Expanded Outline

Topic: A great deal of today's humorists employ a method of delivery that inoperates, to varrying degrees, an unmodulated (or aytpically modulated) tone of voice, a sort of nervous, deadpan, or otherwise naturalistic stage presence, and humor which delves more into absurdity of everyday life or skewed perceptions of mundane objects or events. It could be said that these trends were always extant in the realm of humor, and, to be sure, this is probably true. Therefore, while it may be unfair to say he was the progenitor of all these things, it is certainly true that he brought them all together in a winning combination that has been recycled and re-used, to varying degrees, by a number of the most famous american comedians from will ferrel to jon stewart. Mitch Hedberg might not be the father of 21st century comedy, but he was certainly its firstborn son. With mannerisms, a persona, and style all his own Mitch Hedberg, in his own way, revolutionized standup comedy. Praised, at his death in 2005, by entertainment weekly as "Comedy's Kurt Cobain," Mitch Hedberg was, if nothing else, a true innovator and a peerless comic.
What made him, and those who followed his examples, such savvy entertainers?
Yes the jokes were funny, yes his timing was good, but beyond these technical aspects there is another quality he displayed, quite plainly. That Quality is vulnerability. On stage he was as uncomfortable as you or I might be. His jokes, though light hearted, carried a tone of sadness. And of course there were the dark rumors about his heroine addiction. All these things lend a sense of vulnerability and humanity to him. They make him relatable and transform his joke from mere comedy to commentary o the human condition. This is not to say that he is wholly responsible for this human-comic, but it is distinct from previous trends of comics as mere joke tellers. It adds a compelling added dimension to a performance. IN my paper I will explore, and seek to prove, that certain types of comedy are appealing, not just for their jokes, but also for the insight into the human condition and catharsis that laughing at these follies offers. Finally, I wil seek to assert that, Mitch Hedberg’s work helped to establish this new comedic trend.

Similar Comedians
Dimitri Martin
Robin Williams (earlier)
Flight of the Conchords
Ricky Gervais

Previous trends, chatagorized by an emphasis on Jokes rather than on the Joke Teller.
Clownery- Charley Chaplin
Satire (Irony and Wry Commentary)- Jon Stewart, the onion
Slapstik/Gimmicky- Monty Python