# TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead



## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

TAMPA, Fla. - Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50. 
Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. 
There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon. 
"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," said Mays' wife, Deborah. "Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times." 
Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "as seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner. 
*'Long live your laundry!'*
After meeting Orange Glo International founder Max Appel at a home show in Pittsburgh in the mid-1990s, Mays was recruited to demonstrate the environmentally friendly line of cleaning products on the St. Petersburg-based Home Shopping Network. 
Commercials and informercials followed, anchored by the high-energy Mays showing how it's done while tossing out kitschy phrases like, "Long live your laundry!" 
Recently he's been seen on commercials for a wide variety of products and is featured on the reality TV show "Pitchmen" on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs. He's also been seen in ESPN ads. 
His ubiquitousness and thumbs-up, in-your-face pitches won Mays plenty of fans. People line up at his personal appearances for autographed color glossies, and strangers stop him in airports to chat about the products. 
"I enjoy what I do," Mays told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. "I think it shows." 
Mays liked to tell the story of giving bottles of OxiClean to the 300 guests at his wedding, and doing his ad spiel ("powered by the air we breathe!") on the dance floor at the reception. Visitors to his house typically got bottles of cleaner and housekeeping tips. 
Discovery Channel spokeswoman Elizabeth Hillman released a statement Sunday extending sympathy to the Mays family. 
"Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth," Hillman's statement said. "Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend."


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

I will actually miss him a whole lot more than pervboy. What will my sleepless nights be like now?


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## sean37 (May 22, 2007)

why was he always yelling?

and cc3915. theres a great ad with kevin trudeau, he wrote a book called "free money, what the govt. doesnt want you to know" ...........something like that. he does the ad with two smokin hott chics wearing hooker clothes. i watched it but have no idea what it was about.


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## Andy0921 (Jan 12, 2006)

That's too bad...he was just on Conan the other night.


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2009)

He was annoying, but I kind of liked him in a strange way.

R.I.P. Billy.


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## Sam1974 (Apr 8, 2009)

I just saw his infomercial this morning for the "Dual Saw".. it's a shame.. he was annoying as hell but still got the product across.. RIP Billy!


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

sean37 said:


> why was he always yelling?
> 
> and cc3915. theres a great ad with kevin trudeau, he wrote a book called "free money, what the govt. doesnt want you to know" ...........something like that. he does the ad with two smokin hott chics wearing hooker clothes. i watched it but have no idea what it was about.


I haven't seen that one. Who's going to be next? The shamwow guy?


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## L4G81 (Nov 12, 2006)

Shamewow guy could possible be next. Who's in on the betting? HAHA


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

Have you seen the slapchop commercial... "you'll love my nuts"...lol


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## dhdb (Jun 1, 2009)

Billy mays was on a USAir jet yesterday and something struck him on the head while landing. Not really sure of the details.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

cc3915 said:


> I will actually miss him a whole lot more than pervboy. What will my sleepless nights be like now?


 you will actually miss pervboy somewhat?


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## MetrowestPD (Oct 21, 2008)

Andy0921 said:


> That's too bad...he was just on Conan the other night.


He was on with some other guy who was another salesman type.

RIP


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

What a shame he just got his on TV show. While he could be annoying I sort of enjoyed him.


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## JMB1977 (Nov 24, 2007)

RIP Billy


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## TopCop24 (Jul 11, 2005)

Inside Edition just showed a video of him from yesterday. He was on a flight into Tampa that had a "rough" landing and he was hit on the head by something that fell from "above." He didn't say if it was luggage of the oxygen masks. He completes the cycle of threes, Ed, Farrah and now Billy.


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## sean37 (May 22, 2007)

your not counting micheal jackson? this makes four. well, actually billy mays starts the cycle over so were at one. oh nooooooooo. :woot:



TopCop24 said:


> Inside Edition just showed a video of him from yesterday. He was on a flight into Tampa that had a "rough" landing and he was hit on the head by something that fell from "above." He didn't say if it was luggage of the oxygen masks. He completes the cycle of threes, Ed, Farrah and now Billy.


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## CLOWN PATROL (May 25, 2009)

....and if you order within the next half hour, I'll throw in an extra bottle of OXY-EMBALMING liquid absolutely free!


