Famous (and loud) TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead in his Florida home today. He was 50.There's no cause of death yet (an autopsy will be performed tomorrow), but Mays was one of the passengers on a US Airways flight that had a bumpy landing in Tampa, FL yesterday.
I think most people would agree that this been a remarkably strange week for celebrity deaths. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, then Michael Jackson. We thought those three celebs would be enough for one week (and celebrity deaths often come in threes, as the common wisdom goes). And now we have a guy who is still on our TVs all the time. It's not like he was old or he had retired or he wasn't doing much in public anymore. Commercials with May run all day long, every day. I saw several last night. He also has a weekly show with Anthony Sullivan on Discovery called Pitchmen. The pair were also on Conan's show last week. Video of that appearance is after the jump.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-28-2009 @ 1:16PM
Dave said...
How very sad. My condolences to his family and friends.
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6-28-2009 @ 1:29PM
Julie said...
:(
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6-30-2009 @ 10:50PM
Johnnie R Shaffer said...
Billy we have not meat if you know me you wood like me and my famly I just need to say you are all that i wood like to be you will be mist here in my home may love and god good down the same road as you are going now good BY and thanks for the fun.
6-28-2009 @ 1:34PM
Ken CIeszykowski said...
I don't know why I feel so terrible about this. I really loved seeing the feud between him and Sully, and thought he had a great blue-collar story. He's filtered his way into everybody's brains over the last few years, and was always a familiar face that we could count on seeing. Despite his arrogance in the show, you could see that he really cared about his products, and had good intentions the entire time.
I find it a bit fitting that there is an ad to the left of this box advertising ARM & HAMMER with Oxi-Clean on this very page. As I am only 23 years old, this death hit me the hardest this week than any others. It's still shocking about MJ, but I feel the most from Billy since I never had quite the same connection.
RIP Billy Mays
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6-28-2009 @ 1:39PM
Gail Kimmes said...
I didnt want to see the man dead...but I have to say...I hated his work. Annoying commercials. May he rest in peace though.
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6-28-2009 @ 1:45PM
Galley said...
It's very possible he may have suffered internal damage on that rough landing.
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6-28-2009 @ 1:53PM
Jophiel said...
Lorena Gale also died this week, nit a huge name but a very recognizable face. :( end this month now.
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6-28-2009 @ 2:54PM
Derek said...
I'm stunned by this. I watch Pitchmen every week, and he always seemed like a nice guy.
You'll be missed, Billy.
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6-28-2009 @ 3:30PM
Brian said...
Goodnight sweet prince.
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6-28-2009 @ 3:43PM
Pingles said...
It's actually a little strange to me how sad I feel. For some reason Billy's passing has really struck me.
WE'LL MISS YOU BILLY MAYS AND THAT'S NOT ALL!
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6-28-2009 @ 4:14PM
Davin Peterson said...
What a shock. Could it have been a brain injury that killed him?
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6-28-2009 @ 4:34PM
ignatzh said...
Honestly, Americans are the weirdest people on earth. With so much going on in the world, you're morning the loss of a late night TV con man, just because he regular appeared on your idiot box?
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6-28-2009 @ 4:46PM
Andrew said...
Classy.
6-28-2009 @ 4:33PM
BigEdsBlog said...
Watch Billy selling his Big Blue Balls
Check out my take on Billy and stick around for more good content.
http://libertarianhumor.com/
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6-28-2009 @ 4:34PM
carolo said...
Me too. Totally hated his commericals and his screaming. But no one wants to see a man only 50 years old die when they should have another 30 years.
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6-28-2009 @ 4:46PM
Jeff G said...
Rest in peace my friend.
Hope you'll be selling some oxyclean up there to keep those angel's wings bright and shiny!
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6-28-2009 @ 5:10PM
Joyce N. said...
What a week this has been. Just never know when your time has come. My sympathy goes out to the families of all.
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6-28-2009 @ 5:28PM
Sara said...
Pitchmen always sucked me in every week after Mythbusters. I'm sad to hear about Billy, especially knowing that he has a young daughter who loved him very much (she was on the show a few weeks back).
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6-28-2009 @ 6:52PM
Conquestdiva said...
Oh my God.....how terrible! My sympathies to his family and friends. What is going on with the celebs????
Brenda
MA
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6-29-2009 @ 1:06AM
Lori said...
Just a sad week in general. He had a passion for his work, which is rarely seen now a days. He seemed like a good guy.
There is a funny video of him ordering food through the drive thru at Mcdonalds. If you have a chance you tube it, its hilarious.
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