The season finale of Discovery Channel's Pitchmen airs tomorrow night at 10PM (after a day-long marathon of the show). But now that Billy Mays has passed away suddenly, what should happen to the show?Discovery hasn't made a decision yet. They could continue the show will just Anthony Sullivan, they could get another commercial/product icon to take Mays' place, or they could simply cancel the show. What do you think they should do?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-30-2009 @ 5:51PM
garlick said...
I hear Vincent Shlomie is available.
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6-30-2009 @ 6:40PM
Brian said...
And I hear he's a violent drunk and unfunny hack.
6-30-2009 @ 6:09PM
John said...
I was pondering the same thing about Deadliest Catch should they (* forbid) lose one of the bigger names to the ocean.
I'm not entirely sure what to do, really. What plays to his memory best? Letting it stand as it is as a complete whole? Making even more in his name?
It's tricky and no matter what you pick, half the people will think you're wrong.
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6-30-2009 @ 6:49PM
Fuzzyfreaker said...
I'm all for continuing the show. Sure, the loss of Billy Mays is a large loss to the program, but there was a lot more to it than just him, and I would love to see it continue. I always thought it was a really interesting look into the world of telemarketing.
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6-30-2009 @ 7:30PM
Dan said...
In all likely hood the show is over. If it is able to continue it would be best if the co-host with Sullivan were of less notoriety and that he could then take a mentoring role and as the two develop a stronger bond could then play off each other in their own unique way much like Sullivan and Mays did on and off the screen. Either way, my prayers go out the Mays family and you too Sulli (if I could be so bold as to borrow that nickname from the big guy).
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6-30-2009 @ 7:34PM
Pierre-Luc Allie said...
The entertaining value of the show comes from genius/crazy inventor showing off their invention, the crazy demo and the confrontation of 2 different personality having to work with each other.
It's not that Billy was the show but he was a good part of it.
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6-30-2009 @ 7:48PM
royce said...
The show wasn't about Billy Mays. He was a very entertaining part of it. The show was about the company Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan have. I assume that company will continue, and as morbid as it may be it might be interesting to see how that company evolves without Mays.
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6-30-2009 @ 8:53PM
Edward said...
They should store the show away for a year and a half, and then bring it back. That should leave enough time for all to grieve and find the right way to move on.
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6-30-2009 @ 9:10PM
B.D. said...
It should be canceled, and the other pitchman killed.
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6-30-2009 @ 9:30PM
MaryK said...
When Tim on "Wing Nuts" passed away in 2004, Discovery canceled the series, rightfully so. Same here.
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6-30-2009 @ 10:50PM
thepassenger said...
I notice that "Who cares?" wasn't a choice...
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7-01-2009 @ 1:44AM
Jordan said...
8 simple rules to TV:
When a star dies so does the show. You can never shake that. It sucks but thats how it is.
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7-01-2009 @ 12:50AM
David said...
Yeah, the show is Pitchmen, not Pitchman. It's not going to work with just Sully. It was an entertaining series, and now Discovery can let it rest in peace.
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7-01-2009 @ 9:41AM
Blu-Sam said...
I'll miss Billy pretty much without him around in Pitchmen program.
Therefore, it should cancel, it wouldn't be same.
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7-01-2009 @ 12:34PM
Vickie said...
Sully and young Billy (the son) should continue the show. RIP Billy and peace to his family and love ones.
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7-03-2009 @ 11:10PM
Leslie Ann said...
I think they should change the next season of Pitchmen to have a contest (a la the Apprentice, or the Next Food Network Star) to find a new pitch man, someone with a new story - a new schtick, a new background. Nobody will ever take the place of Billy Mays, nobody will ever be able to put Sully in his place the way Billy did, nobody will be able to rock the black beard, but it would be interesting television and a good legacy of his spirit to continue on to find someone who could carry the torch. Maybe someone of color? Maybe a woman? Maybe someone young from Texas? It could be done - it could be interesting TV. The blue shirt, however, is retired.
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7-03-2009 @ 11:04PM
Leslie Ann said...
I have been thinking about this, and I think that Discovery should do a new show a la The Apprentice or The Next Food Network Star or RockStar where they find a new pitch man to work with Sully. That is not to say that this new person would be replacing Billy; rather it would be someone carrying on his energy, spirit, and legacy of helping others. It could be exciting and compelling TV if done well. Maybe the new person would be a person of color? A woman? A young guy from Texas? Nobody will ever replace Billy, nobody will rock the black beard the way he can, nobody will put Sully in his place, and any new person would definitely NOT be a partnership the way the old one was, but it could still make for an interesting and compelling show. The blue shirt, however, is retired.
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7-09-2009 @ 5:12PM
brian peters said...
The biggest guy physically and "TV" presence is none other than George Forman!
Let's get the ball rolling here and talk George into carrying on Billy's legacy. I know George Forman has a lot of this he pitches also; we are on our third Forman grille. I loved the pitchmen show and I would be happy to sit down on my couch and enjoy Anthony and George Forman do the things that were done last season.
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