Pitchman Billy Mays Dead One Day After Bizarre Airplane Accident
American pitchman and advertiser Billy Mays has died at the age of 50. Mays was probably most known for his catch phrase ‘Billy Mays here’ and the pitching of the multipurpose cleaning product OxiClean.
According to reports, Mays’ wife Deborah, found him unresponsive Sunday morning their home located in Tampa, Florida. The cause of death is not yet known, but authorities say they do not believe foul play was involved.
“Although Billy lived a public life, we don’t anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times,” said Deborah Mays in a statement to the press.
Mays recently began co-starring in a television show on the Discovery Channel called Pitchmen. Mays, along with English advertiser Anthony Sullivan starred in the show where they would ‘pitch’ several products. By the end of the show, two inventors would be selected and be given a chance at selling their product in masses.
Mays also pitched sales for several other products including furniture polish Orange Glo, Mighty Putty, the Gopher, Zorbeez, and the cleaning product Kaboom!.
BACKGROUNDER
William “Billy” D. Mays, Jr. (July 20, 1958 – June 28, 2009) was a television direct-response advertisement salesperson most notable for promoting OxiClean, Orange Glo, and other cleaning, home-based, and maintenance products. His distinctive beard and loud sales pitches made him a recognizable television presence.
Biography
Mays was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Sto-Rox High School in 1977, he began his career as a salesman on the Atlantic City boardwalk, selling the Washmatik portable washing device to passersby. Working alongside other pitchmen, he developed his style of salesmanship.
Mays later traveled to home shows, auto shows, and state fairs across the United States for a period of twelve years, selling various maintenance products and tools, including cleaning products and food choppers.
Rise to prominence
At a Pittsburgh home show in 1993, Mays struck up a friendship with rival salesman Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International, a Denver-based manufacturer of cleaning products. He was then hired by the company to promote their line of cleaners, OxiClean, Orange Clean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom on the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Customer response to Mays’ sales pitches were enthusiastic, with a sharp increase in sales after his first day on the network, although some reviews were poor. He is very well known for shouting in an abrasive manner during infomercials. For example, Washington Post staff writer Frank Ahrens called him “a full-volume pitchman, amped up like a candidate for a tranquilizer-gun takedown.”
Following the success of the Home Shopping Network campaign, a line of successful television commercials and infomercials for the products was produced, featuring Mays demonstrating the effectiveness of the products to viewers hands-on. He typically begins such commercials with: “Hi! Billy Mays here for [advertised product].” Their success led to OrangeGlo International being named among the top ten privately growing companies from 1999 to 2001 by Inc. magazine, and its eventual buyout by Church and Dwight. Appel credited Mays’ brilliant salesmanship for much of the company’s success.
Mays was the CEO and founder of Mays Promotions, Inc., based at his home in Odessa, Florida. His services as a pitchman became highly sought-after, and he appeared in commercials for many diverse “as seen on TV” products. Mays claimed to be an avid user of the products he promotes.
In December 2008, Mays began appearing in ads for ESPN’s online service, ESPN360. These ads were a slight departure for Mays as they were designed to be parodies of his and other infomercial cliches with Mays appearing to be doing a parody of himself. He also made a live appearance during the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl promoting ESPN’s and ABC’s January 1, 2009 bowl games.
Prior to his death, Mays resided in Florida in a $1.8 million home which was built in 2005.
In February 2009, Mays publicly challenged Offer “Vince” Shlomi, also known as “Vince Offer” to a “pitch-off” between their respective products, the Zorbeez and the Shamwow. Popular Mechanics compared the absorbancy of two towel products and declared Shamwow the clear winner.
On April 15, 2009, the Discovery Channel began airing Pitchmen, a documentary series that features Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their jobs in direct response marketing. On the June 10, 2009 episode it was revealed that Mays’ trademark blue shirt was the idea of fellow pitchman Sullivan before the OxiClean commercial shoot in 1999.
Mays and Sullivan appeared together on the June 23, 2009 episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.
More recently, the commercials for his products have become a popular internet meme, and have spawned countless video remixes.
Death
Mays was found dead by his wife in his Tampa, Florida home on June 28, 2009. The Associated Press reported that there were no indications that the house had been broken into, and that police did not suspect foul play.
According to Fox News, Mays had been aboard a US Airways flight that blew out its front tires as it landed at Tampa International Airport on June 27, the day before his death. None of the 138 passengers and five crew members were reported to be seriously injured immediately following the incident, but several passengers reported having bumps and bruises from falling objects. Mays told the local Tampa TV station that some of the objects “hit me on the head, but I got a hard head.” It is unclear whether Mays’ death was related to the incident.
YouTube: Billy Mays Mighty Putty Commercial
- “Report: ‘Infomercial King’ Billy Mays Found Dead in Home“. Fox News Channel, June 28, 2009
- Associated Press “TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at home“. Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2008
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Billy Mays, M.J. Farrah Fawsette, and others who died this week are not really dead… they are all faking death to go live on a special island outside of any country juristiction in order to elude the IRS. Residence already living on this island are Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee, Heath Ledger, and others. I heard some other very rich and popular celebrities will be joining them soon.
