The key to putting on a good show is familiarity with the audience. Comedian Mitch Hedberg says he learned this when he left America.

“You have to be careful when you go overseas, because for one thing, they don’t have Fritos in Ireland,” Hedberg says. “I have a lot of jokes in my act about food, so when I go to a place, I have to make sure that they have this stuff so they know what I am talking about.”

Americans’ familiarity with snack foods is just one slice of life Hedberg will exploit in his stop in Des Moines, he says.

Hedberg is a comic best known by audiences for his uniquely twisted observations on everyday life and his signature relaxed delivery style.

“My delivery is not something I really worked on,” Hedberg says. “It’s really just something I fell into over time as I found a way to be comfortable on stage and make sure I had enough material to fill my time.”

Hedberg says the bulk of his jokes come from everyday experiences.

“I just see stuff, and then I let my mind go off and daydream and come up with all kinds of crazy shit,” he says.

Hedberg, however, stresses that not all of these spontaneously-generated ideas are fit for the stage.

He says there are some ideas that may be too far-fetched for some audiences and those ideas often times yield stares instead of laughs.

“My major influence in the early days was marijuana,” he says. “These days, it’s more likely to be a couple of Advil and vodka.”

Hedberg has performed standup all across the United States and Europe, as well as appearing on several late-night shows including David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Craig Kilborn and Carson Daly, as well as writing, directing and producing the 1999 film “Los Enchiladas!”

All of these performances leave little time for Hedberg to rest. Aside from the occasional problem of some audiences not being familiar with pop culture references in his act, Hedberg says he loves the lifestyle of being almost perpetually on tour.

“The best part about touring is hotels,” he says. “I love vending machines and swimming pools and having your bed made for you and all that stuff. Sometimes they have karaoke; I really get into that.”

Hedberg says he has so much fun that he can’t believe he gets money for touring and doing shows.

“Getting paid to do this is ridiculous — I get paid for doing the same jokes over and over,” he says. “The real reward is to hear the crowd laugh … of course, the money isn’t bad either.”

Hedberg started this tour with fellow comedian and musician Stephen Lynch. Lynch has since canceled his appearance in Des Moines, but Hedberg will not be carrying on alone. Iowa comic Kyle Lease will now open the show for him.

Hedberg says he showcases local talent at each of his tour stops and gives Lease an enthusiastic endorsement.

“I really think he will be the next big thing out of Iowa,” he says. “If for no other reason, people should come out through the cold to come support him.”