Jackson Free Press

OxiClean, Orange Glo, Mighty Mend-It... who do you think of when you hear the names of these products? A bearded guy with a loud voice named Billy Mays who sold everything from fabric glue to putty that you could make a coffee mug handle out of. The popular salesman's voice has been tragically silenced today. From Yahoo News:

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.

There were no signs of a break-in, 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."

Previous Commentsshow

For the sake of continuity, I copied and pasted some posts about Billy Mays' death from another blog entry: they say it happens in threes, but I think now, it's fours. tv pitchman billy mays died today. i used to see his infomercials and think "what a clown." but after watching his Discovery Channel show Pitchmen, i realize he is a down-to-earth family man and seemed like and all round good guy. RIP, Billy. can't you hear it now? "hi, BILLY MAYS HERE WITH THE ALL NEW STREETS OF GOLD POLISH! IT SHINES, IT CLEANS, AND IT'S ONLY $19.95!" posted by 2599 on 06/28/09 at 04:05 PM 2599, I just did a blog entry on Billy Mays. He was annoying to some people, but to me, I liked the fact that he enjoyed his work. He also owned every product he pitched, so he stood behind whatever he sold. OR 2599, I just did a blog entry on Billy Mays. He was annoying to some people, but to me, I liked the fact that he enjoyed his work. He also owned every product he pitched, so he stood behind whatever he sold. posted by L.W. on 06/28/09 at 05:55 PM I also think the happens-in-threes rule had been broken. Remember David Carradine, Dom DeLuise, Bea Arthur... OR I also think the happens-in-threes rule had been broken. Remember David Carradine, Dom DeLuise, Bea Arthur... posted by L.W. on 06/28/09 at 05:57 PM LW, He didn't own each product he pitched. Unless you mean "own" as in took full liability for their performance because his name was on the line. If you watch his show Pitchmen on Discovery, the products are owned by the inventors. If you get Billy and Sully (Anthony Sullivan) behind you, though, they take care of everything. Obviously, then, Billy would have gotten a cut. I did hear him say many times on this show that he would not put something out there that he didn't personally agree with or know that it worked. posted by 2599 on 06/28/09 at 07:49 PM Oops, wrong choice of words, 2599. I should have said he "used" the products. He actually used OxiClean, etc. in his own home. That shows that he had faith in what he was selling. OR Oops, wrong choice of words, 2599. I should have said he "used" the products. He actually used OxiClean, etc. in his own home. That shows that he had faith in what he was selling. posted by L.W. on 06/28/09 at 09:08 PM yes, when you put it that way, absolutely. i read somewhere yesterday that he actually gave guests to his home bottles of the different cleaners before they would leave! posted by 2599 on 06/29/09 at 01:15 AM

LatashaWillis

Jun 29 2009

Here is Billy Mays' last interview after he got off the plane Saturday, in which he was explaining what happened during the rough landing. An autopsy of him os supposed to be done today, but I think head trauma is the cause of death. One thing I have learned from this and Natasha Richardson's demise is that if I get socked in the head, I should see a doctor even if I feel okay.

LatashaWillis

Jun 29 2009

The preliminary autopsy results show that Mays died of heart disease, not head trauma. More here: Preliminary autopsy results show that Mays suffered from hypertensive heart disease, Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Vernard Adams said during a televised news conference this morning. Toxicology and tissue tests will take several weeks before a final cause of death is issued, he said. Mays, 50, was found dead in his Tampa home on Sunday after returning to Florida on a commercial flight that sustained a rough landing on Saturday. Mays had said that he had bumped his head during the touchdown. But Adams said the autopsy showed no evidence of trauma to the head, either external or internal. The autopsy showed that Mays' heart was heavier than normal because the left ventricle had enlarged, a symptom of heart disease, Adams said.

LatashaWillis

Jun 29 2009

There is currently a "Pitchmen" marathon on the Discovery Channel, and there was a scene where Mays filmed a commercial with his wife and kids. They were a beautiful family, and my heart goes out to his wife and children. http://www.icanbenefit.com/aboutUs/media.cfm

LatashaWillis

Jul 1 2009

Ugh. His voice on those commercials left me craving a nerve pill and a whiskey chaser. But when i heard his "real voice" for the first time and started watching him on Pitchmen, I realized he wasn't Beelzebub and I actually really liked the guy. Such a sad, early ending of a dynamic man and a unique life. Ironically, the guy I constantly "muted" on television reminded me upon his death of just how incredibly short and precious life is... as I approach 44 this month. So Billy, I hear ya. loud and clear. Thanks.

bryanms

Jul 1 2009