TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at home

[Big Kong Boss]

UPDATED

TAMPA, Fla. -- Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo, OxiClean and ESPN made him a pop-culture icon, died today. He was 50.

Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife, Deborah Mays, this morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. Investigators do not suspect foul play, said Lt. Brian Dugan of the Tampa Police Department.

Mays reportedly was hit on the head Saturday while aboard a US Airways flight that made a rough landing, and Mays' wife told investigators the TV personality didn't feel well before he went to bed Saturday night.

The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.

US Airways confirmed today that Mays was among the passengers on a flight that landed Saturday afternoon at Tampa International Airport, leaving debris on the runway after apparently blowing its front tires.

Tampa Bay's Fox television affiliate interviewed Mays after the incident.

"All of a sudden, as we hit, you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping," MyFox Tampa Bay quoted him as saying. "It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."

Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said linking Mays' death to the rough landing Saturday afternoon would "purely be speculation." She said Mays' family members didn't report any health issues with the pitchman, but they said he was due to have hip replacement surgery in the coming weeks

"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," his wife said in a statement today. "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.

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 infomercials followed, anchored by the high-energy Mays showing how it's done while tossing out kitschy phrases such as, "Long live your laundry!"

Recently, he'd been seen on commercials for a wide variety of products and was featured on the reality TV show "Pitchmen" on the Discovery Channel, which followed Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs. He'd 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.

As part of "Pitchmen," Mays and Sullivan showed viewers new gadgets such as the Impact Gel shoe insert; the Tool Band-it, a magnetized armband that holds tools; and the Soft Buns portable seat cushion.

"One of the things that we hope to do with 'Pitchmen' is to give people an appreciation of what we do," Mays told The Tampa Tribune in an interview in April. "I don't take on a product unless I believe in it. I use everything that I sell."

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."

Information on survivors was not immediately available.

Source: Associated Press, 11:46 AM PDT, June 28, 2009

By the way, the 9:11 thing was when the news was posted, not when he died.

 

[Golfman560]

YES! Now infomercials will actually be worth watching! This week is just getting better and better. Maybe that red head from CSI Miami with the shitty sunglasses will die. Or Carrot Top. Preferably Carrot Top because CSI Miami is okay if you just ignore the leprechaun.

Wow I feel horrible for saying that but they're all so annoying.

 

[Big Kong Boss]

Well, I mean, Billy Mays isn't THAT annoying. It's hilarious watching his commercials. So much enthusiasm lol. It's a shame though :/

 

[Pimpmynintendo]

I bet Vince did it!

 

[jesterscourt]

He was just on Conan the other day. Weird.

 

[Defiance]

Wtf, aged 50 too? Died on 9:11 AM? I smell some conspiracy threads popping up!

Man, just after smosh made fun of him too...
This is like the fourth celebrity in the past 5 days!

 

[Rock Raiyu]

The real question is: Who will now do the OxiClean infomercials? I loved those honestly..so entertaining.

On an even more serious note, its hard to see him go. First it was Michael Jackson, now its Billy Mays. Next it's going to be Michael Jordan and Bob Saget.

 

[Big Kong Boss]

This is some fucking creepy ****.

 

[Golfman560]

Bob Saget.

No he comes after John Madden

Oops, the boss is going to kill me for sharing the doomsday plans.

 

[Pimpmynintendo]

The real question is: Who will now do the OxiClean infomercials? I loved those honestly..so entertaining.

On an even more serious note, its hard to see him go. First it was Michael Jackson, now its Billy Mays. Next it's going to be Michael Jordan and Bob Saget.

You totally forgot Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon!

 

[NeSchn]

My brother told me this just as I walked in the door and was like "Hi! BILLY MAYS HERE!"

He was like "Dude, he just died." I was like "What the fuck!? No, I don't believe you." Then I saw the page...

Fuck.

RIP Mr. Mays

 

[epicelite]

OH GOD WHY COULDN'T YOU TAKE VINCE AND HIS STUPID SHAM WOW!!!

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?

YES! Now infomercials will actually be worth watching! This week is just getting better and better. Maybe that red head from CSI Miami with the shitty sunglasses will die. Or Carrot Top. Preferably Carrot Top because CSI Miami is okay if you just ignore the leprechaun.

Wow I feel horrible for saying that but they're all so annoying.

FUCK YOU.

 

[Big Kong Boss]

News has been UPDATED. Read for full coverage.

 

[Ferrariman]

The devil bought his soul for 4 easy payments of $19.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Shit, there's go my day.

I actually liked Billy. Pitchmen was a great show. Seriously, why do all these people start dying? He had a wife and kids, too. How sad.

 

[retKHAAAN]

This is some fucking creepy ****.

Why did you type fucking but star out shit?

 

[dinofan01]

Fuck another shocker. My jaw literally dropped when i saw this on my front page. He was a pretty funny guy. His show was great. It sucks that he passed. RIP Billy Mays

 

[Big Kong Boss]

This is some fucking creepy ****.

Why did you type fucking but star out shit?

Oh, I thought some cuss words weren't allowed lol.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Is it weird that I found myself more depressed over this than Michael Jackson?

May OxiClean be with you, Billy Mays.

 

[Daihatsuboy]

Is it weird that I found myself more depressed over this than Michael Jackson?

I feel the same way. I love Billy Mays...