Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obit_billy_mays)

TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean made him a pop-culture icon, 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. It was not immediately clear how he died. He reportedly was hit on the head when an airplane he was on made a rough landing Saturday, and Mays' wife told investigators the TV personality didn't feel well before he went to bed that night.

There were no signs of a break-in at the home, and investigators do not suspect foul play, said Lt. Brian Dugan of the Tampa Police Department, who wouldn't answer any more questions about how Mays' body was found because of the ongoing investigation. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.

Mays' wife, Deborah Mays, told investigators that her husband had complained he didn't feel well before he went to bed some time after 10 p.m. Saturday night, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," Deborah Mays said in a statement Sunday. "Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."

U.S. Airways confirmed Sunday that Mays was among the passengers on a flight that made a rough landing on 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."

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.

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 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.

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."

R.I.P.

Wow RIP

and the same age of Michael Jackson

WOW - What is going on? This is getting all too strange. I can't believe we've lost someone else.

RIP Billy Mays :(

I was thinking the same thing when I saw Billy Mays passed of 50 Year's old

He was just on Conan on Tuesday :eek:

WOW - What is going on? This is getting all too strange. I can't believe we've lost someone else.

RIP Billy Mays :(

My thoughts exactly. OMG! Please no one else die for a while ok!!!

:rip:

I did not see Billy Mays on The Tonight Show on Tuesday Night

Another shocker. :(

My thoughts exactly. OMG! Please no one else die for a while ok!!!

That's 4 well-known people in just a week - it's really bizarre. We can't afford to lose anyone else, that's for sure.

Another shocker. :(
Yeah :(

this is a real Big shocker.

:rip:

The Mays family is in my Prayers at this time of need.

RIP :(

his commercials always amused me...i will miss him.

And besides Mr. McMahon, most of these people died pretty young.

WOW OMG RIP Billy Mays :( :rip:

Very tragic, unfortunate, and unexpected.

I really liked his infomercials; I actually own some of his products (Big City Burger Slider, Orange Clean, and a few others).

He will be sorely missed.

Wow! :eek: I can't believe this! Another great person gone. May he RIP:
:rip:

So sad to hear. :( His family is in my prayers.

Holy ****, just stop the dying already! :(

Courtnee texted me this morning to tell me. I am in shock. :eek: RIP, Billy Mays. :rip: :(

WHAT?????

i'm in tears right now. this can't be true, i've been a fan of this guy for about 10 years. i can't even bring myself to say rest in peace yet :(

Wow it seems like every day on here all we talk about is people dying. R.I.P. Billy Mays. :(

I can't believe all of these people that are dying, and so young. Unbelieveable. RIP Billy :( He was the informercial king and I can't see anyone filling those shoes.

R.I.P.

Well, at least their are no stains in heaven.

R.I.P. :rip: :(

RIP Billy Mays

He truly had a larger than life personality, he is what made those products. There'll never be another like him.

RIP Billy Mays :(

He truly had a larger than life personality, he is what made those products. There'll never be another like him.

RIP Billy Mays :(

Definitely. I wonder what will happen to all those products, now.

RIP

Rest In Peace :(

Oh my God!! I just want this nightmare to be over already.:(
RIP Billy Mayes, I always found joy in your commercials.

Definitely. I wonder what will happen to all those products, now.Oxi-Clean is very good, I think it'll still do well. It works very well. The others, I'm not sure of. KABOOM! is good too.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :rip:

Oxi-Clean is very good, I think it'll still do well. It works very well. The others, I'm not sure of. KABOOM! is good too.

I love Oxi-Clean. Never tried Kaboom before, but I also heard it works well. I wonder if this will turn into the Michael Jackson thing, and all his products will start selling like crazy.

He will never have a showdown with Vince Offer :(


Oh wait he can, with lightning, but thats beside the point :(

R.I.P.

Well, at least their are no stains in heaven.
AMEN!!

Good heavens, celebrities have been dropping like flies this past week... :(

I can't believe all of these people that are dying, and so young. Unbelieveable. RIP Billy :( He was the informercial king and I can't see anyone filling those shoes.

