Billy Mays (partially found commercials/infomercials starring American pitchman; 1980s-2009): Difference between revisions

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|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
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'''William Darrell "Billy" Mays Jr.''' was an American direct-response marketing pitchman operating from the 1980s to his death from hypertension on June 28th, 2009.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/5681144/Billy-Mays-dies-after-banging-head-on-aeroplane.html Telegraph article on Mays' death.] Retrieved 07 Sept '19</ref>  Mays gained a high level of success and recognition through his lifetime, including his great impact on television and internet advertising, his iconic loud and brash tone, coining the phrase ''"Hi, Billy Mays here for..."'', the Discovery Channel show [[PitchMen (partially found Discovery Channel docudrama series; 2009-2011)|''PitchMen'']] which starred him and his co-worker friend Anthony Sullivan, and becoming a classic internet meme. Some of Mays' most well-known endorsed products include OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, Zorbeez, various Simoniz products, etc.
'''William Darrell "Billy" Mays Jr.''' was an American direct-response marketing pitchman operating from the 1980s to his death from hypertension on June 28th, 2009.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/5681144/Billy-Mays-dies-after-banging-head-on-aeroplane.html Telegraph article on Mays' death.] Retrieved 07 Sept '19</ref>  Mays gained a high level of success and recognition through his lifetime, including his great impact on television and internet advertising, his iconic loud and brash tone, coining the phrase ''"Hi, Billy Mays here for..."'', the Discovery Channel show [[PitchMen (partially found Discovery Channel docudrama series; 2009-2011)|''PitchMen'']] which starred him and his co-worker friend Anthony Sullivan and becoming a classic internet meme. Some of Mays' most well-known endorsed products include OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, Zorbeez, various Simoniz products, etc.


As Billy Mays starred in hundreds of TV commercials/infomercials, '''a few have become lost to time'''. This is due to multiple factors, such as Mays' sudden death, the fact that most people didn't go out of their way to record infomercials (never mind uploading them on the internet later), and Mays not being popular at the time of his early work. Interest for the rare infomercials has especially risen in the wake of Mays' death.
As Billy Mays starred in hundreds of TV commercials/infomercials, '''a few have become lost to time'''. This is due to multiple factors, such as Mays' sudden death, the fact that most people didn't go out of their way to record infomercials (never mind uploading them on the internet later), and Mays not being popular at the time of his early work. Interest for the rare infomercials has especially risen in the wake of Mays' death.


==Whereabouts==
==Whereabouts==
A few clips from various lost commercials/infomercials can be spotted in two tribute videos made following Mays' death by the Electronic Retailer's Association and Film Florida Legends Awards Ceremony. However, where most of these clips really seem to be sourced from is Sullivan Productions' (Anthony Sullivan's company which directed a large amount of Mays' work) old website. The "Our Creations" section of the website had several of the now-lost infomercials available, but due to how the Wayback Machine has problems archiving websites which heavily used Flash, the videos themselves have not been saved, thus making them lost to time as the website re-branded and deleted the videos. Sullivan himself might still own the videos, but this is unconfirmed.
A few clips from various lost commercials/infomercials can be spotted in two tribute videos made following Mays' death, by the Electronic Retailer's Association and Film Florida Legends Awards Ceremony. However, where most of these clips really seem to be sourced from is Sullivan Productions' (Anthony Sullivan's company which directed a large amount of Mays' work) old website. From 2009-2011, the videos were stored in-house in the FLV format. None of the video files themselves were archived, making them permanently lost later on. From 2012-2013, the site was updated, with the videos now being hosted on Vimeo. It was later found out that all the videos are still functioning, albeit set to display on sullivanproductions.com only, which can be circumvented by using Inspect Element to switch out the video IDs on the current website (or by using youtube-dl with the <code>--referer http://sullivanproductions.com</code> attribute). Most pages from this era weren't archived, although more videos were found using a script that cycles in-between known IDs. The website was updated again in 2014, and all the Billy Mays infomercials were removed in favor of more up-to-date creations.


A few photographs taken from the sets of Mays' various now-lost work can be found on his son's (Billy Mays III) tribute site for his father, BillyMays.org.
==1980s==
 
===Jet Cloth & Washmatik (1983/1988)===
==Jet Cloth & Washmatik (1983/1988)==
The Jet Cloth appears to be a super-absorbent chamois cloth, similar to the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q39yGLPkMY "ShamWow!"] or Mays' own [https://youtu.be/jMWvTP_LPHY "Zorbeez"]. The Washmatik is a hose system that pumps water directly from a bucket without being hooked up to a faucet.<ref>[https://directstore.tv/the-original-washmatik--kit-1281-p.asp DirectStoreTV's listing on the Washmatik kit.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>
The Jet Cloth appears to be a super-absorbent chamois cloth, similar to the [https://youtu.be/4n6Lad0nvd4 "ShamWow!"] or Mays' own [https://youtu.be/jMWvTP_LPHY "Zorbeez"]. The Washmatik is a hose system that pumps water directly from a bucket without being hooked up to a faucet.<ref>[https://directstore.tv/the-original-washmatik--kit-1281-p.asp DirectStoreTV's listing on the Washmatik kit.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>


Before Mays' TV success, he worked for the houseware marketing company International Housewares. He sold the Washmatik, along with other products such as the Jet Cloth to passersby at the Atlantic City boardwalk, later also pitching at home shows, state fairs, and auto shows. His co-workers at the time would call him "Bucket Billy" due to how often he'd sell the Washmatik.<ref NAME="TAMPA"/><ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/it-took-billy-mays-years-to-perfect-that-pitch/ The Seattle Times article on Mays' rise to fame.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>
Before Mays' TV success, he worked for the houseware marketing company International Housewares. He sold the Washmatik, along with other products such as the Jet Cloth to passersby at the Atlantic City boardwalk, later also pitching at home shows, state fairs, and auto shows. His co-workers at the time would call him "Bucket Billy" due to how often he'd sell the Washmatik.<ref NAME="TAMPA"/><ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/it-took-billy-mays-years-to-perfect-that-pitch/ The Seattle Times article on Mays' rise to fame.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>


Mays' pitch for the two products was recorded in 1983, as evident by a private videotape that he owned. Mays is notable here for having a much calmer tone while pitching as compared to his newer infomercials. Multiple clips from the tape are shown in the ''PitchMen'' episode, ''Revenge of the Pitchmen''. It's first shown when Mays, in anticipation to re-doing his infomercial for "Zorbeez," plays the tape to his crew, all while getting embarrassed at his younger self's performance. It later re-appears when Mays recalls his life story in the middle of the episode. Another clip appears in the ERA tribute video, although it claims that the recording was done in 1988 instead. Nonetheless, the full tape hasn't resurfaced yet and is probably still in possession of Mays' family.
Mays' pitch for the two products was recorded in 1983, as evident by a private videotape that he owned. Mays is notable here for having a much calmer tone while pitching as compared to his newer infomercials. Multiple clips from the tape are shown in the ''PitchMen'' episode, ''Revenge of the Pitchmen''. It's first shown when Mays, in anticipation of re-doing his infomercial for "Zorbeez," plays the tape to his crew, all while getting embarrassed at his younger self's performance. It later re-appears when Mays recalls his life story in the middle of the episode. Another clip appears in the ERA tribute video, although it claims that the recording was done in 1988 instead. Nonetheless, the full tape hasn't resurfaced yet and is probably still in possession of Mays' family.


{{Video|perrow  =1
{{Video|perrow  =1
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   |description1 =Footage complied from ''Revenge of the Pitchmen'' and the ERA tribute video.
   |description1 =Footage complied from ''Revenge of the Pitchmen'' and the ERA tribute video.
}}
}}
==Home Shopping Network (1993-2000)==
==1990s==
===Home Shopping Network (1996-200?)===
On the 1993 Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, Billy Mays met up with one of his rivals, Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International. The two salesmen struck a friendship with each other, and Mays was hired to pitch the Orange Glo cleaning product on the Home Shopping Network. He would eventually pitch OxiClean on the channel when it was released in 1997 (making it sell up to 3500 units on the first day), along with other unrelated products.<ref NAME="GLO">[https://tv2retail.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/the-oxiclean-story-how-they-went-from-a-humble-garage-to-a-325-million-payday/ An article on Orange Glo/OxiClean's origins.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19</ref> Mays became a common star on the channel, and eventually met his co-worker and future friend Anthony Sullivan through there.
On the 1993 Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, Billy Mays met up with one of his rivals, Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International. The two salesmen struck a friendship with each other, and Mays was hired to pitch the Orange Glo cleaning product on the Home Shopping Network. He would eventually pitch OxiClean on the channel when it was released in 1997 (making it sell up to 3500 units on the first day), along with other unrelated products.<ref NAME="GLO">[https://tv2retail.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/the-oxiclean-story-how-they-went-from-a-humble-garage-to-a-325-million-payday/ An article on Orange Glo/OxiClean's origins.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19</ref> Mays became a common star on the channel, and eventually met his co-worker and future friend Anthony Sullivan through there.


