even though he died. And many stand-ups still talk about him fondly. He really had a different thing. He was up there with Steven Wright, and probably followed by Demetri Martin... just a fantastic style."

comedy, show, stand up, improv, stage black and gray microphone on black stand Photo by Matthias Wagner on Unsplash

On the thread, "Almost 20 years since Mitch's death," this commenter shared, "I got to see Mitch at the DC Improv while I was a freshman or sophomore in college. A couple of years later (2005) he was coming back in town and I had tickets. I remember getting on the computer in the library to make sure the show was still happening. I saw the news that he had passed away, and like other people, I thought it was an April Fools joke."

This fan sums it up perfectly, paraphrasing one of Mitch's most recited jokes: "I used to be a fan, I still am, but I used to be too."

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Maybe we need a new word for 'offended.'

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Here’s a thought.

Self proclaimed "feminist killjoy" Rebecca Cohen is a cartoonist based in Berkeley, California.

Here’s what she has to say about her role as an artist taken from her Patreon page.

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That hero is definitely not me.

I just draw funny pictures and like to share my opinions. I'm Rebecca, also known as @gynostar."

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A reason to be late... tasty treats.

Everyone gets antsy about their jobs sometimes.

Maybe you notice you're less motivated than usual. Maybe you acknowledge that you're no longer going the extra mile, and you're not quite sure why. Maybe professionalism is a term you've long since forgotten.

For many of us, the struggle can be so, so real. That's why Willie Muse wrote these all-too-relatable comics for College Humor, illustrated by Karina Farek.

These six funny comics perfectly illustrate what a typical first day at your job looks like versus the 101st day:

1. Who doesn't look at at least one viral video a day?

To tune or not to tune.

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2. You suddenly find the time to fit in a breakfast sandwich.

How do you miss out on a breakfast quickly served?

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3. You go from wanting your boss's approval to hating his or her guts.

Getting to know your coworkers...

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4. All the details that were once so important become nuisances.

job requirements, nuisances, work vacation

An evolution in responsibility and ethics?

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When an opportunity evolves into a responsibility.

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6. And you most certainly DO NOT want to end up like this.

Getting on the right side of fear.

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Let's be real: These comics are funny, but they also aren't ideal.

In a perfect world, we'd all have jobs that still look and feel like Day 1 on Day 101. And one of the only ways to get there is to intentionally strive for a life that's full of work-life balance. We really do have the power to not let things play out like this.

What can we do?

At a most basic level, we can make sure we're getting enough sleep, eating well, and doing at least a little exercise. We also shouldn't underestimate the benefits of detaching from computer screens and smartphones every once in a while. Plus, we can also minimize our stress levels by not multitasking and instead concentrating on one task at time.

The most overlooked advice for maintaining a healthy work-life balance is to actually take time off.

Disconnect from your daily work routine. Make a conscious effort to recharge.

Perhaps if we dedicate more time to enjoying life outside of work, there's more of a chance that we'll be on Day 1 for months, feeling grateful for our jobs rather than impatiently waiting for the clock to strike 5. Let's get to it!

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"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're goin', and hook up with them later."

Maybe we need a new word for 'offended.'

"In these trying times, the world needs a hero to resist the forces of tyranny.

Finding a good balance between working and relaxing can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be.

Everyone gets antsy about their jobs sometimes.

1. Who doesn't look at at least one viral video a day?

2. You suddenly find the time to fit in a breakfast sandwich.

3. You go from wanting your boss's approval to hating his or her guts.

4. All the details that were once so important become nuisances.

5. Your (lack of) motivation can take you from hero to zero — quick!

6. And you most certainly DO NOT want to end up like this.

The most overlooked advice for maintaining a healthy work-life balance is to actually take time off.

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From awkward phone calls and impostor syndrome, to depression and anxiety, at some point all of us have experienced challenging feelings and self-doubt.

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2. You still earn a ribbon, even if you have nothing to show for it.

3. And don't get me started on impromptu small talk.

4. If you can limit the internal screaming to 5%, you're ahead of the curve.

5. This is how it goes down every. single. time.

6. Just in case you needed a reminder.

7. Though compliments can bring their own kind of anxiety.

8. Adulting isn't all it's cracked up to be, kids.

9. And why is saving money so, so hard?

10. You know what's more awkward than feeling all the feelings? Talking about the feelings.

11. But it's good, especially if you need to.

12. Raise your hand if you've played any of these before.

13. Even the love chart is easy to love.

14. It's totally OK not to know, btw.

15. And, finally, don't forget to give yourself a break.

No matter your worries, fears, "weird" thoughts, or wild ideas — remember, you're not alone.

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The cartoons are comic relief and a welcome break from what can be a very stressful transition.

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2. Though sometimes, it seems like they knew all along.

3. Transitioning isn't something that happens overnight. There's often a new name and pronouns.

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While "Man Time" may focus on the experiences of trans men, everyone can appreciate its sincerity, heart, and humor.