REPORT: 'INFOMERCIAL KING' BILLY MAYS DIES

Source: Fox News

DEVELOPING: Television pitchman Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday, MyFOXTampa.com reports.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529328,00.html

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good grief what's up this week. Grim reaper making up for lost time?

on edit: another source:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article101401...

Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and now Billy Mays...Sure hope he isn't going to be the first of the SECOND set of three!

Carly

when was his death...2 weeks ago?

GET ON THE PHONE AND DIAL 1-800-DROP-DEAD or LOG ONTO grimreaper.com!! IT'S JUST THREE EASY PAYMENTS OF $222 PLUS $66 FOR SHIPPING AND PROCESSING!!!!

I did like Billy in that show Pitchmen.

but I did see a copy of the shows. He was an interesting guy.

GOOD ONE!!!

LOL

to JeffR- I already used my one nomination for the week.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/JeffR
Under his pic you see an envelop- click on that and send him a link with "DUzy Alert" in the subject line. When I find a post I want to nominate, I click on "Permalink" on that post. I copy and paste that into the body of the PM. If there are a bunch I think are worthy, I post the first one and then say there are a lot of other good ones in the thread.

Will you marry me?

yes, I laughed my ass off but it is still bad - scheduling Gidney for a once in a lifetime deal ASS-kicking; yes INDEED

yup, I be an Illinois native

I already made my DUzy nomination for the week.

It's a tough life selling stuff on TV.

RIP, bearded screaming man.

Honestly, I've never heard of him. But I'm sorry for his family. To some extent, I'm sorry when anyone dies. Family and friends, of course. Heroes and inspirations, definitely. People who died needlessly in Iraq (all of them) of all nationalities. No distinction. Somewhere on my grieving list is TV pitchmen I've never heard of, I'm sure. But they're mighty far down.

The hearing impaired have heard him.

RIP. Billy.

which may have been a factor in the rise in whiplash cases across the country.

Or the twitching eye tick epidemic

But I generally flip the channel when I see this dude.

/still has Kaboom and Oxi Clean somewhere...

trust me.

Cheers
P

Just found an audio file of him online. Nope, I've really never heard him before. What's this world coming to?

(hey, it's not grave dancing --the guy was paid to do exactly what he did)

Will TV or radio play a medley of his hits for 24 hours?

someone told me.

But they'll throw in 2 more 24x7 for a total of 504, that's right 504 spectacular hours of coverage, all for only $19.95. But you have to call in the next 30 minutes.

He was basically a carnival barker.

What is going on this week? Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays? Are we opening up a pool here? Who's next?

but the Most Trusted Man in America is not looking too good

I was bemoaning the fact that he had a show but geez I didn't wish this on him!

Sorry Billy and family!

When I heard about his TV show, I said, "Oh, great--I can't take him for more than ten seconds, so he gets a whole hour!"

Well, now his voice has been stilled forever. I never wished his death, just--silence.



rocktivity

You know who I'm talking about.

Those types always do! UG!

...it will just feel that way...

I know this one guy...

If that were the case... I don't think we would have suffered through the years of 2001 and 2008 with corrupt and evil morons at the helm!

.

but that is a whole lotta stupid in your sig pic. It is fun watching that party implode.

I hope he went out like this guy.

The Twilight Zone One For The Angels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf11CLnqy-I


Ofcoarse I don't believe in the need for deals, I think God's grace is a gift.

conspiracy.if you are 50,stay out of your house.of course they might kill you somewhere else maybe who knows.

Uh oh.

or an homicidal mailroom guy at the aarp.

rip anyway

https://www.buytheauger.com/ver12/index.asp?refcode=Aug...

It's not like I could stop you.

wonder if it really does what it says it will ...

Guy? He reminded me of Al on Home Improvement with Tim Allen.

Used to live a few miles up the road from me. I've moved, so Willie and I no longer frequent the same joints.

I really am. He was too young.

"Sports at work, is a whole lot better than work at work" one of the participants says.

Then there is a commercial for ESPN360 where Mays says "even my family loves it!"
Cut to a shot of him and his wife and little daughter (supposedly) sporting beards just like Mays.
Coffee spit take moment.
I thought it was funny.

Mays struck me as a harmless guy, and he had a unique voice who was good at what he did.

Wow.

where we bitched and moaned about how loud he was. Turns out he was the one who kind of "invented" the whole barker-type pitch. The key is that ordinary TV shows never go their full range of sound level, and the commercials aim specifically for the upper levels. That way, evidently, it sounds like they've got more volume, but they're just about on the mark legally, though obviously in poor taste.