The total number of Mays' Home Shopping Network appearances is unknown, but four of them can be found on YouTube.
It's currently uncertain how long had Mays stayed on the network. Due to the "live show" nature of the HSN, chances of every session resurfacing are slim. One identified missing session is for the Kaboom cleaning product from around 2002 with host Su Ferrera. It might've been online at some point, as two cropped screenshots exist.<ref>[http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(ugbgvawouroemlmirqpoufaj))/view.aspx?ID=5316 Su Ferrera's page on AmIAnnoying, which includes a picture and some details of the Kaboom HSN session.] Retrieved 03 Nov '19</ref><ref>[http://www.amiannoying.com/(S(0ulekmtxcxuwetparciqo51f))/view.aspx?ID=5317 Billy Mays' page on AmIAnnoying, which includes a picture of the Kaboom HSN session.] Retrieved 03 Nov '19</ref>


{{Video|perrow  =2
{{Video|perrow  =2
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =MUsb2mdI3es
   |id1          =afpWcl9d1H0
   |description1 ="Where's Billy?" promo from July 1997.
   |description1 ="Where's Billy?" promo from July 1997.
   |service2    =youtube
   |service2    =youtube
   |id2          =DoHRFlEDSMk
   |id2          =DoHRFlEDSMk
   |description2 ="Shop Talk" OxiClean pitch.
   |description2 =Semi-incomplete pitch for OxiClean from the "Talk Shop" program.
}}
}}
{{Video|perrow  =2
{{Video|perrow  =2
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =zwtL4MQoKRw
   |id1          =zwtL4MQoKRw
   |description1 =A clip from a 1998 OxiClean pitch.
   |description1 =Clip from a 1998 OxiClean pitch.
   |service2    =youtube
   |service2    =youtube
   |id2          =LkLiBE4R6UY
   |id2          =jZYHW6I6fOw
   |description2 =Euroshine Dutch Rubber Broom pitch.
   |description2 =Incomplete pitch for the Euroshine Dutch rubber broom from the "Sunrise" program.
}}
}}
==OxiClean - Original 30-Minute Infomercial (1998)==
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
Alongside the live appearances on the Home Shopping Network, a test 30-minute infomercial for OxiClean was made in early 1998 to air on other TV channels.<ref NAME="GLO"/> It was made a few months after the product first released, and showed off the same demonstrations as the live shows on the Home Shopping Network. The infomercial had around a 2.0 MER (Media Efficiency Ratio), meaning that it made double the money used for its production. The infomercial is also mentioned in Anthony Sullivan's 2017 book, ''You Get What You Pitch For''.
File:BillyMaysHSNKaboom1.jpg|Picture of Mays from the 2002 Kaboom session.
File:BillyMaysHSNKaboom2.jpg|Picture of Ferrera from the 2002 Kaboom session.
File:MoreBillyMaysGarbage.png|A series of portraits from what appears to be an early Orange Glo session.
</gallery>
===OxiClean - Original 30-Minute Infomercial (1998)===
Alongside appearances on the Home Shopping Network, a test 30-minute infomercial for OxiClean (and by extension, Orange Clean) was made in early 1998 to air on other TV channels.<ref NAME="GLO"/> The infomercial features Mays and an unknown host, showing off much of the same demonstrations as the live shows on the Home Shopping Network. The infomercial had around a 2.0 MER (Media Efficiency Ratio), meaning that it made back double the money used for its production. The infomercial is also mentioned in Anthony Sullivan's 2017 book, ''You Get What You Pitch For''.


Out of the 30-minute runtime, about 1 minute has made it online, uploaded by the infomercial's producer, Rick Cesari.
Out of the 30-minute runtime, about 1 minute has made it online, uploaded by the infomercial's producer, Rick Cesari. Around 11 minutes of an edited, German-dubbed (Swiss) version is also available.


{{Video|perrow  =1
{{Video|perrow  =2
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =u9HNaleAefU
   |id1          =u9HNaleAefU
   |description1 =The available clip.
   |description1 =The available (English version) clip.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =fFMBKz-LyHo
  |description2 =The German-dubbed version.
}}
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
File:OxiClean1997Excerpt.png|Excerpt from ''You Get What You Pitch For''.
File:OxiClean1997Excerpt.png|Excerpt from ''You Get What You Pitch For''.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==OxiClean - "Laundromat" (2005)==
At around 2005, OxiClean had a series of commercials set in a laundromat. These mostly focused on showcasing OxiClean's new 2005 formula, which supposedly worked better than ever.<ref>[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050330005179/en/OxiClean-Unveils-Powerful-Stain-Remover-OxiClean-Improves An article on OxiClean's new 2005 formula.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19</ref> It's uncertain how many of these were made, but at least one of them is known to be missing in full. Three (mostly muted/spoken over) clips of the missing commercial can be found in the FFLAC tribute video.


{{Video|perrow  =2
==2000s==
===OxiClean - Original Infomercials (2000/2001)===
The first short-form OxiClean infomercial (alongside Orange Glo and Orange Clean) started airing around October 2000 and is probably one of Mays' most well-remembered infomercials (with more than a million views on YouTube). More variants of said infomercial were made, one using the same set as the first one (which includes Orange Glo as the bonus offer as opposed to Orange Clean), and another with a more blue-ish set.
 
Variant #2 (which there seems to be only one version of) is mostly missing, as well as the 2-minute version of variant #3.
{{Video|perrow  =3
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =J0kuqj10uro
   |id1          =ZTpXh33Mbeg
   |description1 =15 second spot.
   |description1 =The well-known, 2-minute version of variant #1.
   |service2    =youtube
   |service2    =youtube
   |id2          =5vfPwFyP7M4
   |id2          =WwN6Z2puGJg
   |description2 =30 second spot.
   |description2 =60-second version of variant #1. Uses the same footage as the 2-minute version.
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =PA_9IbXsS-8
  |description3 =A clip from variant #2 (0:21).
}}
}}
{{Video|perrow  =2
{{Video|perrow  =2
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =72SG_bpaByc
   |id1          =0nqzBsWFESA
   |description1 =All available footage from the lost commercial.
   |description1 =60-second version of variant #3.
   |service2    =youtube
   |service2    =youtube
   |id2          =DpXozYWA2bE
   |id2          =mOwNy9pyEgQ
   |description2 =15 Second spot for OxiClean Triple Power.
   |description2 =A clip from the 2-minute version of variant #3, and two clips from variant #2.
}}
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
===Turbo Tiger/Turbo Tiger Plus (2001/2004)===
File:OxiCleanLaundromat.png|A screenshot of the missing commercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
</gallery>
==Turbo Tiger/Turbo Tiger Plus (2002/2004)==
The Turbo Tiger was a lightweight, "turbo-powered" vacuum cleaner sold by Interwood Direct/Tristar Products.<ref>[https://www.tpidv.com/tristar/turbo-tiger Tristar Products page on the Turbo Tiger.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>
The Turbo Tiger was a lightweight, "turbo-powered" vacuum cleaner sold by Interwood Direct/Tristar Products.<ref>[https://www.tpidv.com/tristar/turbo-tiger Tristar Products page on the Turbo Tiger.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>


Mays pitched the product around 2002.<ref NAME="TAMPA">[https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2002/05/06/story8.html Tampa Bay Business Journal's article on Mays.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref> The infomercial appears to be completely absent from the internet, although photos of the product's box can be found online, with Mays' endorsement on them. Curiously, a few behind-the-scenes photos of a "Turbo Tiger" infomercial can be found on BillyMays.org, but it appears to be a different, 2004 revision of the product named the "Turbo Tiger Plus".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040904123308/http://www.interwood.com/a/p/ttp/TurboDetails.shtml Interwood Direct's page on the Turbo Tiger Plus.] Archived 04 Sept '19</ref> Both products emphasize on the "tiger" in "Turbo Tiger" by having a live tiger accompany Mays.
Mays pitched the product around 2001.<ref NAME="TAMPA">[https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2002/05/06/story8.html Tampa Bay Business Journal's article on Mays.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref> The infomercial appears to be completely absent from the internet, although photos of the product's box can be found online, with Mays' endorsement on them. Curiously, a few behind-the-scenes photos of a "Turbo Tiger" infomercial can be found on BillyMays.org, but it appears to be a different, 2004 revision of the product named the "Turbo Tiger Plus." <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040904123308/http://www.interwood.com/a/p/ttp/TurboDetails.shtml Interwood Direct's page on the Turbo Tiger Plus.] Archived 04 Sept '19</ref> Both products emphasize on the "tiger" in "Turbo Tiger" by having a live tiger accompany Mays.
 
