“You can’t please all of the people all of the time and last night all of those people were at my show.”

Comedian and actor Mitch Hedberg, famed for his quirky sense of humor and brilliant delivery died Wednesday at the age of 37.

“I had an ant farm. Them fellas didn’t grow shit.”

Hedberg, whose on-stage delivery consisted mostly of deadpan observations delivered in a laid-back, sedate demeanor, had been a fixture in the comedy circuit for more than a decade. He helped fuel a resurgence in standup comedy, and his 2003 tour with Lewis Black and Dave Attell was one of the most successful comedy tours in recent memory. His 1999 “Comedy Central Presents” special brought his humor to a mass audience, even if he joked that the reason he wasn’t a household name was because most of his fans lived in apartments.

Since the late ’90s, Hedberg has been a fixture on “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Howard Stern Show.” He frequently appeared in television and film, including “That 70s Show,” “Ed,” “Crank Yankers” and as the road manager in “Almost Famous.” As his sharp one-liners brought him from cult status to the edge of super stardom, Time magazine declared him “the next Seinfeld” in 2000.

“I like Mr. Pibb. Mr. Pibb is a replica of Dr. Pepper, but it’s a bullshit replica because dude didn’t even get his degree.”

Hedberg’s humor has become a staple of the college comedy circuit in the last decade as his material has become more widely distributed. His first CD, “Strategic Grill Locations” was recently re-released by Comedy Central in 2003 and his follow-up “Mitch All Together” prompted a headlining tour with Stephen Lynch. The tour, sponsored by Clear Channel Entertainment, opened at Madison’s Barrymore Theatre on September 9.

The packed crowd at September’s show at the Barrymore waited anxiously as Hedberg took the stage. When he finally appeared with his trademark long hair and sunglasses, the crowd erupted in applause. His act kept them laughing for his entire set even as Hedberg, with a glass of vodka in his hand, spilled a glass of orange juice (the other half of his Screwdriver) on the stage and declared “I love you” to wife Lynn waiting just off-stage.

“I don’t have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman who’d get really mad if she heard me say that.”

Hedberg was well known for being particularly devoted to his fans. He has cancelled over-priced shows, often ranting on his website, mitchhedberg.net, when he felt that venues had been unkind to patrons. He was often welcoming of fans backstage, going so far as to invite enthusiastic supporters back and offer them food and drink. In one instance, a group of college students in Florida mentioned that their dorm room was too hot. Hedberg appeared the next day at their room bearing a new air conditioner.

Mitch Hedberg died in the morning on Wednesday in his New Jersey hotel room. A spokesman for Hedberg confirmed his passing but refused to comment. Medical examiners have not yet determined the cause of death. His family told The Pioneer Press, in Hedberg’s hometown of St. Paul, Minn., that Hedberg suffered a heart attack.

“If you had a friend who was a tightrope walker, and you were walking down a sidewalk, and he fell, that would be completely unacceptable.”

A posting yesterday on Comedy Central’s website read “Mitch was a beloved member of the Comedy Central family, and we join with his fans in our sadness. He will be missed.”