A long time ago, some of us put on a skit wherein there was this "alien" named "Ghinsoo" who was selling all these useless items around the galaxy--his voice could put someone under hypnosis, wherein they would buy everything in site. Billy Mays kind of put a human face on sales pitches.

A lot of gnashing of teeth.

annoying voice?

Mays was on board a US Airways flight that blew out its front tires as it landed at a Tampa airport on Saturday, MyFOXTampa.com reported.

US Airways spokesman Jim Olson said that none of the 138 passengers and five crew members were injured in the incident, but several passengers reported having bumps and bruises, according to the station.

You don't suppose he got a really nasty head bump that he didn't do anything about? "Talk-and-die syndrome"?

http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/28/billy-mays-is-dead /

don't know, just speculating

Head injuries, even minor ones, are nothing to be complacent about. If he had been taken to a hospital and had an MRI... he could easily have been saved if there was a internal brain injury (clot or something). Of course, it could also just be something else. But his wife reported that after he got home from the airport, he went to bed early complaining that "he didn't feel well".

Source: TMZ

TMZ has confirmed TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead today in his home in Tampa, Florida early this morning.

According to the Tampa PD, the 50-year-old TV pitchman was found unresponsive by his wife Deborah at 7:45 AM.


Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/28/billy-mays-is-dead /

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I just watched a show not too long ago about this guy and his business partner. Very interesting insight into marketing gimmicks. As to his untimely death, I'm betting the head injury he received during the rough jet landing was far more serious than he thought.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

...but keep refreshing your browser.

super-sized.

Billy wouldn't have it any other way.

Al Sharpton is holding a press conference with the janitorial staff of the Apollo theatre in 15 minutes

this has not been a good week for celeberties.

too bad about mr mays. crazy though many may have found him, my marketing professor though he was a genius. i thought he was a little of both.

"may god stand between you and harm, in all the empty places you must walk."

But it wasn't too good for celebrities either! Billy was a member of PITA - not PETA, but PITA. Good riddance.

Famous people dying left and right---Farrah, Ed, Michael, David, Bea, Wyman.....the list goes on. In the next couple of days (or weeks) we will probably lose Ted (Kennedy) and Walter (Cronkite). This is even worse if we count the number of people in Iran dying on the streets..Neda...right now. In the "D" (Detroit) we recently lost Chuck (Daly) and Mr. Davidson....greats of the Detroit Pistons Team and we are STILL mourning from this.

Count your own personal circle. Friends, family or people you hear of or know someone that knew them in your neighborhood. Look at the crap that is going on in North Korea with the nuclear missile threat at Hawaii. I say all this to say one thing....we are living in the last days folks. We need to get our lives and souls in order.

Instead, many on this board and others are writing stupid comments regarding these deceased celebrities...like it is funny. Tomorrow, death could come to their door by a love one or themselves. Wonder if they think it would be funny then. Think about what you are saying....tomorrow is not promised to anyone!!

RIP Billy Mays-I brought Oxy Clean from your commercials. It is amazing how a person can ride on a bad plane landing on day, hit their head on the landing and the next morning, be dead. Like I said....tomorrow is not promised to ANYONE!!!

Billy Mays wanted to make his mark, and he did. I think he'd be glad that people are talking about his passing and laughing instead of crying.

I live in the PRESENT!!!

Not some fucked wacko fundy version of INSANITY...

Hmmm...(WTF?!?!)

(Walter Konkrite) dies, it will all be over

Oh, puleeze! Here's a hint for you. ALL LIVING THINGS DIE. THEY ALWAYS HAVE. THEY ALWAYS WILL.
Death is a part of life. I'll be damned if I'm going to sit around boo-hooing about it. The real problem is for people who have pissed away their life thinking they are immortal or that they have plenty of time left to do what they want to do or enjoy the good around them.

Godspeed Billy. You will be missed.

Source: Tampa Tribune

Nationally known TV ad pitchman Billy Mays, 50, was found dead this morning in his Tampa home, the Tampa Police Department reported.

Read more: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/28/281143/tv-pitch... /

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RIP, Billy.

with the exciting NEW! Corpse-a-Roll(R) by Ronco!

and a friend of a relative of mine.

The ads were annoying but when I was a kid I was fascinated by every single Ronco gizmo.

Or will everyone attending the funeral receive a free tub of Oxy Clean?

hair dye and hair gel overdose.

"19.95 + Shipping and Handling"

in a SECOND headstone WITH ENGRAVING for FREE!!!!!!!!

it should be "but wait there's more"

The one that blew it's tire on landing the other day. Supposedly he hit his head.

can often lead to death. Not saying that's the case with Billy Mays, just sayin'.....

Head injuries should always be checked out by medical staff.

natasha richardson's head injury. scary!