According to a court case between Tristar Products and Euro-Pro Corp (in regards to the Turbo Tiger allegedly copying Euro-Pro's "The Shark" vacuum cleaner; the case was later dismissed), the infomercial for the original Turbo Tiger started airing in February 2001. It started with the display of a live tiger and Billy Mays, with Mays later demonstrating the product's suction ability by lifting two bowling balls and a table using it. The product is also shown vacuuming a computer keyboard, as well as dirt and debris arranged in lines on a table, and draining a large glass of sand. Throughout the infomercial, Mays also states that ''"if if doesn't say Princess, it is not the original Turbo Tiger"'' (Princess being the original manufacturer of the product, with Tristar Products holding the distribution rights in the USA).<ref>[https://casetext.com/case/euro-pro-corp-v-tristar-products-inc A transcript of the court case between Tristar Products and Euro-Pro Corp, which reveals details about the original Turbo Tiger's infomercial.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref>
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px>
File:TurboTiger.jpg|The original Turbo Tiger's box with Mays' endorsement at the bottom right corner.
File:TurboTiger.jpg|The original Turbo Tiger's box with Mays' endorsement at the bottom right corner.
Line 95: Line 108:
File:BillyMaysTurboTiger5.jpg|Additional photo found in the FFLAC tribute video.
File:BillyMaysTurboTiger5.jpg|Additional photo found in the FFLAC tribute video.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Ultimate Ladder (2007)==
===OxiClean - Laundromat (2005-2008)===
The SQV ("Safety, Quality, Versatility") Ultimate Ladder was a product sold by Tristar Products that was advertised as having ''"8 ladders in 1"''.<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/DTH-3-The-Ultimate-Ladder/dp/B000A3FWDM The Ultimate Ladder's Amazon page.] Retrieved 31 Aug '19</ref>
[[File:OxiCleanLaundromat.png|thumb|right|240px|A screenshot of the previously lost commercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.]]


Although the infomercial for the product is available online, there's a demonstration that doesn't appear in it. The demonstration involves a telehandler lifting a school bus above four Ultimate Ladders. Mays yells ''"Lower the bus!"'', and the bus gets dropped on top of the Ultimate Ladders, showing off their strength. It is unclear whether the demonstration was used in an alternative version of the infomercial or not, but it appears to have been at least edited for use in one.
Throughout 2005-2008, OxiClean had a series of commercials set in a laundromat. These mostly focused on showcasing OxiClean's new 2005 formula, which supposedly worked better than ever, as well as OxiClean Triple Power.<ref>[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050330005179/en/OxiClean-Unveils-Powerful-Stain-Remover-OxiClean-Improves An article on OxiClean's new 2005 formula.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19</ref>


Some behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration has been uploaded by Anthony Sullivan on February 2nd, 2007. Mays says roughly the following in the footage:
It's uncertain how many of these were made, but at least one of them was missing in full, until it was found on November 14th, 2019, as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.
<blockquote>"Lower the bus! Lower the bus- This is unbelievable! Thousands and thousands of pounds, the ultimate strength has the Ultimate Ladder. Look at that, ladies and gentlemen. Watch here, at the- [inaudible] -ever. Look at that! This has never been done in television history. Television history- [inaudible] -the Ultimate Ladder, ladies and gentlemen, is the SVQ of ladders: safety, quality and versatility, stacked up to value. Before you find another ladder out there, step up in safety and get yours. Look at this, ladies and gentlemen, that's unbelievable! That's television history right here. Look at that. I've gotta tell you something, I've never seen anything like this- [cut off] Look at that. The SQV of ladders: safety, quality and versatility equals value. Ours is the best; you've seen the rest, now get the best."</blockquote>
Obviously, Mays took multiple takes of his dialogue here, and most of it was probably cut off in the finished infomercial. Both tribute videos and the ''PitchMen'' episode, ''Revenge of the Pitchmen'', appear to have some footage from the finished infomercial:
<blockquote>"I've been doing this for a lot of years, I've never seen anything like this IN MY LIFE!"</blockquote>


{{Video|perrow  =4
{{Video|perrow  =4
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =h_IXZkofS5c
   |id1          =J0kuqj10uro
   |description1 =The Ultimate Ladder's infomercial, in which the school bus demonstration does not appear.
   |description1 =15-second spot.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =k0enLv_iZDg
  |description2 =30-second spot (7:41).
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =Z_JMTVaFDGM
  |description3 =The previously lost 30-second spot.
}}
{{Video|perrow  =2
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =DpXozYWA2bE
  |description1 =15-second spot for OxiClean Triple Power.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =VBMmIPH7c3E
  |description2 =30-second spot for OxiClean Triple Power (1:20).
}}
 
===Simoniz (2006-2009)===
Starting in 2006, Billy Mays was hired to pitch several products made by the automobile cleaning product company Simoniz. Simoniz' website has a list of all the products supposedly pitched by Mays: Fix-It (a scratch remover), Liquid Diamond (a protective car wax spray), Aquapel (a hydrophobic glass treatment), Fix-It Wood (a wooden scratch remover), and Sealtite (a tire repair kit).<ref>[https://simonizsigns.com/pages/about-us Simoniz' "About Us" page, which includes all the products Mays pitched.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref>
 
Several variants of the infomercials for Liquid Diamond and Fix-It (Pro) are easily available online. A blog post about the Sealtite infomercial exists,<ref>[http://scimark.blogspot.com/2007/07/new-items-report-seal-tite-mxz-wrench.html Blog post about the Sealtite, and Mays' infomercial.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> as well as a product box for the Aquapel with Mays' endorsement on it. There's no proof for a Fix-It Wood infomercial starring Billy Mays besides what the Simoniz website claims, making its existence uncertain.
 
{{Video|perrow  =3
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =R2wXZdDnxXk
  |description1 =A variant of the Liquid Diamond infomercial.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =Ms9CTXU7zvY
  |description2 =Another variant of the Liquid Diamond infomercial.
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =LDiq8SUFAN8
  |description3 =A variant of the Fix-It infomercial.
}}
{{Video|perrow  =3
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =Fk9Pcjgb1z8
  |description1 =A variant of the Fix-It Pro infomercial.
   |service2    =youtube
   |service2    =youtube
   |id2          =MetJUXeekmA
   |id2          =m8MubZ5Btg8
   |description2 =Footage compiled from the two tribute videos and ''Revenge of the Pitchmen''.
   |description2 =Another variant of the Fix-It Pro infomercial.
   |service3
   |service3    =youtube
  |id3
   |id3         =V5lICVOYEzs
  |description3 =[[File:BillyMaysLadder.jpg|thumb|250px|Picture of Mays during the demonstration.]]
   |description3 =A non-Billy Mays version of the Fix-It Wood infomercial.
  |service4     =youtube
   |id4         =hGksLduNP0A
   |description4 =Behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration.
}}
}}
==OxiClean - "OxiClean Bathroom" (2007)==
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px>
OxiClean Bathroom was a short-lived OxiClean product sold through 2007, which doubled as a cleaner & disinfectant for the bathroom.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070103200759/http://www.oxiclean.com/864180A00products.asp?MainNav=Products&SubNav=Versatile OxiClean Bathroom on OxiClean's old website.] Archived 03 Jan '07</ref>
File:BillyMaysAquapel.jpg|The Aquapel's product box, with Mays' endorsement.
</gallery>
 
===OxiClean - OxiClean Bathroom (2006-2007)===
OxiClean Bathroom was a short-lived OxiClean product sold through 2006-2007, which doubled as a cleaner & disinfectant for the bathroom.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070103200759/http://www.oxiclean.com/864180A00products.asp?MainNav=Products&SubNav=Versatile OxiClean Bathroom on OxiClean's old website.] Archived 03 Jan 2007</ref>


[[File:OxiBathroom.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The product.]]
[[File:OxiBathroom.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The product.]]


