Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Writer Sneers at Billy Mays in Death
NewsBusters ^ | July 1, 2009 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 07/01/2009 4:42:56 PM PDT by PJ-Comix

"Hi, Billy Mays here!"

Unfortunately we won't be able to hear Billy Mays say that again in person but that recorded line is destined to live on for as long as there are people. The untimely death of Billy Mays inspired numerous accolades from around the country including this tribute video, one of many that you can find on YouTube. However, in contrast to the almost universal admiration of Mays, there was one discordant note sounded on the opinion page of the Christian Science Chronicle in the form of this sneering column written by one Darryl Campbell. You can almost hear the elitist condescension dripping as Campbell looks down his haughty nose at Billy Mays:

It's almost impossible to go a full day without hearing the words "Hi, Billy Mays here" at least once. For over a decade, Billy Mays pitched everything from laundry detergents to Mighty Putty, Hercules Hooks to health insurance, to the television-viewing public. He was neither an inventor-salesman like Ron Popeil nor a celebrity endorser like Suzanne Somers; instead, he used his talent for working a crowd and an infinite capacity for shouting (he insisted that it was "projecting") in order to become the best-known and by far the loudest practitioner of the old-school hard sell.


(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: billymays
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-82 next last
I can picture him at St. Pete's Gate saying, "Hi, Billy Mays here!"
1 posted on 07/01/2009 4:42:56 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Paul Heinzman; IMissPresidentReagan; AlexW; Cletus.D.Yokel; ConservativeOrBust; tropical; ...

PING!


2 posted on 07/01/2009 4:43:53 PM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix
OK, now that was funny......


3 posted on 07/01/2009 4:46:36 PM PDT by Viking2002 (Ted Nugent for Attorney General '12. You Know You Want It.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix
It's almost impossible to go a full day without hearing the words "Hi, Billy Mays here" at least once.

No it's not. All ya gotta do is kill your television.

4 posted on 07/01/2009 4:47:15 PM PDT by don-o (My son, Ben - Marine PFC- 1/16/09 - Parris Island - LC -6/4/09 - 29 Palms - Camp Pendleton 6/18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

Billy Mays figured out how to become successful... and for that I give him his props... the writer of the article has wealth envy... be afraid... the next step of course is Communism...


5 posted on 07/01/2009 4:47:54 PM PDT by John123 (Turn on your teleprompter Obama and read your lips... "No New Taxes!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

“...the old school hard-sell...” Maybe it’s because of my retaill background but this doesn’t strike me as sneering.


6 posted on 07/01/2009 4:49:47 PM PDT by grellis (I am Jill's overwhelming sense of disgust.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix
I can picture him at St. Pete's Gate saying, "Hi, Billy Mays here!"

God could use some Mighty Putty

7 posted on 07/01/2009 4:50:14 PM PDT by woofie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix
Mays was annoying but I absolutely want to KILL this guy...


8 posted on 07/01/2009 4:50:24 PM PDT by rickmichaels
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

Unlike 0, he could speak without a teleprompter.


9 posted on 07/01/2009 4:51:00 PM PDT by maggief
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John123
Billy Mays didn't invent, unlike the writer of that article, who's groundbreaking writing style will surely get him a Pulitzer. /s
10 posted on 07/01/2009 4:52:26 PM PDT by BallyBill (Serial Hit-N-Run poster)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

Shame on them. This man had a family and seemed to be a decent sort of guy. No I could no listen to the commercials. But it did seem from what I have read that he would only pitch those things that worked the way they were advertised.

I hope that he gave my grandma an awesome digging tool thingy. Between the two of them, heaven’s gardens will have lovely produce.


11 posted on 07/01/2009 4:54:01 PM PDT by lovesdogs (I will die on my feet if it is God's will. But I will not live on my knees for any man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BallyBill

I don’t think George Foreman invented anything either...


12 posted on 07/01/2009 4:55:15 PM PDT by John123 (Turn on your teleprompter Obama and read your lips... "No New Taxes!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: rickmichaels

“Mays was annoying but I absolutely want to KILL this guy... “

Apparently so did a Hooker


13 posted on 07/01/2009 4:55:52 PM PDT by DAC21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: rickmichaels
I absolutely want to KILL this guy...

Because of his commercials or because he got arrested for punching a prostitute?

14 posted on 07/01/2009 4:56:41 PM PDT by Pan_Yan (All gray areas are fabrications.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

The guy fulfilled a need. He had nothing to be ashamed of, as it relates to the items he hawked. A cheap shot at him on this topic is nothing but a despicable cheap shot.

Imagine, if you’re a personality like Suzanne Summers, it’s okay. If you’re a nobody like Billy Mays, why you’re persona non gratis.

What a ass this P.J. Gladnick is.


15 posted on 07/01/2009 4:57:53 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (_res__ent of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

I had been watching Pitchmen on television. A great show! After watching a few episodes, I realized that Billy was a great guy all around, rags to riches, he was the American Dream. I have a couple of product ideas that I was _seriously_ thinking of pitching to Billy and Sully (as in Pitchmen), I had the commercial written in my mind, with Billy as the salesman. Sadly, he has passed away, and this by far, for my, is the saddest of the celebrity passings..


16 posted on 07/01/2009 4:57:58 PM PDT by Paradox (When the left have no one to villainize, they'll turn on each other.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rickmichaels

Someone needs to shove a ShamWow down Vince’s throat. He ranks at the top level of the most annoying sellers of crap products.


17 posted on 07/01/2009 4:58:37 PM PDT by Brytani (DC Freeper Convention and National Tea Party - FreepMail Me for rooms and convention info!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: lovesdogs

I just read an article written by a friend of his.

Said BM was very low keyed, soft spoken unless he was pitchng something in front of a camera.


18 posted on 07/01/2009 4:59:16 PM PDT by Shyla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

P,J. is just reporting on what the A**hat at the Christian Science Chronicle wrote about.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}


19 posted on 07/01/2009 5:00:54 PM PDT by alfa6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: PJ-Comix

I know who Billy Mays was, know what he looked like, knew what he did.....who the hell is P.J. Gladnick? Never heard of him before now.


20 posted on 07/01/2009 5:01:03 PM PDT by Snurple (VEGETARIAN, OLD INDIAN WORD FOR BAD HUNTER.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-82 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson