Well they say bad things come in threes: first Farrah, then MJ, and now Billy Mays. Entertainment will never be the same.
Billy Mays was the center of gravity when it came to selling Magic Putty, Oxy Clean… even ESPN. Now that he’s gone, there is a giant hole to fill in the universe. God knows the ShamWow guy isn’t up to the challenge, especially after he lost that fist-fight with a prostitute.
“The power of the air you breathe and the water you drink,” Billy used to say enthusiastically as he dissolved earth’s toughest stains in a tub of Oxy Clean. Genius. Today I overheard the following confession: “Man, Billy was the one who convinced me to buy Magic Putty!” Undoubtedly a life-changing purchase.
Billy Mays, you have left big shoes to fill. Fortunately, with 13 or so million people looking for jobs, I have all the confidence in the world that someone with big enough feet will rise to the challenge. But one final caveat to his successor: while you may be able to take Billy’s place in the world of telesales, his place in my heart is not up for grabs.
Rest In Peace, sweet sweet Billy Mays.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:51 am
The Economist pays tribute: http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13938317
June 30th, 2009 at 11:51 am
OxiClean pays tribute: http://www.oxiclean.com/
July 9th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
What an animal: “Mr. Mays…was said to have generated some $1billion in sales”