Mays did an infomercial for the product, as evident by an outtake reel uploaded by Anthony Sullivan on June 6th, 2007. The reel shows Billy kneeling over a bathtub while holding the product, reaching over the tub to start cleaning before falling over:
The only proof of this infomercial comes from a blooper reel in a collection of blooper reels, which was posted on Anthony Sullivan's YouTube page on September 15, 2006 (later appearing in higher quality on the ''PitchMen'' DVD). The reel shows Billy kneeling over a bathtub while holding the product, reaching over the tub to start cleaning before falling over:
<blockquote>"This one powerful product removes tough stains and disinfects all over your bathroom, without harsh (chemicals/fumes)-"</blockquote>
<blockquote>"This one powerful product removes tough stains and disinfects all over your bathroom, without harsh (chemicals/fumes)-"</blockquote>
There's also a scene of Sullivan asking Mays whether he's OK, and Mays sniffing the product's bottle. The finished infomercial itself is missing, and all that's available is the blooper reel.
The finished infomercial itself is missing, and all that's available is the blooper reel.


{{Video|perrow  =1
{{Video|perrow  =1
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =2SabRvYb0eE
   |id1          =VZrFjBDtqug
   |description1 =The blooper reel.
   |description1 =The blooper reel (1:30).
}}
}}
==Safety Beep (2007)==
The Safety Beep was a wireless vehicle warning device sold by the Invention Channel. It's designed to be stuck on a vehicle's rear end, beeping while driving in reverse mode to alert any passersby that you're backing up.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015060827/http://inventionchannel.com/product/product.jsp?productID=602 Invention Channel page on the Safety Beep.] Archived 15 0ct '18</ref>


A clip from the infomercial can be found on the ERA tribute video.
===Ultimate Ladder (2005 and 2007)===
[[File:BillyMaysLadder.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Picture of Mays during the demonstration.]]
 
The SQV ("Safety, Quality, Versatility") Ultimate Ladder was a product sold by Tristar Products that was advertised as having ''"8 ladders in 1"''.<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/DTH-3-The-Ultimate-Ladder/dp/B000A3FWDM The Ultimate Ladder's Amazon page.] Retrieved 31 Aug '19</ref>
 
Although the infomercial for the product is available online, there's a demonstration that doesn't appear in it. The demonstration involves a telehandler lifting a school bus above four Ultimate Ladders. Mays yells: ''"Lower the bus!"'', and the bus gets dropped on top of the Ultimate Ladders, showing off their strength.
 
Some behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration has been uploaded by Anthony Sullivan on February 2nd, 2007. Mays says roughly the following in the footage:
<blockquote>"Lower the bus! Lower the bus- This is unbelievable! Thousands and thousands of pounds, the ultimate strength test; the Ultimate Ladder. Look at that, ladies and gentlemen. Live here from... [inaudible] Look at that! This has never been done in television history. Television history- [inaudible] -the Ultimate Ladder, ladies and gentlemen, is the SQV of ladders: safety, quality, and versatility, stacked up to value. Before you find another ladder out there, step up in safety and get yours. Look at this, ladies and gentlemen, that's unbelievable! That's television history right here. Look at that. I've gotta tell you something, I've ne-- [cut off] Look at that. The SQV of ladders: safety, quality, and versatility equals value. Ours is the best; you've seen the rest, now get the best."</blockquote>
Both tribute videos and ''Revenge of the Pitchmen'' appear to have some footage from the finished infomercial:
<blockquote>"I've been doing this for a lot of years, I've never seen anything like this IN MY LI-- [cut off]"</blockquote>
The description of the behind-the-scenes video, as well at its date, implies that this demonstration was done for a 2007 redo of the product's campaign (with the original infomercial dating back to 2005 according to the VT countdown), similarly to how the Quick Chop and Zorbeez infomercials were remade once rival pitchman Vince Offer started selling the Slap Chop and ShamWow.


{{Video|perrow  =1
Previously thought to have been on the Sullivan Productions gallery, what was found instead was an alternative to the 2005 version's interstitial. Interestingly, this version features a similar demonstration, albeit with an SUV instead of a school bus (further proving the "redo theory").
 
{{Video|perrow  =3
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =h_IXZkofS5c
  |description1 =The Ultimate Ladder's 2005 infomercial, in which the school bus demonstration does not appear.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =MetJUXeekmA
  |description2 =Footage compiled from the two tribute videos and ''Revenge of the Pitchmen''.
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =IzFUpel2uJo
  |description3 =The "alternative" version of the 2005 interstitial, with the SUV demonstration.
}}
{{Video|perrow  =2
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =hGksLduNP0A
  |description1 =Behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =Tlv6sPaNmg4
  |description2 =Additional second of footage (3:00).
}}
===Magic Carry (2007)===
[[File:BillyMaysMagicCarry.jpg|thumb|left|240px|A supposed picture taken from the infomercial.]]
 
The Magic Carry was a harness system that allowed the user to supposedly pick up ''"two or three times what they can lift normally"''. The offer of the infomercial included a support pad for extra heavy things, and a set of four Easy Sliders furniture sliders.<ref>[https://scimark.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-feature-blast-from-past.html A blog post that mentions the Magic Carry, and Mays' infomercial.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> It was sold somewhere around June 2007. Apparently, it did not sell well, most likely causing the infomercial to be forgotten and lost.<ref>[https://scimark.blogspot.com/2007/09/90-days-later-looking-back-at-june.html A blog post about the Magic Carry's fate.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref>
 
The infomercial, along with any mentions of the product itself, is completely absent from the internet, save for a blog post and an archived version of the product's website, which includes what seems to be a picture from the infomercial.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180826040747/http://magiccarry.com/ The Magic Carry's website.] Archived 26 Aug '18</ref> Judging by the set, this one was probably produced by Four Blind Mice (Mays' own production company, whom also made the [https://youtu.be/FZoLaJoTR_o HomeSmart EZ Bundler infomercial]).
 
===Safety Beep (2007)===
The Safety Beep was a wireless vehicle warning device sold by the Invention Channel. It's designed to be stuck on a vehicle's rear end, beeping while driving in reverse mode to alert any passersby that you're backing up.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015060827/http://inventionchannel.com/product/product.jsp?productID=602 Invention Channel page on the Safety Beep.] Archived 15 Oct 2007</ref>
 
The infomercial was missing from the internet (save for a 2-second clip) until November 19th, 2019, when it was found as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.
 
{{Video|perrow  =2
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =JS9xVitTptc
   |id1          =Nv8KM10C7oM
   |description1 =The available clip.
   |description1 =The full infomercial.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =vnsyxyCsj-A
  |description2 =An alternative version of the infomercial, which doesn't feature Mays.
}}
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=100px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=100px>
Line 147: Line 239:
File:SafetyBeepWeb.png|A screenshot of the infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
File:SafetyBeepWeb.png|A screenshot of the infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Energize (2008)==
===Six Shooter (2007)===
The Energize Energy Supplement is an all-day energy & calorie burning pill sold by iSatori.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080620033310/http://www.isatoritech.com/product1.aspx?SID=8&Product_ID=99 The Energize's page by the time Mays pitched the product.] Archived 20 Jun '08</ref> For some strange reason, there was an odd amount of people mistaking the product for an energy drink/spray.<ref>[http://www.commercialsihate.com/billy-mays-energy-drink_topic2228.html CommercialsIHate.com thread about Billy Mays' "energy drink" commercial.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref>
The Six Shooter was a cordless electric screwdriver, with a built-in LED light and revolving cylinder with six different drill bits, sold by IdeaVillage. An additional set of mini bits and a Laser Straight laser level also came in as a bonus.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071221015940/http://www.getsixshooter.com/ The Six Shooter's website.] Archived 21 Dec 2007</ref><ref>[http://scimark.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-items-update-rounding-out-year.html Blog post with details about the Six Shooter.] Retrieved 19 Sept '19</ref>


Mays pitched the product around March 2008, as evidenced by an old PRWeb article.<ref>[https://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/03/prweb767004.htm PRWeb article about Mays' Energize pitch.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref> According to Reddit user /u/nintrader; the infomercial started with Mays saying:
The infomercial was mostly gone online, with only a few clips surviving on a remix video uploaded in 2008. The uploader of the video is still active but is not responding to requests of re-uploading the Six Shooter infomercial. It was later found in full on November 19th, 2019, as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.
<blockquote>"Hi, I'm Billy Mays, and you might not think I need more energy, but I always use this energy spray![sic]"<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Lost_Films/comments/70cnwj/lost_several_billy_mays_commercials_have_just/ /u/nintrader's /r/Lost_Films post which recalls a Billy Mays "energy spray" commercial.] Retrieved 23 Aug '19</ref></blockquote>
 
...later followed with this, according to the PRWeb article:
{{Video|perrow  =2
<blockquote>"My work used to take a lot out of me. But not anymore. Just one Energize in the morning gives me all the energy I need."</blockquote>
  |service1    =youtube
Most of the infomercial is missing online. A short clip survives in the FFLAC tribute video, as well as a few pictures of Mays getting ready at the infomercial's set on BillyMays.org. The Reddit user claims that the infomercial was available at ''PitchMen's'' page on Discovery Channel's website.
  |id1          =KnEeQMPYw7k
  |description1 =The full infomercial.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =_tyct9l-fD8
  |description2 =The remix video (Six Shooter clips start at 0:25).
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
File:SixShooter.png|The logo for the Six Shooter.
File:SixShooterWeb.png|A screenshot of the infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
</gallery>
===Energize (2008)===
The Energize Energy Supplement is an all-day energy & calorie burning pill sold by iSatori.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080620033310/http://www.isatoritech.com/product1.aspx?SID=8&Product_ID=99 The Energize's page by the time Mays pitched the product.] Archived 20 Jun 2008</ref> For some strange reason; there was an odd amount of people mistaking the product for an energy drink/spray.<ref>[http://www.commercialsihate.com/billy-mays-energy-drink_topic2228.html CommercialsIHate.com thread about Billy Mays' "energy drink" commercial.] Retrieved 01 Sept '19</ref> The infomercial's offer includes a free trial of Energize and the "The 21-Day Ultimate Energy Plan" book.
 