I so agree. Not even the ShamWOW! guy can fill Billy's shoes. Billy sold products that actually worked. I've been using Oxyclean since I was in high school - it really does brighten my laundry. It's also awesome at getting carpet stains out and is so much cheaper than spray removers.

Again, RIP. :(

:rip:

Came home turned on CNN to see what they had to say regarding Michael's funeral and saw that blurb on the bottom row......I was like "WHAT????????!?????" Can the craziness just end already?? This decade is just full of death, both in celebs and in my personal life.

WTF dude!

This is getting too creepy. I'm starting to worry about some of my soap opera peeps...someone from talk shows has died, someone from primetime has died, someone from music videos has died, and someone from commercials has died. Too weird.

RIP

Good Lord...what is happening here? Guess we're in for one more though if they come in threes...David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays.

Man...

It's like 2003 all over again!! This is seriously creeping me out - the year isn't even half over yet!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I love Oxi-Clean. Never tried Kaboom before, but I also heard it works well. I wonder if this will turn into the Michael Jackson thing, and all his products will start selling like crazy.
Kaboom does good on showers.

There was a line in the CNN story about the problems encountered while on a flight yesterday (major technical issues). At one point, Billy is quoted as saying he'd taken a hit to the head, then laughed it off.

I almost have to wondered if he suffered some sort of hematoma or similar problem.

Regardless - RIP to an advertising icon and the man who helped revive the concept of a pitchman.

It's like 2003 all over again!! This is seriously creeping me out - the year isn't even half over yet!! :eek: :eek: :eek:
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT.

It seemed like every week in 2003, there were at least 2 people dying, if not more. :( Fortunately I haven't had many family members pass away this decade (only a cousin and a grandpa, and that was in 2004 and 2007, respectively). Which is just fine by me because, jeez. I don't know how much more of this I can take. :(

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT.

It seemed like every week in 2003, there were at least 2 people dying, if not more. :( Fortunately I haven't had many family members pass away this decade (only a cousin and a grandpa, and that was in 2004 and 2007, respectively). Which is just fine by me because, jeez. I don't know how much more of this I can take. :(
One of my very best friends also passed suddenly in 2003. He was inspired to become a chef by Jack Tripper!! Exactly 2 weeks after my friend dies, John Ritter dies. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Another shocker, what is going on? This feels like Deja Vu, with all these recent, huge but unbelievable passings. :rip:

Rest In Peace Billy...God Bless your family and loved ones

Good Lord...what is happening here? Guess we're in for one more though if they come in threes...David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays.

Man...

Sadly, There is one more. Actress Gale Storm, Star of My Little Margie died yesterday at 87. :(

his son is asking people to wear blue tomorrow in memory of billy. i keep fruitlessly hoping and waiting for some report saying that this was a misunderstanding/hoax of some sort, but i just keep finding more verification that it's true. :(

...I was shocked when I saw this online. I thought I had read something wrong.
Really though, this just blows my mind. Too many celebrity deaths this week. No more.
RIP Billy Mays. :( :rip:

Sadly, There is one more. Actress Gale Storm, Star of My Little Margie died yesterday at 87. :(
WHAT THE ****.

This needs to stop. Now. Seriously.

...I was shocked when I saw this online. I thought I had read something wrong.
Really though, this just blows my mind. Too many celebrity deaths this week. No more.
RIP Billy Mays. :( :rip:

I thought I had read something wrong too!... In fact, I went to check my yahoo mail earlier to day, and I was so preoccupied, that even though I saw the picture of Billy Mayes on my home page.. I didn't even read the headline, I figured he was advertising something new. :( It breaks my heart, now.

This was sad. Here's Billy's Twitter page:

Billy's last tweet (http://twitter.com/RealBillyMays)

This was sad. Here's Billy's Twitter page:

Billy's last tweet (http://twitter.com/RealBillyMays)

Oh God! So sad. :(

Sadly, There is one more. Actress Gale Storm, Star of My Little Margie died yesterday at 87. :(

You're kidding?!?!?! Will this never end? :eek:

I thought I had read something wrong too!... In fact, I went to check my yahoo mail earlier to day, and I was so preoccupied, that even though I saw the picture of Billy Mayes on my home page.. I didn't even read the headline, I figured he was advertising something new. :( It breaks my heart, now.

