Billy Mays dies - screechy-voiced pitch-man

UncleVinnys

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Dec 27, 2007
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I'm SURE this has happened to you . . .

You are watching an interesting program on TV.
Suddenly it switches to commercial, and you
hear what sounds like 100,000 fingernails
scratching on 100,000 blackboards . . .
:sad1:


"Billy Mays here, for Oxi-Clean . . ."


and the PAIN from splitting ear-drums snaps 4 cervical vertebrae as
you frantically search for the MUTE button.


http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/06/...sy_results.html

Beloved (???!!?) TV pitchman Billy Mays most likely died of heart failure, not from being hit on the head during a rough landing on a US Airways flight, the medical examiner in Tampa said.
:hello:
 

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eathabs

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I don't recall him as being "screechy voiced" just an amazing "pitch man". He started out on the boardwalks of AC NJ and ended up making a ton of money doing it. It took big 'stones' to do what he did.

God bless him and his family,

habs
 

RJH02

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I guess you wont be bothered by him anymore?
 

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UncleVinnys

UncleVinnys

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RJH02 said:
I guess you wont be bothered by him anymore?

My wife just reported that, by coincidence, Mays was
interviewed on a documentary about infomercials,
and he is actually a very nice, soft-spoken man who tried
very hard to be successful. He speaks normally with a
natural masculine voice, but admits if he spoke softly
"I wouldn't sell a thing."

Again, didn't mean to 'dis' the guy, but he DID
jar me out of a comfortable stupor more than once.
 

steve from ohio

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Aug 1, 2008
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UncleVinnys said:
Well, maybe I shouldn't be so harsh on him - -
he did make the Sham-Wow guy look good.

:wink:
I know Vince Shalomi. He was selling his shamy at a trade show I had a booth at in Charlotte, NC a few years ago before he got famous on TV. He was right across the aisle from me. We both were talking and he asked if I wanted to go to lunch. He asked me during lunch to join him on the road selling at trade shows. I wasn't interested. He wanted to go to a strip club after the show but I told him I do not go to those places. I saw him a few times after that at other shows and he always said hello and how everything was going.

So it is not too surprising that he was recently jailed for roughing up a lady of the evening when he almost had his tongue bitten off by her. He hit her and then she hit hit and then they both called the police. Both were arrested and Vince had to go to the hospital to have his tongue sowed up. He paid her a couple of grand for all night. Selling sham wow must pay really well.

Billy Mays sounded like a nice guy. He was abrasive with that voice and I am sure it was just his image.
 

Noodle

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Billy Mays was good at what he did. Unfortunately, the channels upped his volume at the very beginning of his infomercials to the point I had to either shut him down or drop the volume drastically. Didn't know him personally, but he gave a great delivery. So sad to be gone at such a young age. Blessings to the family.
 

hissinroaches

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the grim reaper must of just got back from celeberty vacation. ed mc mann,farah faucet,micheal jackson and billy mays all gone in a week! thats just crazy.
 

davew0710

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The voice could drive you nuts.
However, Billy Mays was a very well respected guy by those that knew him. Billy came from Pittsburgh, and the local news has been doing lots of interviews with family and friends.
I can't say I had much respect for him or pitchmen in general until I watched the TV show "Pitchmen."
It showed the human side of the man.

What is Rush Limbaugh's favorite Billy Mays commercial?

"Billy Mays here, for Oxi-Cotyn . . ."
 

GL

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Billy is going to be missed by myself and dedicated beard aficionados everywhere. His perfectly groomed facial hair was manly yet friendly. His show Pitchmen was a favorite around here he was a personable and funny guy and seemed really nice, he also was recently married and had children. He drove a Bentley.
 

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