The infomercial was missing from the internet (save for a 1-second "Here's how to order!" clip alongside a few behind-the-scenes photos) until November 19th, 2019, when it was found as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.


{{Video|perrow  =1
{{Video|perrow  =1
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =l8XCoN63c8w
   |id1          =3_d-Wj2iKaU
   |description1 =The available clip.
   |description1 =The full infomercial.
}}
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
Line 165: Line 270:
File:BillyMaysEnergizeSet2.jpg|Photo from the set #2.
File:BillyMaysEnergizeSet2.jpg|Photo from the set #2.
File:BillyMaysEnergizeSet3.jpg|Photo from the set #3.
File:BillyMaysEnergizeSet3.jpg|Photo from the set #3.
File:BillyMaysEnergize.jpg|A screenshot of a QuickTime window playing the infomercial, courtesy of the PRWeb article.
File:EnergizeWeb.png|A screenshot of the infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
File:EnergizeWeb.png|A screenshot of the infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Other Work==
==Other==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|-
Line 176: Line 280:
! style="background-color:lightblue" | Status
! style="background-color:lightblue" | Status
|-
|-
| EZ Crunch Bowl
| Allura Floor Care System
| A specially designed breakfast bowl that keeps the milk and cereal separate in order to retain the cereal's crunch.
| A rebranded version of the Orange Glo Floor Care System.
| The making of the infomercial was shown in the ''PitchMen'' episode, ''Crunch Time'' (that's lost by itself).
| A promotional picture from [https://billymays.org/photos the photos section of billymays.org].
| <span style="color:red;">''Lost''</span>
| <span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|-
| Bit Shooter (Master)
| A product widely similar to the Six Shooter, although it's more shaped like a regular screwdriver.
| A promotional picture in a YouTube video. A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer also exists.<ref>[http://scimark.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-this-week-scoopeeze-hang-glyders.html Blog post which mentions Mays pitching the Bit Shooter (scroll down to product 4#).] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> Later found on YouTube.
| [https://youtu.be/69aCFleOy9o <span style="color:green;">'''Found''']
|-
| EZ Roller
| "The fastest, easiest way to paint anything without the mess, guaranteed". Sold by the SAS Group.
| A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.<ref>[http://scimark.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-this-week-ez-combs-ez-roller-e-zee.html Blog post about the EZ Roller and Mays' infomercial.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> Later found on the SAS Group website.
| [https://youtu.be/NEXI1d7hZSM <span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>] (low-quality web version without "call now" part)
|-
| Fone Free
| A wireless cell phone headset. A similar concept was later tried with the [https://youtu.be/p7yuoXU_QJs Jupiter Jack.]
| A promotional picture on an old version of the Invention Channel's website.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070109035722/http://www.inventionchannel.com/product/product.jsp?productID=239&categoryID=0 Invention Channel page on the Fone Free.] Archived 09 Jan 2007</ref>
| <span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|-
| Grout-Aide
| A grout pen. A live demonstration video with Mays can be found online, but a short-form infomercial was made as well.
| A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.<ref>[http://scimark.blogspot.com/2008/02/most-of-new-drtv-commercials-to-hit.html Blog post about the Grout-Aide and Mays' infomercial.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> Further proof of an infomercial's existence is the quote: ''"Don't replace it... reface it!"'', which is attributed to Mays about the product, although he does not say that in the live demonstration video.<ref>[https://twitter.com/rachelploetz/status/2423816618 A tweet about the Grout-Aide.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref>
| <span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|-
|HomeSmart Corner Caddy||A re-adjustable corner shelf that doesn't require any tools to set up. Produced by Four Blind Mice.||A deleted ''PitchMen'' scene.||<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|-
|Motor Up Detailers Brushless Car Wash||A car washing tool.||Found on the SAS Group website.||[https://youtu.be/qVKxAACXYR8<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>] (low-quality web version without "call now" part)
|-
|OxiClean - Over 101 Uses||Mays presumably talks about some of his favorite uses for OxiClean.||A small clip from the FFLAC tribute video.||[https://youtu.be/zeSGTuZRCmc<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
|-
|-
| OxiClean - "2000 Alternative"
|OxiClean Detergent Ball 2||A laundry detergent ball, meant as a replacement for regular liquid detergent.||A clip of an infomercial different from the more well-known [https://youtu.be/slmVzRf28Dg "Get on the ball!"] one is shown during the ERA tribute.||[https://youtu.be/oe44pJtDY5E?t=63<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
| An alternative version of Mays' iconic [https://youtu.be/ZTpXh33Mbeg 2000 OxiClean infomercial]. Includes the "plank cleaning" demonstration, which doesn't appear in the easily-available version.
| A small clip from the FFLAC tribute video.
| [https://youtu.be/mOwNy9pyEgQ <span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>]
|-
|-
| OxiClean - "Over 101 Uses"
|Quik Strip||An automatic, self-adjusting wire stripping tool.||Product box found on the SAS Group website, although unlike the EZ Roller and Motor Up Detailers Brushless Car Wash, the infomercial is not available there. Later found on YouTube.||<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''
| Mays presumably talks about some of his favorite uses for OxiClean.
| A small clip from the FFLAC tribute video.
| [https://youtu.be/zeSGTuZRCmc <span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>]
|-
|-
| Six Shooter
|Ragazzi's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria||Self-explanatory.||Shown off in the PitchMen episode "A Tale of Three Billys", where Billy Mays III is tasked to direct his first commercial. It's mostly shown off in the episode, albeit with a few obscured/spoken-over clips.||<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''
| Currently unknown.
| Can be seen at Sullivan Productions' old website.
| <span style="color:red;">''Lost''</span>
|-
|-
| Steam Buggy
|Steam Buggy||A home steam cleaner. Not to be confused with the [https://youtu.be/5wC0Cn_DxME Steam Buddy].||Tristar Products' "celebrity endorsements" page.<ref>[https://www.tpidv.com/tristar/seen-tv-inventions-celebrity-endorsements Tristar Products' celebrity endorsement page.] Retrieved 23 Sept '19</ref> A few clips from the infomercial can be also seen on Tristar's corporate sizzle reel.||[https://youtu.be/0qiUjibGhl0 <span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found''']
| A home steam cleaner. Not to be confused with the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wC0Cn_DxME Steam Buddy].
| [https://www.tpidv.com/tristar/seen-tv-inventions-celebrity-endorsements Tristar Products' "celebrity endorsements" page].
| <span style="color:red;">''Lost''</span>
|-
|-
|Unspecified trunk organizing bag||Self-explanatory. The product's name is unknown.||A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.<ref>[https://scimark.blogspot.com/2015/07/weekly-round-up_30.html Blog post about the unspecified trunk organizing bag pitched by Billy Mays.] Retrieved 16 Dec '19</ref>||<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|-
|Zip Wrench||An adjustable, wide wrench. Not to be confused with the [https://youtu.be/SNT-i3zXL2A Grip Wrench].||A product box with Mays' endorsement exists.||<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|-
|Zorbeez Streak-Freez||Similar to Zorbeez, but one side is a micro-fiber.||A product box with Mays' endorsement exists.||<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''
|}
|}
{{Video|perrow  =3
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =4f4pEUPlSLs
  |description1 =YouTube review of the Zip Wrench (showing the endorsed product box).
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =AdOEAHrNruc
  |description2 =Billy Mays' live demonstration of the Grout-Aide.
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =Dd95WTHQnzI
  |description3 =Shooting of the HomeSmart Corner Caddy infomercial.
}}
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
File:SixShooter.png|The logo for the Six Shooter.
File:BillyMaysQuikStrip.png|The Quik Strip's product box, with Mays' endorsement.
File:SixShooterWeb.png|A screenshot of the Six Shooter infomercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.
File:BillyMaysBitShooter.png|Picture of the Bit Shooter commercial from an old YouTube video. Origins unknown.
File:BillyMaysFoneFree.jpg|Promotional picture of the Fone Free.
File:Zip Wrench (front of box).jpg|The front of a box of Zip Wrench with Mays' endorsement.
File:Zip Wrench (back of box).jpg|The back of the same box with Mays' endorsement.
File:Zorbeez Streak Freez (Front of Box 1).jpg|The front of a box of Zorbeez Streak-Freez with Mays' endorsement.
File:Zorbeez Streak Freez (Front of Box 2).jpg|The front of another box of Zorbeez Streak-Freez with Mays' endorsement.
File:BillyMaysGroutAide.jpg|The Grout-Aide's product box, with Mays' endorsement.
File:BillyMaysAllura.jpg|Promotional picture of the Allura Floor Care System.
</gallery>
</gallery>
===Old Wikipedia List===
The following lost product infomercial list comes from an old 2008 version of Mays' Wikipedia page. The list has no references to back it up, and was later removed as it "contributes nothing to the article and is only going to get bigger and longer and probably attract vandalism." Nevertheless, the list also has references to other, previously-unknown products (like Energize, Quik Strip or the Zip Wrench). The list's last rendition can be found [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Mays&oldid=288401599 here]:
* Bedazzler
* Bloomin' Onion Maker
* Buddy Putty
* Calcium Lime Rust (likely fake; direct competitor of Kaboom)
* Cucco/Cutco Kitchenware
* Currie Motors Chrysler Credit Hotline
* Easy Off Bam! (likely fake; direct competitor of Kaboom)
* ESPN (the sports network)
* FoodSaver (likely mistaken with Anthony Sullivan)
* FreeFone wireless phone holder
* Gator Grip (a different product from the [https://youtu.be/JQGlmuTrcvM "Gator Grips"] pitched by Joe Fowler)
* Genco power generators
* GPS Buddy (from infobox)
* House Dust ([https://web.archive.org/web/2004*/http://housedust.com Archived website is completely broken])
* Mantis Roto-Tiller
* Miracle Whip (probably from an older version of the list)
* Never-Scrub, tile cleaner (Different product from [https://youtu.be/JaU4ueA0kpc Kaboom Never Scrub])
* Pwrivel Printing Station
* Raptor-Be-Gone (probably from an older version of the list)
* Shuffles (from infobox, likely mistaken with Anthony Sullivan)
* Street Options Auto Accessories
* Swiffer SweeperVac
* Tommy and Rumble
* Volkswagen Group of America cars
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
{{Video|perrow  =2
{{Video|perrow  =2
Line 217: Line 385:
==External Links==
==External Links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-PaXKRq-z1MCBBaqi0bPYQ/videos Archive channel with most of Billy Mays' found infomercials.] Retrieved 08 Sept '19
*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-PaXKRq-z1MCBBaqi0bPYQ/videos Archive channel with most of Billy Mays' found infomercials.] Retrieved 08 Sept '19
*[https://billymays.org/photos BillyMays.org's "Photos" section, which includes a few photographs taken from the now-lost infomercials' sets.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19
*[https://billymays.org/photos The Photos section of BillyMays.org, which includes a few photographs taken from the now-lost infomercials' sets.] Retrieved 10 Sept '19
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090504015411/http://www.sullivanproductions.com/total.html Old version of Sullivan Productions' website, where some of Mays' now-lost work was available.] Archived 04 May '09
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090504015411/http://www.sullivanproductions.com/total.html 2009-2011 version of the Sullivan Productions website.] Archived 04 May 2009
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121225221733/http://www.sullivanproductions.com/ 2012-2013 version of the Sullivan Productions website.] Archived 25 Dec '12
*[https://books.google.no/books?id=9hS-DgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover Preview of Anthony Sullivan's book, ''You Get What You Pitch For''.] Retrieved 11 Sept '19
*[https://books.google.no/books?id=9hS-DgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover Preview of Anthony Sullivan's book, ''You Get What You Pitch For''.] Retrieved 11 Sept '19
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mays Wikipedia page on Billy Mays.] Retrieved 31 Aug '19
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mays Wikipedia page on Billy Mays.] Retrieved 31 Aug '19
Line 226: Line 395:
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}