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## RodneyFarva (Jan 18, 2007)

CLOWN PATROL said:


> ....and if you order within the next half hour, I'll throw in an extra bottle of OXY-EMBALMING liquid absolutely free!


That is so wrong!...LOL


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

sean37 said:


> your not counting micheal jackson? this makes four. well, actually billy mays starts the cycle over so were at one. oh nooooooooo. :woot:


No, We don't count the death of a pedophile as a loss.


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## sean37 (May 22, 2007)

good point. on a more serious note i wonder if billy mays will be buried in his signature denim shirt.



263FPD said:


> No, We don't count the death of a pedophile as a loss.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Dont forget David "Hung Fu" Carradine! Bad couple ofweeks for celebrities.


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

263FPD said:


> you will actually miss pervboy somewhat?


No hair splitting please.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

cc3915 said:


> No hair splitting please.


 LOL


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## Foxracingmtnridr (Feb 23, 2003)

Billy Mays really brings "But Wait There's More" to a whole new level :-D


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## Big.G (Nov 28, 2006)

A guy I work with is so loud and obnoxious, his nickname is Billy Mays. Every time he gets on the radio it sounds like he's yelling, but he's not. I can't help but wonder who he'll have to look up to now....

R.I.P. Billy


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

resqjyw0 said:


> A guy I work with is so loud and obnoxious, his nickname is Billy Mays. Every time he gets on the radio it sounds like he's yelling, but he's not. I can't help but wonder who he'll have to look up to now....
> 
> R.I.P. Billy


Rosie O'Donnell????


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## kttref (Oct 5, 2004)

some other impressionist died today too...#2 of cycle 2.


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## BLUE BLOOD (Aug 31, 2008)

Shit(literally) just used my last bottle of oxi clean. How the hell am I going to get my skid marks off my tighty whities now!


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

Bummer here too....that "Pitchman" who was actually pretty good.

Tribute to Billy Mays...
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tyct9l-fD8"]YouTube- billy mays gangsta remix[/nomedia]


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2009)

This was posted on Craigslist today, and I just about fell out of my chair laughing....pretty much sums up how I feel.

I don't miss you Billy, but I'm sorry you're gone.

Although I feel terrible about the loss his family and friends are dealing with right now, let's face it. Billy Mays was THE most annoying "celebrity" America had ever had the misfortune of knowing. If you were like me, you made a conscious effort NOT to buy any of the cheap crap Mr. Mays was screaming at the top of his lungs about at all hours of the day and night. One good thing about his commercials is that it made people exercise! Old people with hearing aids were diving for remote controls all over America when he came on. My grandmother lost 30lbs. last year alone just trying to change the channel or hit the mute button whenever he came on. So on this day of mourning, let all crying babies, car alarms, and police sirens pause to consider their ways. For they know that whatever hellish soundwave they could ever dream of producing could never compare to the god awful ear-rape that was a Billy Mays commercial. Like the bible says: "Ye can only do so much coke, while screaming and frothing at thy mouth about stain cleaner and motorized mops, before thy heart explodes." Can't say I miss ya, but I'm sorry you're gone buddy. ~Rob


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## CLOWN PATROL (May 25, 2009)

I think Gibert Godfrey should take his place-


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Well... Celebrities do die in three's...

But leave it to Billy Mays to throw in an *EXTRA! ABSOLUTELY FREE!! *


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

L4G81 said:


> Shamewow guy could possible be next. Who's in on the betting? HAHA


I can't stand that shamwow prick. He seems like he'd be a real ass to deal with.

RIP Billy, hopefully you get to sit next to Farrah at the gates.
The yelling commercials were annoying but the urgency got buyers to the phones. His inventions show was pretty cool, he seemed like a nice, hard-working guy.


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## Ilyas (Jan 22, 2007)

Billy Mays...here Kaboooooooom!


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

Pvt. Cowboy said:


> Well... Celebrities do die in three's...
> 
> But leave it to Billy Mays to throw in an *EXTRA! ABSOLUTELY FREE!! *


 Wow...


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## Mass (Jan 21, 2006)

RIP Billy!


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## frapmpd24 (Sep 3, 2004)

What a heartless bunch...


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