Billy Mays: An industry loses its voice
OxiClean and Mighty Putty are going off the air while their owners figure out how to tout products without the spokesman that made them famous. Share your memories of Mays here.
From atlatna yeah now i dont have to turn down the volumen any more thank god!
From Jennifer Douglas, Odessa, Texas I DVR'd every episode of "Pitchman" that was played on Wednesday and have more watched every episode. I have decided to buy 4-5 products that I Billy pitched on this show. I learned from this show that he always wanted to take care of his family. Let him continue selling his products so his family can benefit.
From PASTOR PAUL & SHIRLEY HEDGE THIS WAS SO HARD TO BELEAVE, OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH HIS FAMILY. WE WILL MISS HIS POSATIVE VOICE AS HE ENJOYED WHAT HE LOVED DOING. MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF US WHO LOVED HIM.
From Mike,Juoiter Fl Yes, it will be great to see Billy and a way to keep him in our hearts
From ATMA, NASA, TX I hate seeing an American as successful as Billy leave us. He seemed to be such a good family man. Please tell us it isnt true…
We have used a bunch of the products he pitched and have been impressed with them. Gotta love those curved wall picture hooks. You have to try the "What Odor?". It really works!
God bless Billy and his family. I hope to continue seeing Billy on TV, giving us his famous line, Hello, Billy Mays Here…
From Hugo J. Lopez, La Puente, CA It seems a somber cloud has settled over my otherwise bright mornings and quiet nights as I no longer hear or see the image of the burly, bearded man in the blue shirt on my television screen. Though I didn’t know him personally, his passing compounded with other recent loses to make me realize how we take all the people in the public eye for granted and how valuable everyone -big or small- really is.
What I find weird in this equation is that I never for the life me thought that I would feel a void resulting from the loss of such a distant person. I invited him into my home on a daily basis, but it wasn’t as if he was having dinner with the family. So why this feeling? I attribute it to growing accustomed to someone’s face. When I would watch Billy Mays go to work selling me products, it was as if I knew who he was. Watching him during some of his most passionate moments seemed to awaken the excitement of discovery. And it didn’t matter how many times I saw the infomercial during my morning meal, the effect was always the same.
His larger than life persona and his successful career is a testament that, in this world, there is a place for everyone and for everyone’s talents.
I will remember him as one of the few people I never met, who could make me laugh, convince me of anything, and remind me of the power of words and actions, despite never knowing him personally.
Rest In Peace Mr. Mays
From george jensen beach florida I am hopeful that the commercials will continue. It is with deep sorrow and shock that our Billy Mays is gone. I would encourage Anthony Sullivan and Billys wife and family to keep him alive. I think we all love Billy Mays. His passing has affected me more than the other recent untimely deaths of other celebrities. Billy was invited into our homes and lives every day, he was everyones' family. It will take a long time before the pain of losing Billy subsides. I send my best regards to his little girl and his wife.
From Joanne, Dallas, TX Let his family choose whether the ads should air or not. I think there should be a moratorium while they grieve, but then let the ads air again until the product substantially changes. I've been watching Billy's ads all week during my DVR shows and each one is a little tribute. Selling products is what he loved and I'm sure he wouldn't want to be dropped off the air just like that. They can even add "in memory of" text at the end of the commercial for a perfect eulogy, every time.
From Linna, Boston MA I was crushed to hear of Billy Mays passing. He really grew on me & I am hooked on Pitchmen. I will miss Billy's booming voice & friendly smile.For purely selfish resons I'd love to see a retrospect of all his commercials, but can appreciate his familys need for closure.
From Dianne Rhodes-Payne, Augusta,Ga. Billy Mays showed me Oxiclean, I tried it, It worked! After that Mighty Putty and my beloved Orange Glow. He could sell me my own sock off my foot. My husband and I was talking about Billy Mays a few days before his passing. God Bless Billy Mays and bring comfort to his wife and family. I Know I'll miss his handsome face.
From Dave H Bradenton, FL I just saw a Billy Mays commercial this morning (Tuesday) hawking health insurance and thought it was a bit disrespectful doing so only two days after he left us. Let his family have some closure, for God's sake!