[[Category:Historic]]
[[Category:Lost advertising and interstitial material]]
[[Category:Lost advertising and interstitial material]]
[[Category:Lost internet media]]
[[Category:Lost internet media]]
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]
[[Category:Existence unconfirmed]]
[[Category:Historic]]

Revision as of 14:05, 14 September 2020

BillyMays.png

Billy Mays, pictured.

Status: Partially Found

William Darrell "Billy" Mays Jr. was an American direct-response marketing pitchman operating from the 1980s to his death from hypertension on June 28th, 2009.[1] Mays gained a high level of success and recognition through his lifetime, including his great impact on television and internet advertising, his iconic loud and brash tone, coining the phrase "Hi, Billy Mays here for...", the Discovery Channel show PitchMen which starred him and his co-worker friend Anthony Sullivan and becoming a classic internet meme. Some of Mays' most well-known endorsed products include OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, Zorbeez, various Simoniz products, etc.

As Billy Mays starred in hundreds of TV commercials/infomercials, a few have become lost to time. This is due to multiple factors, such as Mays' sudden death, the fact that most people didn't go out of their way to record infomercials (never mind uploading them on the internet later), and Mays not being popular at the time of his early work. Interest for the rare infomercials has especially risen in the wake of Mays' death.

Whereabouts

A few clips from various lost commercials/infomercials can be spotted in two tribute videos made following Mays' death, by the Electronic Retailer's Association and Film Florida Legends Awards Ceremony. However, where most of these clips really seem to be sourced from is Sullivan Productions' (Anthony Sullivan's company which directed a large amount of Mays' work) old website. From 2009-2011, the videos were stored in-house in the FLV format. None of the video files themselves were archived, making them permanently lost later on. From 2012-2013, the site was updated, with the videos now being hosted on Vimeo. It was later found out that all the videos are still functioning, albeit set to display on sullivanproductions.com only, which can be circumvented by using Inspect Element to switch out the video IDs on the current website (or by using youtube-dl with the --referer http://sullivanproductions.com attribute). Most pages from this era weren't archived, although more videos were found using a script that cycles in-between known IDs. The website was updated again in 2014, and all the Billy Mays infomercials were removed in favor of more up-to-date creations.

1980s

Jet Cloth & Washmatik (1983/1988)

The Jet Cloth appears to be a super-absorbent chamois cloth, similar to the "ShamWow!" or Mays' own "Zorbeez". The Washmatik is a hose system that pumps water directly from a bucket without being hooked up to a faucet.[2]

Before Mays' TV success, he worked for the houseware marketing company International Housewares. He sold the Washmatik, along with other products such as the Jet Cloth to passersby at the Atlantic City boardwalk, later also pitching at home shows, state fairs, and auto shows. His co-workers at the time would call him "Bucket Billy" due to how often he'd sell the Washmatik.[3][4]

Mays' pitch for the two products was recorded in 1983, as evident by a private videotape that he owned. Mays is notable here for having a much calmer tone while pitching as compared to his newer infomercials. Multiple clips from the tape are shown in the PitchMen episode, Revenge of the Pitchmen. It's first shown when Mays, in anticipation of re-doing his infomercial for "Zorbeez," plays the tape to his crew, all while getting embarrassed at his younger self's performance. It later re-appears when Mays recalls his life story in the middle of the episode. Another clip appears in the ERA tribute video, although it claims that the recording was done in 1988 instead. Nonetheless, the full tape hasn't resurfaced yet and is probably still in possession of Mays' family.

Footage complied from Revenge of the Pitchmen and the ERA tribute video.

1990s

Home Shopping Network (1996-200?)

On the 1993 Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, Billy Mays met up with one of his rivals, Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International. The two salesmen struck a friendship with each other, and Mays was hired to pitch the Orange Glo cleaning product on the Home Shopping Network. He would eventually pitch OxiClean on the channel when it was released in 1997 (making it sell up to 3500 units on the first day), along with other unrelated products.[5] Mays became a common star on the channel, and eventually met his co-worker and future friend Anthony Sullivan through there.

It's currently uncertain how long had Mays stayed on the network. Due to the "live show" nature of the HSN, chances of every session resurfacing are slim. One identified missing session is for the Kaboom cleaning product from around 2002 with host Su Ferrera. It might've been online at some point, as two cropped screenshots exist.[6][7]

"Where's Billy?" promo from July 1997.

Semi-incomplete pitch for OxiClean from the "Talk Shop" program.

Clip from a 1998 OxiClean pitch.

Incomplete pitch for the Euroshine Dutch rubber broom from the "Sunrise" program.

OxiClean - Original 30-Minute Infomercial (1998)

Alongside appearances on the Home Shopping Network, a test 30-minute infomercial for OxiClean (and by extension, Orange Clean) was made in early 1998 to air on other TV channels.[5] The infomercial features Mays and an unknown host, showing off much of the same demonstrations as the live shows on the Home Shopping Network. The infomercial had around a 2.0 MER (Media Efficiency Ratio), meaning that it made back double the money used for its production. The infomercial is also mentioned in Anthony Sullivan's 2017 book, You Get What You Pitch For.

Out of the 30-minute runtime, about 1 minute has made it online, uploaded by the infomercial's producer, Rick Cesari. Around 11 minutes of an edited, German-dubbed (Swiss) version is also available.

The available (English version) clip.

The German-dubbed version.

2000s

OxiClean - Original Infomercials (2000/2001)

The first short-form OxiClean infomercial (alongside Orange Glo and Orange Clean) started airing around October 2000 and is probably one of Mays' most well-remembered infomercials (with more than a million views on YouTube). More variants of said infomercial were made, one using the same set as the first one (which includes Orange Glo as the bonus offer as opposed to Orange Clean), and another with a more blue-ish set.

Variant #2 (which there seems to be only one version of) is mostly missing, as well as the 2-minute version of variant #3.

The well-known, 2-minute version of variant #1.

60-second version of variant #1. Uses the same footage as the 2-minute version.

A clip from variant #2 (0:21).

60-second version of variant #3.

A clip from the 2-minute version of variant #3, and two clips from variant #2.

Turbo Tiger/Turbo Tiger Plus (2001/2004)

The Turbo Tiger was a lightweight, "turbo-powered" vacuum cleaner sold by Interwood Direct/Tristar Products.[8]

Mays pitched the product around 2001.[3] The infomercial appears to be completely absent from the internet, although photos of the product's box can be found online, with Mays' endorsement on them. Curiously, a few behind-the-scenes photos of a "Turbo Tiger" infomercial can be found on BillyMays.org, but it appears to be a different, 2004 revision of the product named the "Turbo Tiger Plus." [9] Both products emphasize on the "tiger" in "Turbo Tiger" by having a live tiger accompany Mays.

According to a court case between Tristar Products and Euro-Pro Corp (in regards to the Turbo Tiger allegedly copying Euro-Pro's "The Shark" vacuum cleaner; the case was later dismissed), the infomercial for the original Turbo Tiger started airing in February 2001. It started with the display of a live tiger and Billy Mays, with Mays later demonstrating the product's suction ability by lifting two bowling balls and a table using it. The product is also shown vacuuming a computer keyboard, as well as dirt and debris arranged in lines on a table, and draining a large glass of sand. Throughout the infomercial, Mays also states that "if if doesn't say Princess, it is not the original Turbo Tiger" (Princess being the original manufacturer of the product, with Tristar Products holding the distribution rights in the USA).[10]

OxiClean - Laundromat (2005-2008)

A screenshot of the previously lost commercial, courtesy of Sullivan Productions' old website.

Throughout 2005-2008, OxiClean had a series of commercials set in a laundromat. These mostly focused on showcasing OxiClean's new 2005 formula, which supposedly worked better than ever, as well as OxiClean Triple Power.[12]

It's uncertain how many of these were made, but at least one of them was missing in full, until it was found on November 14th, 2019, as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.

15-second spot.

30-second spot (7:41).

The previously lost 30-second spot.

15-second spot for OxiClean Triple Power.

30-second spot for OxiClean Triple Power (1:20).

Simoniz (2006-2009)

Starting in 2006, Billy Mays was hired to pitch several products made by the automobile cleaning product company Simoniz. Simoniz' website has a list of all the products supposedly pitched by Mays: Fix-It (a scratch remover), Liquid Diamond (a protective car wax spray), Aquapel (a hydrophobic glass treatment), Fix-It Wood (a wooden scratch remover), and Sealtite (a tire repair kit).[13]

Several variants of the infomercials for Liquid Diamond and Fix-It (Pro) are easily available online. A blog post about the Sealtite infomercial exists,[14] as well as a product box for the Aquapel with Mays' endorsement on it. There's no proof for a Fix-It Wood infomercial starring Billy Mays besides what the Simoniz website claims, making its existence uncertain.

A variant of the Liquid Diamond infomercial.

Another variant of the Liquid Diamond infomercial.

A variant of the Fix-It infomercial.

A variant of the Fix-It Pro infomercial.

Another variant of the Fix-It Pro infomercial.

A non-Billy Mays version of the Fix-It Wood infomercial.

OxiClean - OxiClean Bathroom (2006-2007)

OxiClean Bathroom was a short-lived OxiClean product sold through 2006-2007, which doubled as a cleaner & disinfectant for the bathroom.[15]

The product.

The only proof of this infomercial comes from a blooper reel in a collection of blooper reels, which was posted on Anthony Sullivan's YouTube page on September 15, 2006 (later appearing in higher quality on the PitchMen DVD). The reel shows Billy kneeling over a bathtub while holding the product, reaching over the tub to start cleaning before falling over:

"This one powerful product removes tough stains and disinfects all over your bathroom, without harsh (chemicals/fumes)-"

The finished infomercial itself is missing, and all that's available is the blooper reel.

The blooper reel (1:30).

Ultimate Ladder (2005 and 2007)

Picture of Mays during the demonstration.

The SQV ("Safety, Quality, Versatility") Ultimate Ladder was a product sold by Tristar Products that was advertised as having "8 ladders in 1".[16]

Although the infomercial for the product is available online, there's a demonstration that doesn't appear in it. The demonstration involves a telehandler lifting a school bus above four Ultimate Ladders. Mays yells: "Lower the bus!", and the bus gets dropped on top of the Ultimate Ladders, showing off their strength.

Some behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration has been uploaded by Anthony Sullivan on February 2nd, 2007. Mays says roughly the following in the footage:

"Lower the bus! Lower the bus- This is unbelievable! Thousands and thousands of pounds, the ultimate strength test; the Ultimate Ladder. Look at that, ladies and gentlemen. Live here from... [inaudible] Look at that! This has never been done in television history. Television history- [inaudible] -the Ultimate Ladder, ladies and gentlemen, is the SQV of ladders: safety, quality, and versatility, stacked up to value. Before you find another ladder out there, step up in safety and get yours. Look at this, ladies and gentlemen, that's unbelievable! That's television history right here. Look at that. I've gotta tell you something, I've ne-- [cut off] Look at that. The SQV of ladders: safety, quality, and versatility equals value. Ours is the best; you've seen the rest, now get the best."

Both tribute videos and Revenge of the Pitchmen appear to have some footage from the finished infomercial:

"I've been doing this for a lot of years, I've never seen anything like this IN MY LI-- [cut off]"

The description of the behind-the-scenes video, as well at its date, implies that this demonstration was done for a 2007 redo of the product's campaign (with the original infomercial dating back to 2005 according to the VT countdown), similarly to how the Quick Chop and Zorbeez infomercials were remade once rival pitchman Vince Offer started selling the Slap Chop and ShamWow.

Previously thought to have been on the Sullivan Productions gallery, what was found instead was an alternative to the 2005 version's interstitial. Interestingly, this version features a similar demonstration, albeit with an SUV instead of a school bus (further proving the "redo theory").

The Ultimate Ladder's 2005 infomercial, in which the school bus demonstration does not appear.

Footage compiled from the two tribute videos and Revenge of the Pitchmen.

The "alternative" version of the 2005 interstitial, with the SUV demonstration.

Behind-the-scenes footage of the demonstration.

Additional second of footage (3:00).

Magic Carry (2007)

A supposed picture taken from the infomercial.

The Magic Carry was a harness system that allowed the user to supposedly pick up "two or three times what they can lift normally". The offer of the infomercial included a support pad for extra heavy things, and a set of four Easy Sliders furniture sliders.[17] It was sold somewhere around June 2007. Apparently, it did not sell well, most likely causing the infomercial to be forgotten and lost.[18]

The infomercial, along with any mentions of the product itself, is completely absent from the internet, save for a blog post and an archived version of the product's website, which includes what seems to be a picture from the infomercial.[19] Judging by the set, this one was probably produced by Four Blind Mice (Mays' own production company, whom also made the HomeSmart EZ Bundler infomercial).

