You may have heard during the endless Michael Jackson tribute coverage that the TV pitchman Billy Mays died after he was struck on the head following a rough flight home.
An early LA Times headline announced it this way: But wait, there's no more - Billy Mays dead.
Well, call me Mr. Sensitive but that just ain't right. The man was 50, like another celebrity who died of late. He leaves behind a grieving family. Perhaps some in the media are punch-drunk after a weekend of off-the-hook Michael Jackson action, and maybe the death of someone whose only claim to fame is he shouted at you 10 times a day on the TV is a great release valve for a headline writer.
Anyway, there was a nice remembrance from AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of TeleBrands, and one of the folks who interacts with Mays on the Discovery series that came out in April called "The Pitchmen." Khubani: "I first met Billy in the early 1990s when he was still pitching one of his early products, the Shammy, at a trade fair at a house wares show. Over the years, our relationship grew as Billy’s distinctive voice and style became a staple in our industry.
More recently, I had worked hand-in-hand with Billy and Anthony “Sully” Sullivan on the Discovery Channel show, 'The Pitchmen.' His innovative role and impact on the growth and wide acceptance of direct response television cannot be overestimated or easily replaced; he was truly one of a kind. On this very sad day, the thoughts and prayers of my wife Poonam and I go out to Billy’s wife and family."
I have a couple of Billy Mays highlights and they're both from just the past few weeks.
Here was a great moment from the Jay Leno "Tonight Show" with Billy Mays poking fantastic fun at his own image.
Shortly after that I interviewed Mays when he was en route to yet another destination. The resulting story had some fun at his expense, too. I think he was used to it. Let's call it a tribute.
Here's a rather generic statement from Discovery, which showed us a different side of the Mays empire (the non-shouting side) on its series "The Pitchmen": "It is with incredible sadness that we have to report that Billy Mays died in his sleep last night. Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth. 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. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family at this time of incredible loss. More information will be distributed as it becomes available."
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