Either he hit his head on something or debris hit him, and then hours later he "wasn't feeling well" when he went to bed. Sounds exactly like Natasha Richardson.

Plane should make that standard procedure. Under penalty of being arrested.

This is going to get 50 year old paranoid.

Was always the uplifting sort. Really spooky, I just bumped into his show on Discovery this morning. This would be in CST time. So not sure what out it might have been. 9 or 10am?? I prefer his commercials, but indeed he helped inventors come out. Best invention I always loved that Billy had nothing to do with. the USB can coolers. Sure they can heat now, but thats easy. Cooling stuff off isn't.

But we have Oxy Clean and Orange Glo around the house

Source: AP

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa police say Billy Mays, the television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090628/ap_on_re_us/us_obit...

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Damn, what is this? And he helps the little guys get their products out. I just heard this on tv a moment ago. Almost the same age as Michael Jackson 1958-2009. Anybody else gonna die this week? Shamwow guy or the Dell dude. Gonna take guesses.


(This is my first post. Just amazes me how many are dropping

But I loved me some Billy.

Why this happen?

He beat up a prostitute in his Florida hotel room. She got some licks in too.

Which is kinda why I figured he'd wind up dead. Someday. But Billy?


Looks like someone beat me by 1 single minute in posting. Oh well. Wasn't even convinced it was political, but as he adds to the economy, he probably is.

Wonder if that plane has something to do with it. G-Forces can kill a person. Like on a. good grief. I've lost the word. The festival ride. uh damn thats stupid. I forgot what those railrides are. Do'h!!!

? Could he have had an aneurysm that started leaking then blew... or a DVT from flying that turned into a Pulm Embolus? Very weird! We'll see on Monday!

(according to tmz).

It's safe to turn on the TV again.

RIP Billy

I think it's gonna be a little weird now.

RIP Mr. Mays.

a great insight to the infomertial business. He really was good at it!

The man who single-handedly wore out more mute buttons than anyone in history...gone. (

I thought that was "Bob" of "Bob"'s Discount Furniture.

Don't dismiss it... my brother whacked his head on a coffee table (bending low to pick up something, hit it on his way up).

That night or the next he had a nasy headache.

His wife found him on the floor the next morning. Still alive, but apparently the whacking on the table started an internal bleed, the equivalent of a strok.

He spent a month in the hospital and, a year later, is still recovering. Most, but not all funtionality recoverd. Still disabled in one limb, and some cognition and visual limitions.

Had she not found him, and bleeding continued, he could well be dead.

So maybe it was the bump.

Shouldn't have been eating the Mighty Putty.

Actually, it sounds like it could have been from the bump he took from the plane crash.

Or the stress of the crash and his impending hip surgery.

FAA spokeswoman tells BNO News that TMZ.com incorrectly quoted her, says she never said Bill Mays was not wearing seat belt during landing.
http://twitter.com/BreakingNews/statuses/2374303075

He's got to be one of the most, if not THE MOST ANNOYING COMMERCIALS ON TV!!!

I used to change the channel as quickly as I could whenever he would come on - TOO LOUD!!!
He is among a new crop of commercials that they RECORD at TWICE THE VOLUME as the TV program...

Now let's hope those fucking commercials run their course SOON!!!

but it's sorry to hear he's gone...

on the Discovery reality show 'Pitchmen' I came to love the guy. He was really quite warm, clever and funny. He knew he was a loudmouth. His whole schtick was 'love me or hate me, but you will not ignore me'.

R.I.P.

I never thought about what all went into the marketing, I just assumed someone wrote a check and Billy read a cheesy script. I'm with you, he always annoyed me, but that show made me see him as a professional in an interesting field.

I mean, his commercials got on my nerves, but that's why I bought one of those new-fangled TVs that lets you change channels. Life's too short to hate someone over things you can ignore.

but watching Pitchman, I respected him for his knowledge in the field, and damn, he seemed to be a really nice guy.

I needed oxiclean from laughing at the beginning of this thread.

Although the death of anyone is sad, Billy Mays was so full of shit that if they give him an enema and use a SlapChop on him, he'll fit in a matchbox.

He came across like a bit of a pompous ass at times mixed with a kid that simply never grew up. He was just on the Tonight Show a few days ago! RIP + Postage and Handling.

I've been watching Pitchmen from day one and while yes, Billy did have a huge ego, it was only matched by his heart. The show itself highlighted how he helped old friends and family make money, including his dad! His boy Jr. worked on the set with him most times and even did his own local commercial that his dad starred in for a family restaurant.

In the end, Mays was a pitchman with a tongue of gold, not to mention waving hands of gold, and had a heart to match, and that came through on the show.

he was just getting paid to do them.