Safety Beep (2007)

The Safety Beep was a wireless vehicle warning device sold by the Invention Channel. It's designed to be stuck on a vehicle's rear end, beeping while driving in reverse mode to alert any passersby that you're backing up.[20]

The infomercial was missing from the internet (save for a 2-second clip) until November 19th, 2019, when it was found as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.

The full infomercial.

An alternative version of the infomercial, which doesn't feature Mays.

Six Shooter (2007)

The Six Shooter was a cordless electric screwdriver, with a built-in LED light and revolving cylinder with six different drill bits, sold by IdeaVillage. An additional set of mini bits and a Laser Straight laser level also came in as a bonus.[21][22]

The infomercial was mostly gone online, with only a few clips surviving on a remix video uploaded in 2008. The uploader of the video is still active but is not responding to requests of re-uploading the Six Shooter infomercial. It was later found in full on November 19th, 2019, as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.

The full infomercial.

The remix video (Six Shooter clips start at 0:25).

Energize (2008)

The Energize Energy Supplement is an all-day energy & calorie burning pill sold by iSatori.[23] For some strange reason; there was an odd amount of people mistaking the product for an energy drink/spray.[24] The infomercial's offer includes a free trial of Energize and the "The 21-Day Ultimate Energy Plan" book.

The infomercial was missing from the internet (save for a 1-second "Here's how to order!" clip alongside a few behind-the-scenes photos) until November 19th, 2019, when it was found as an unlisted embed-only video on Sullivan Productions' Vimeo account.

The full infomercial.

Other

Product Description/Note Proof Status
Allura Floor Care System A rebranded version of the Orange Glo Floor Care System. A promotional picture from the photos section of billymays.org. Lost
Bit Shooter (Master) A product widely similar to the Six Shooter, although it's more shaped like a regular screwdriver. A promotional picture in a YouTube video. A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer also exists.[25] Later found on YouTube. Found
EZ Roller "The fastest, easiest way to paint anything without the mess, guaranteed". Sold by the SAS Group. A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.[26] Later found on the SAS Group website. Found (low-quality web version without "call now" part)
Fone Free A wireless cell phone headset. A similar concept was later tried with the Jupiter Jack. A promotional picture on an old version of the Invention Channel's website.[27] Lost
Grout-Aide A grout pen. A live demonstration video with Mays can be found online, but a short-form infomercial was made as well. A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.[28] Further proof of an infomercial's existence is the quote: "Don't replace it... reface it!", which is attributed to Mays about the product, although he does not say that in the live demonstration video.[29] Lost
HomeSmart Corner Caddy A re-adjustable corner shelf that doesn't require any tools to set up. Produced by Four Blind Mice. A deleted PitchMen scene. Lost
Motor Up Detailers Brushless Car Wash A car washing tool. Found on the SAS Group website. Found (low-quality web version without "call now" part)
OxiClean - Over 101 Uses Mays presumably talks about some of his favorite uses for OxiClean. A small clip from the FFLAC tribute video. Partially Found
OxiClean Detergent Ball 2 A laundry detergent ball, meant as a replacement for regular liquid detergent. A clip of an infomercial different from the more well-known "Get on the ball!" one is shown during the ERA tribute. Partially Found
Quik Strip An automatic, self-adjusting wire stripping tool. Product box found on the SAS Group website, although unlike the EZ Roller and Motor Up Detailers Brushless Car Wash, the infomercial is not available there. Later found on YouTube. Found
Ragazzi's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria Self-explanatory. Shown off in the PitchMen episode "A Tale of Three Billys", where Billy Mays III is tasked to direct his first commercial. It's mostly shown off in the episode, albeit with a few obscured/spoken-over clips. Partially Lost
Steam Buggy A home steam cleaner. Not to be confused with the Steam Buddy. Tristar Products' "celebrity endorsements" page.[30] A few clips from the infomercial can be also seen on Tristar's corporate sizzle reel. Partially Found
Unspecified trunk organizing bag Self-explanatory. The product's name is unknown. A blog post from a DRTV infomercial producer.[31] Lost
Zip Wrench An adjustable, wide wrench. Not to be confused with the Grip Wrench. A product box with Mays' endorsement exists. Lost
Zorbeez Streak-Freez Similar to Zorbeez, but one side is a micro-fiber. A product box with Mays' endorsement exists. Lost
YouTube review of the Zip Wrench (showing the endorsed product box).

Billy Mays' live demonstration of the Grout-Aide.

Shooting of the HomeSmart Corner Caddy infomercial.

Old Wikipedia List

The following lost product infomercial list comes from an old 2008 version of Mays' Wikipedia page. The list has no references to back it up, and was later removed as it "contributes nothing to the article and is only going to get bigger and longer and probably attract vandalism." Nevertheless, the list also has references to other, previously-unknown products (like Energize, Quik Strip or the Zip Wrench). The list's last rendition can be found here:

  • Bedazzler
  • Bloomin' Onion Maker
  • Buddy Putty
  • Calcium Lime Rust (likely fake; direct competitor of Kaboom)
  • Cucco/Cutco Kitchenware
  • Currie Motors Chrysler Credit Hotline
  • Easy Off Bam! (likely fake; direct competitor of Kaboom)
  • ESPN (the sports network)
  • FoodSaver (likely mistaken with Anthony Sullivan)
  • FreeFone wireless phone holder
  • Gator Grip (a different product from the "Gator Grips" pitched by Joe Fowler)
  • Genco power generators
  • GPS Buddy (from infobox)
  • House Dust (Archived website is completely broken)
  • Mantis Roto-Tiller
  • Miracle Whip (probably from an older version of the list)
  • Never-Scrub, tile cleaner (Different product from Kaboom Never Scrub)
  • Pwrivel Printing Station
  • Raptor-Be-Gone (probably from an older version of the list)
  • Shuffles (from infobox, likely mistaken with Anthony Sullivan)
  • Street Options Auto Accessories
  • Swiffer SweeperVac
  • Tommy and Rumble
  • Volkswagen Group of America cars

Gallery

The ERA tribute video.

The FFLAC tribute video.

External Links

References

  1. Telegraph article on Mays' death. Retrieved 07 Sept '19
  2. DirectStoreTV's listing on the Washmatik kit. Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  3. 3.0 3.1 Tampa Bay Business Journal's article on Mays. Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  4. The Seattle Times article on Mays' rise to fame. Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  5. 5.0 5.1 An article on Orange Glo/OxiClean's origins. Retrieved 10 Sept '19
  6. Su Ferrera's page on AmIAnnoying, which includes a picture and some details of the Kaboom HSN session. Retrieved 03 Nov '19
  7. Billy Mays' page on AmIAnnoying, which includes a picture of the Kaboom HSN session. Retrieved 03 Nov '19
  8. Tristar Products page on the Turbo Tiger. Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  9. Interwood Direct's page on the Turbo Tiger Plus. Archived 04 Sept '19
  10. A transcript of the court case between Tristar Products and Euro-Pro Corp, which reveals details about the original Turbo Tiger's infomercial. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  11. Billy Mays III on Twitter: "Here's a picture of my dad with a live tiger." (Picture included) Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  12. An article on OxiClean's new 2005 formula. Retrieved 10 Sept '19
  13. Simoniz' "About Us" page, which includes all the products Mays pitched. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  14. Blog post about the Sealtite, and Mays' infomercial. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  15. OxiClean Bathroom on OxiClean's old website. Archived 03 Jan 2007
  16. The Ultimate Ladder's Amazon page. Retrieved 31 Aug '19
  17. A blog post that mentions the Magic Carry, and Mays' infomercial. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  18. A blog post about the Magic Carry's fate. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  19. The Magic Carry's website. Archived 26 Aug '18
  20. Invention Channel page on the Safety Beep. Archived 15 Oct 2007
  21. The Six Shooter's website. Archived 21 Dec 2007
  22. Blog post with details about the Six Shooter. Retrieved 19 Sept '19
  23. The Energize's page by the time Mays pitched the product. Archived 20 Jun 2008
  24. CommercialsIHate.com thread about Billy Mays' "energy drink" commercial. Retrieved 01 Sept '19
  25. Blog post which mentions Mays pitching the Bit Shooter (scroll down to product 4#). Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  26. Blog post about the EZ Roller and Mays' infomercial. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  27. Invention Channel page on the Fone Free. Archived 09 Jan 2007
  28. Blog post about the Grout-Aide and Mays' infomercial. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  29. A tweet about the Grout-Aide. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  30. Tristar Products' celebrity endorsement page. Retrieved 23 Sept '19
  31. Blog post about the unspecified trunk organizing bag pitched by Billy Mays. Retrieved 16 Dec '19