I agree with Luis – I'm REALLY confused about all the high profiles deaths this week – my thoughts and prayers go out to all the families….
If you look at his final interview on FOX Tampa, he was displaying some of the classic signs of a Subdural Hematoma. Lots of slurring, forgetting his words, looking very fatigue but still functional…almost like he had one too many alcoholic beverages. I know because I had one last year and that's the way I was told I behave. If he had a CT Scan that night, he might still be with us. R.I.P.
Honestly people can be so harsh. Billy was the head of pitching products we all knew we didn’t need but that didn’t stop us from buying them. He was the best there was at his job. Who cares if he was loud? He still got the point across and got a lot of people to buy! So please, please dont make fun and let the dead be dead. It only shows how shallow and coldhearted you are if you make fun of it. Honestly we are all the same, how would you and your family feel if they made fun of your or another family members death? Terrible. They are going through alot right now and just leave them be.
yeah it's hard 2 compare the 2 1 was a child molester and the other one was billy mays
Mays had a real talent. You know he's up there selling MIGHTY POLISH for the Purley Gates!
I loved Billy Mays and many times announced to my wife, " i wish i was Bill Mays". Prayers to the family. Loved the man!
love it! i agree.poor guy.
the world is ending
First off Mj was never convicted asswipe. Second Billy Mays was a pitchman not a fraud, If you read the article you'd know that Popular Mechanics tested the absorbency of Shamwow and found that it beat the competition. Even my local news channel held similiar tests finding equal results. So hawking products doesn't make you fake.
If you think we as a people are polluted now, I wonder what you'd think of America less than 100 years ago when lynchings of men, women and children were common and happily accepted. Or back to when we forcibly pushed Indians out of their own land with blades , bullets, and germs reducing their population by 90 percent?
And yet you think showing sorrow for a man, whose accusers couldn't even get their story straight in court is a sign America's going to pot? MJ was a rich man with childhood issues who got ripped by money hungry parents. Think about it, if your kid got raped, would you settle for just 20 million, or have that perv locked up? As for Billy Mays, love his style or hate it, it got him rich what about you?
R.I.P i don't speak english bat i liked him show, i'm very very sad. God bless you him family..
now he is selling useless things and objects in heven
Do ya think 2 Pac & Biggie Smalls are on the island, too?
I met Billy this year w Sully and had the luxury of talking with him for a couple hour's , he was as down to earth as you could get and very nice man .After several adult beverages (Billy's treat, he wouldn't let me buy) and some laugh's we parted way's . I was left feeling as if I had known him for year's . As a fellow pitchman I can tell you he will be sadly missed . I am sure I speak on behalf of all pitchman in offering our deepest sympathy to his family in their time of loss. God bless .
damn it! Vince is gonna annoy me bad. He's gonna do it all day.
R.I.P. Billy
ohhh!! So sad. I really did not think twice about him until I saw him on Pitchmen with his buddy Anthony. They were so genuine and sincere. I kept thinking all day how sad I am for his family. R.I.P. Mr. Mays. A hard worker, dedicated father and husband.
billy mays was kind of annoying sometimes but i loved his show pitchmen
Except that he apparently forgot about David Carradine….
Check out http://billymayes.blogspot.com/ for his last interview it is sad
RIP Billy Mays. Check out for updates http://billymayes.blogspot.com/
I LOVE YOU BILLY MAYS!!!! may you RIP.
this has been a week from hell
LIfe !!!!! !!!!!!! "We have Lost 3 Beautifull INDIVDUAL"s – Each an Artistit- " You All will be missed by me! —-The fun you broughht into my Life by watching— –To the Famiilies they were the best ! Who Care's about the rest.
I feel sorry for his family and all, but I certainly won't miss this Mute Button Hall-of-Famer YELLING AT ME!!!!!!!!
RIP, I feel sorry for his family but I, for one, will not miss his yelling out of the tv!!!!!!! It totally annoyed me and swore I would never purchase one of his products—and I havent. I kept my remote right next to me and the second I heard his voice I hit mute. It was beyond obnoxious. I will SOoooooooo not miss that!!
I second your opinion — that's exactly what I said when I read about the hard landing and the object hitting him in the head. It does not take a hard hit on the head for this to happen (a la Natasha Richardson). ANY head injury should be looked at as serious until ruled otherwise.
I Just heard that it was an overdose of Oxicotton, Billy Mays was to have upcomming hip surgery. This stuff need to be taken of the market. I have seen it kill dozens of people over the last year and it is bad stuff. One your on it you cant get off, its like crack
Billy Mays was a decent family man, a good friend, and in business… spent every moment of every day trying to bring along as many fellow inventors on the 'american dream ride' as he could. He's a shining example of the principle that hard work and perseverence lead to success. Check your facts. And remember what your mom said… "if you don't have anything nice to say…" .
RIP Billy — prayers to your family and friends.
ShamWow wasn't Billy Mays, it was Vince Offer (Shlomi). Get your facts straight before calling other people out, brainless.
I am shocked by Billy's death. I have never met him before, but i always take time and pationate to watch his commercials, specially the Mighty Putty and the Oxiclean one.