From JHess Elma, NY As a door to door salesman myself, I loved watching Billy pitch as I do daily in my job to multiple people. He shows that confidance and true personal belief in a product can lead to a successful and profitable career no matter what you do. I am very sad to hear of his untimely passing. I have enjoyed "Pitchmen" and try to watch everytime I can, even repeats. I watched as to learn techniqes from a true pioneer of sales. He has shown the American Dream is obtainable for anyone with hard work and dedication.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Billy's family during this tragic time. Billy has giving motivation, hope, knowledge and tools to people that will carry on forever and I want to thank him for that.
God Bless you Billy and rest in peace, I know that the sales life is a fast one, and you made it look easy.
From Pankie, Yonkers, NY I've bought Orange-Glo, Mend-It and Kaboom as well as OxyClean and they worked!. His commercials were priceless and I will miss them terribly. RIP Billy!!
From Joe DeFelice Stamford, CT You're absolutely correct about the Great Billy Mays. Before the show Pitchmen aired, I remember seeing this guy pop up on the screen and in a magical way he draws you in. I mean he is loud but believable and quite convincing. And after getting to know the real Billy on Pitchmen he became an instant friend you never knew. What an inspiration to anyone with a unique idea and a dream. It was awesome to see him and Sully at work helping the novice inventor realize their dream. Billy worked both sides of the fence; he wanted you to believe his message and he equally believed in others dreams to be a success. I hope that before I am called to the afterlife, I would have contributed a fraction of the Good that Billy has given to us all. Blessings to his family and all his fans. Godspeed Billy.
From Angela, Holliston, MA I think they are making the proper decision to pull the ads. Its the right thing for the family and from a marketing standpoint its a good thing for the products. When you hear, "BILLY MAYS HERE…" and know he's not actually here its not the same. I think in the future Kaboom and Oxyclean will be fine with a regular commercial instead of a drtv type commercial since you can get a lot of the stores. I feel bad for those entrepreneurs who Billy was helping to make it, but of course most of all I'm very sad for his wife and children.
From Alex Whitehead Kingston RI In all honesty, I think his commercials should be aired for a while in tribute. It's likely selfish on my part and just wanting to see him on live TV a few more times, but I legitimately can't believe he's gone. I've watched seven episodes of Pitchmen (out of I believe eight total) in the past two days.
I always started smiling when this man appeared on my screen. He was entertaining, unintentionally hilarious, and phenomenal at his job, because you paid attention whether you wanted to or not when he popped up on the TV. I never thought a TV pitchmans death would be so upsetting to me, but I am really, really gonna miss this guy. There will never be another.
From Mike, Atlanta Billy was as to advertising as Elvis was to music. He was taken well before his time and at the height of his career. Much like Graceland his commercials and likeness should be impart to the family. If they are comfortable and are compensated for the image and likeness let the commercials continue. It is not for us or the companies to decide; it should now rest in the hands of the family and what they think he would have wanted.
From Bob Sparrow, Winston-Salem, NC I believe that product owners should pull their commercials for at least some period of time out of simple respect for Mr. Mays and his family.
Consulting with the family is also most proper. Apparently Mr. Mays was a decent fellow and his family is deserving of such treatment.
From Thomas, Los Angeles, CA You know, it's funny how much we take people for granted once they're gone. Billy Mays was definitely a force to be challanged. The likes of him will not come back ever. His was an untimely loss. I remember seeing his commercials and thinking "Who is this guy?" I felt he was very animated and almost like a charicature. But after seeing a special on CNBC about the direct buy industry that featured Mays (it was interesting to hear him speak in his normal voice, which was low and bit raspy), I figured that there was a different side to him that not a lot of people got to see and I think that is sad. I am sad for him and his family and for those who knew him and worked with him. He was a light for those whose lives he touched, I'm sure. I know that even though I never knew him or seen him in person and only on TV, I will surely miss seeing him.
And how many people did he rip off with the shit she sold by yelling at us. Jesus people ge a grip!