It was a dark week.

Last week, the world watched 24-hour cable news channels reporting on the deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II.

Schiavo became the unknowing spokeswoman for the issue of euthanasia, and the Pope inspired countless people and drew criticism from opposing views.

But one death the media virtually ignored was Mitch Hedberg’s. Hedberg died on March 30, a day before Schiavo died and two days before the Pope died.

While his legacy isn’t as global as the Pope’s or as polarizing as Schiavo’s, Hedberg, a stand-up comedian, managed to reach numerous fans.

What I liked most about Hedberg was how his slow mumbling, and, for lack of a better term, ‘stoner’ deliveries always masked clever, simple observations.

He was a man who said he highlighted his hair, because he thought some strands were more important. He thought pickles were merely cucumbers that sold out.

The tragedy here, which has sadly become cliche, is Hedberg died at the all-too-young age of 37. His career was filled with high expectations stemming from widely popular appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” He performed 10 times on the highly rated show.

The Hedberg hype hit its highest when Time magazine called him the “next Seinfeld” after he received a developmental deal for a sitcom with FOX. The series never aired.

His career is comparable to Bill Hicks’, a comedian gathering massive buzz just prior to his death in 1994 at the age of 32. Hicks was the only comedian ever to be censored on Lettermen’s show after saying about pro-life advocates: “If you’re so pro-life, do me a favor: don’t lock arms and block medical clinics. If you’re so pro-life, lock arms and block cemeteries.”

While Hedberg wasn’t as politically charged in his comedy as Hicks, the two men did share a few passions – namely drugs, booze and cigarettes.

Now Hedberg wasn’t necessarily the healthiest hero. As his mother told the Associated Press, “it’s no secret Mitch had a drug habit.” In 2003, Hedberg was arrested for heroin possession. Drugs have been a rumored cause of death, but no report mentions anything other than heart failure. Hedberg’s mother said her son was born with a heart-defect.

But according to Hedberg’s bio on Comedy Central.com, a few of his fans would disagree that Hedberg’s heart was even remotely flawed.

One fan post tells of a group of college students meeting Hedberg at a recent show in Florida. The students complained about how hot their dorm room was. A day later, Hedberg knocked on the door and gave the students an air conditioner.

While I’ll never get a chance to see Hedberg perform live, I still get a chance to enjoy his work that’s been captured on to CDs and a DVD. Hedberg was hard to dislike. My parents, not exactly who I’d refer to as “comedy club fans,” will stop and re-watch Hedberg performances on Comedy Central. And, they’ll laugh.

Just like I laugh when thinking about this tragic death.

It isn’t that I take pleasure in the death of someone who struggled with drug addiction; I just can’t help but laugh at one of his one-liners.

I still remember the last “new” Hedberg joke I heard.

A few months ago, Hedberg performed at Zanie’s Comedy Club in Vernon Hills, and the Chicago Tribune review highlighted Hedberg’s acute wit.

An audience member asked Hedberg for a sentence that starts out great but ends awfully.

Without more than his usual casual pause, Hedberg answered, “My girlfriend works at Hooters…. in the kitchen.”

Now that quote will never inspire anyone like one of the Pope’s, but it sure does make me smirk.