Me too! I saw his picture and glanced over it. But then I decided to see what it was, thinking there was a new product on the line. It's all just so shocking.:(

This was sad. Here's Billy's Twitter page:

Billy's last tweet (http://twitter.com/RealBillyMays)

Aw, that's sad. He was going in for hip replacement surgery tomorrow.

:rip: Billy Mays

This is really shocking news. Ed McMahon was elderly. Farrah's death was expected. Michael Jackson's death was unexpected but not very shocking, to me anyway. He didn't look healthy. Billy May's death is just crazy shocking to me. Terribly sad week for deaths.

RIP Billy.

WHO WILL SELL OXYCLEAN NOW? Certainly not Vince :snob:


He'll be missed. :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYdDK1uTDI

RIP Billy.

WHO WILL SELL OXYCLEAN NOW? Certainly not Vince :snob:


He'll be missed. :(



The product advertisement will most-likely continue and my guess is that Billy's co-host of Pitchmen, Anthony Sullivan will take over any promotional duties vacated by Billy's passing, I can't see Vince Offer selling Oxiclean or anything else made famous by Billy Mays.

whos vince

whos vince

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qblNEfTnbbA

This has been one crazy week. RIP to Billy Mays, he was quite entertaining in informecials.

whos vince
an overrated billy mays wannabe. thankfully he ruined his reputation and no one has talked much about him since he went to jail for beating up a prostitute. billy is more awesome dead than vince is alive.

Billy Mays is in the same timeframe as Michael Jackson. Born 1958. Died 2009. almost 51 years of age. :rip:

RIP Billy :(

Man it surely is sad to see another one go. Have to say I found him and his infomercials annyoying as all hell but he seemed like a decent guy.

What struck me about this (I didn't go through the whole thread so I don't know if this was mentioned) is that this sounds similar to Natasha Richardson's death. I forget the medical term for it but you usually feel "fine" moments after a hit on the head but then you get worse; for some it's gradual and others it's right away. If not treated you could die or become brain-dead.

I knew that luggage hit him on the head and he laughed it off with reporters. He then died shortly after. We'll find out shortly from the autopsy reports.

:eek: That's so sad. I feel so bad for his family. They showed them on an episode of Pichmen, and his daughter looked like she was only about 3. She might not even remember him when she grows up. :( RIP Billy

Man it surely is sad to see another one go. Have to say I found him and his infomercials annyoying as all hell but he seemed like a decent guy.

What struck me about this (I didn't go through the whole thread so I don't know if this was mentioned) is that this sounds similar to Natasha Richardson's death. I forget the medical term for it but you usually feel "fine" moments after a hit on the head but then you get worse; for some it's gradual and others it's right away. If not treated you could die or become brain-dead.

I knew that luggage hit him on the head and he laughed it off with reporters. He then died shortly after. We'll find out shortly from the autopsy reports.
i remember hearing somewhere that head injuries should always be taken seriously because even some that seem like no big deal could be deadly. we'll see what happens, i guess.

What struck me about this (I didn't go through the whole thread so I don't know if this was mentioned) is that this sounds similar to Natasha Richardson's death. I forget the medical term for it but you usually feel "fine" moments after a hit on the head but then you get worse; for some it's gradual and others it's right away. If not treated you could die or become brain-dead.

I knew that luggage hit him on the head and he laughed it off with reporters. He then died shortly after. We'll find out shortly from the autopsy reports.

My husband was saying the exact same thing. It's really scary to think that a bump on the head could be fatal. VERY scary!!! I was really shocked when my friend told me about his death. I didn't know he had been on Conan. That would have been a fun show to watch. I'm sure it will be on Youtube soon.

Another terrible death. I agree. This is just too much!!!

Andrea

The product advertisement will most-likely continue and my guess is that Billy's co-host of Pitchmen, Anthony Sullivan will take over any promotional duties vacated by Billy's passing, I can't see Vince Offer selling Oxiclean or anything else made famous by Billy Mays.
I heard a bit of a phone interview with Anthony Sullivan. He was inconsolable. He said, "Thank you, buddy". :(

So very sad. I couldn't believe it. :rip: Billy.

Wow, and I, too, just saw him on Conan.

My 1st thought when I heard about Billy was "OK, any more surprises this week??!"

:rip:Billy

Now the news is saying it wasn't the hit on the head, but rather heart disease is how Billy died.

.
.
.
I can see Billy Mays taking over for St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

As the gates open, you just know it's coming....

"But wait...there's MORE..."

^ I love that. :D

.
.
.
I can see Billy Mays taking over for St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

As the gates open, you just know it's coming....

"But wait...there's MORE..."

Heaven is now a super-clean place to be. :D

They just showed the Orange-glo commercial on one of our channels.

Who's next...Billy Graham?

I think Ed McMahon wanted to say "Hereeeee's Billy" at the Pearly Gates.

Anyhow...RIP Mays.

:rip:

I just heard on MSNBC that Billy had a Heart Acctacked

I just heard on MSNBC that Billy had a Heart Acctacked
I heard the same thing, Aaron. It's so very sad.

I just heard on MSNBC that Billy had a Heart Acctacked
Oh man. :( So that was the primary cause of his death, then? I'm wondering about his head... if maybe he sustained some kind of injury?

Either way, very sad and very unexpected.

He got on my nerves but, it was shocking to hear of his passing. They say death comes in three and it came really fast.

He got on my nerves but, it was shocking to hear of his passing. They say death comes in three and it came really fast.
Yeah, he could be annoying but that was part of his charm. :D

Yeah, he could be annoying but that was part of his charm. :D
And he really knew how to sell! So he did something right, obviously. :)

Gilbert Gottfried, on the other hand, just makes me stabby every time I see him on TV. So I won't weep when he dies. I can't help it, it's just a reflex. Every time I see someone as annoying/stupid as him on TV, I have sweet visions of sugarplums and of stabbing him with a nice, sharp knife in my dreams...

...I mean, what? :lookaroun :)

Yeah, he could be annoying but that was part of his charm. :D
haha, no kidding. when i first saw his commercials i just thought "geez, this guy is full of himself" but for some reason that made the commercials fun to watch. whenever i'd see one of them as a child, i'd actually say out loud "YAY, billy mays!" even though i couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was that i liked about him. i guess the yelling and the warm introductions he gave at the beginning of every commercial made them a bit humorous.

Gilbert Gottfried, on the other hand, just makes me stabby every time I see him on TV. So I won't weep when he dies. I can't help it, it's just a reflex. Every time I see someone as annoying/stupid as him on TV, I have sweet visions of sugarplums and of stabbing him with a nice, sharp knife in my dreams...

I can't stand Gilbert Gottfried, His voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Just drives me insane when I hear him talk. :rolleyes:

Ran across a Billy Mays ad this morning on USA network, I think "Law and Order" was the show that was on.

It was the commercial for that glue that you can use for fabric repair. He "mends" an American Flag in the commercial and flies it in a strong breeze created by a very big fan.

And he really knew how to sell! So he did something right, obviously. :)

Gilbert Gottfried, on the other hand, just makes me stabby every time I see him on TV. So I won't weep when he dies. I can't help it, it's just a reflex. Every time I see someone as annoying/stupid as him on TV, I have sweet visions of sugarplums and of stabbing him with a nice, sharp knife in my dreams...

...I mean, what? :lookaroun :)
So how do you REALLY feel about him, Allison?? ;) :lol:

haha, no kidding. when i first saw his commercials i just thought "geez, this guy is full of himself" but for some reason that made the commercials fun to watch. whenever i'd see one of them as a child, i'd actually say out loud "YAY, billy mays!" even though i couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was that i liked about him. i guess the yelling and the warm introductions he gave at the beginning of every commercial made them a bit humorous.
Yes, he really had a way of getting under your skin - in a good way. :D

So how do you REALLY feel about him, Allison?? ;) :lol:

:rofl:

I read in the paper today that they think Billy had a heart attack in his sleep. That makes more sense than dying from a bump on the head. Then again, look at what happened to Natasha Richardson. That was just terrible!

So how do you REALLY feel about him, Allison?? ;) :lol:
GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! LET ME AT HIM!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :lol:

There is a Marathron on TV This Morning Discover Channel High Definition The Marathron is called Pichman.

GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! LET ME AT HIM!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :lol:
:rofl:

He died of heart disease, but it was an enlarged heart.

I was saddened to hear that Mr. Mays had died. He was one of the few tv pitchmen that didn't annoy me, and I even liked the guy. I'm sure someone's already mentioned this, but the show pitchmen is planning on doing a tribute to him. Not sure when though. Anyway, R.I.P. Mr. Mays, and may God comfort your loved ones during this difficult time!! :(

Link (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/090702-002108)


Like many of you, I was saddened to learn on Sunday that Billy Mays died at the age of 50. My family has been watching the Discovery Channel series Pitchmen, featuring Mays and fellow pitchman Anthony Sullivan.

I had been planning this post for a few weeks, but there has been so much search news to cover, I haven't had the time. Now, I'm publishing it to honor the tried and true techniques Billy Mays used to sell millions of products. Mays' style may not be your cup of tea, but the foundational concepts behind his pitches are something every search marketer can learn from. His incredible success was proof of that.

So, without further ado, here are 7 marketing lessons from the late, great Billy Mays.

1. Have a solid product. On the show, Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan saw hundreds of inventors who want their products sold through direct marketing television. Mays and Sullivan only chose the products they believed in. Even then, they tested them to make sure they worked and met safety standards.

2. Listen to consumers. When considering a new product, Mays and Sullivan often took it to the streets. They had people try out the products and give their honest response. This is one of the first indicators of whether or not a product might do well. Paying attention to what is said about your brand or product online can similarly be very informative to your marketing campaigns.

3. Show how your product can make people's lives easier. One of Mays' most popular products was Oxyclean, allows you to wash colors and whites together. Before the ShamWow, Billy Mays hawked the Zorbeez, a shammy towel that absorbed tons of water and could save tons of money on paper towels. Even non-infomercial products are successful when they do this. Think about the Flip video camera. It's simple and easy to use. It makes capturing moments and uploading them to YouTube very easy. This should be a key element of your campaigns.

4. Include a Call-to-Action. Billy Mays knew this well. He was always "doubling the offer," urging people to act now. Give people incentive to buy your product now. A great incentive for online retailers is offering free shipping.

5. Run a small test before launching a broad campaign. When Mays developed a commercial for a new product, it was run in a few markets to see if it was something consumers would buy. The profit margins had to be there in order to expand. Many times, if the product doesn't do well, they had to stop the campaign to prevent further losses. Test a few keywords before running a broad campaign with tons of longtail keywords. You may need to adjust your campaign or product, but you'll want to preserve your marketing budget in the meantime.

6. Conduct A/B Testing on Successful Ad Campaigns. For the Awesome Auger, a product that was doing very well, Mays shot a second commercial. It looked almost exactly like the original one, but the framing of Mays in the camera was slightly different. That slight cosmetic change was a big one. An A/B test showed sales rose even higher!

7. Watch the competition. When Vince Offer began hawking the ShamWow and the SlapChop, Billy Mays was pissed. These were products he had already been advertising in the form of Zorbeez and QuickChop. Offer's products did very well, selling millions. So, Mays shot new commercials in order to gain back his market share. Pay attention to your competition. Watch your rankings and your paid search positions. Never stop optimizing and adjusting your paid search campaigns. Stay on your toes to maintain or even grow your sales.

i just remembered putting "meet billy mays" on my 43things list...i went and checked, and yeah, it's on there. :(

i've been trying to summon his soul. no luck. :/

Great avatar Sarah

I think Billy Mays just seemed like such a genuninely nice and warm guy, that to me is what made me want to go out and buy his products. He seemed like he genuinely cared about the consumer instead of just about the bottom line.

RIP Billy you were a true pioneer and will be missed :(