"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:45:00 -0400, George >
> wrote:
>
>>Not only his audience. Marketing works. A great majority of people need
>>to be told what to buy, where to eat, what to think about politicians etc.
>
> Oh, come on George. He was a caricature of the pitchmen at county
> fairs and they sell a lot of product.
>
>
I don't know about county fairs. I do remember the old days of television
where the host of a show had to pitch a product or have someone else pitch a
product. (Think of Lucy's old skit about Vitameatavegamin gag.)

I watched a bunch of Alfred Hitchcock films Saturday on a classic movie
channel. Before they started the show they had an interview with Hitchcock
and Dick Cavett from the early 60's. At one point Cavett had to hold up a
box of something (who knows now what it was) and say, "And now a word from
our sponsor". Pitches have been a part of radio and television advertising
for decades. It's not going to stop any time soon.

Sad to hear about Billy Mays, though. I never bought Oxiclean but I'll bet
a lot of people did.

Jill

jmcquown said...

> I watched a bunch of Alfred Hitchcock films Saturday on a classic movie
> channel. Before they started the show they had an interview with
> Hitchcock and Dick Cavett from the early 60's. At one point Cavett had
> to hold up a box of something (who knows now what it was) and say, "And
> now a word from our sponsor". Pitches have been a part of radio and
> television advertising for decades. It's not going to stop any time
> soon.


The BIG difference being, brand names products paid to sponsor TV programs
(like soap operas) and had their products available on supermarket shelves!!!

"Not available in stores" became an entirely bullshit racket and Mays was a
shrewd pitchman who took it a new level.

Sorry for his passing but, NOT sorry that he'll instantly be replaced to
continue the crap product advertising "that's not available in stores."

Andy.

Andy wrote:
> jmcquown said...
>
>> I watched a bunch of Alfred Hitchcock films Saturday on a classic movie
>> channel. Before they started the show they had an interview with
>> Hitchcock and Dick Cavett from the early 60's. At one point Cavett had
>> to hold up a box of something (who knows now what it was) and say, "And
>> now a word from our sponsor". Pitches have been a part of radio and
>> television advertising for decades. It's not going to stop any time
>> soon.
>
>
> The BIG difference being, brand names products paid to sponsor TV programs
> (like soap operas) and had their products available on supermarket shelves!!!
>
> "Not available in stores" became an entirely bullshit racket and Mays was a
> shrewd pitchman who took it a new level.
>
> Sorry for his passing but, NOT sorry that he'll instantly be replaced to
> continue the crap product advertising "that's not available in stores."
>
> Andy.
>


Hells bells -------- Who cares ?

Starting to wonder if Tv has taken over the ability for people to
think for themselves. There is a big nasty as well as wonderful world
out there.
FFS get away from the tube it appears to be programming a whole society .

Remember those GM and Chrysler Ford adds ------------- Eron etc where
did that get you


While ou flame listen to this http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/suv.ram



Dons flame proof suite

On 2009-06-29, jmcquown > wrote:

> Sad to hear about Billy Mays, though. I never bought Oxiclean but I'll bet
> a lot of people did.

Surprisingly, the stuff actually works. Killer for removing coffee and tea
stains/varnish from brewers, cups. etc. As for Billy, sorry he's dead, but
not sorry that grating voice will be heard no more (hopefully).

nb

notbob wrote:
> On 2009-06-29, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> Sad to hear about Billy Mays, though. I never bought Oxiclean but I'll bet
>> a lot of people did.
>
> Surprisingly, the stuff actually works. Killer for removing coffee and tea
> stains/varnish from brewers, cups. etc. As for Billy, sorry he's dead, but
> not sorry that grating voice will be heard no more (hopefully).

Sure Oxiclean works. It's oxygen bleach. It's been around a long time,
long before the Oxiclean name was attached.

I won't miss that voice either, but I'm not clear (and now I supposed
I'll never know) if it was his voice or his yelling or both that was so
irritating.

Phil-c wrote:
> Hells bells -------- Who cares ?
>
> Starting to wonder if Tv has taken over the ability for people to
> think for themselves. There is a big nasty as well as wonderful world
> out there.
> FFS get away from the tube it appears to be programming a whole society .
>
> Remember those GM and Chrysler Ford adds ------------- Eron etc where
> did that get you
>
>
> While ou flame listen to this http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/suv.ram
>
>
>
> Dons flame proof suite

No problem. It IS the vast wasteland Milton Minow predicted it would be
and has done precisely what he said it would do.

notbob wrote:

> As for Billy, sorry he's dead, but
> not sorry that grating voice will be heard no more (hopefully).

I can't explain it, but for some reason it -seems- they have cranked up
the amount of advert time with this guy. I've seen at least six
commercials in the last two hours on Nickelodeon. (Granddaughter likes
the channel). Sheesh. I spoke to soon. Mark that up to seven ... one was
airing as I typed this.

--Lin

In article >,
Sqwertz > wrote:

> On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:51:00 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> > "Vesper" > wrote in message
> >>
> >> He makes three now, doesn't he?
> >>
> >> V
> >
> > No, he is #4. Ed McM, Farrah, Jackson, Mays
>
> I'm pretty sure some regular people died, too.

Do you have a cite for that?

:-)

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Jun 28, 9:43*am, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
> 50 years old. *Bad week to be a celebrity.
>
> nancy

There was Oxy-clean in his system and he had needle marks.

On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:55:26 -0500, Vesper wrote:

> On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:51:06 -0500, "Gregory Morrow"
> > wrote:
>
>>Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>>> 50 years old. Bad week to be a celebrity.
>>
>>
>>Someone on another froup mentioned that 50's teevee star Gale Storm just
>>passed, she was 87...
>
> "My Little Margie." I remember it, sort of .....
>
> I am 66 and the old Zorro and the Lone Ranger stick out more in my
> memory. I vaguely remember "Commander Cody and the Lost Planet
> Airmen."
>
> V

i think you got it a little scrambled here. CC and the LPA were a
country/rock 'n' roll/texas swing band:

<http://www.amazon.com/Commander-Cody/e/B000APVRNY/ref=ntt_mus_dp_pel>

i recommend 'we've got a live one here!'

your pal,
blake

Andy wrote:
> jmcquown said...
>
>> Pitches have been a part of radio and
>> television advertising for decades. It's not going to stop any time
>> soon.
>
>
> The BIG difference being, brand names products paid to sponsor TV programs
> (like soap operas) and had their products available on supermarket shelves!!!
>
> "Not available in stores" became an entirely bullshit racket and Mays was a
> shrewd pitchman who took it a new level.
>
> Sorry for his passing but, NOT sorry that he'll instantly be replaced to
> continue the crap product advertising "that's not available in stores."
>
>

Actually I have recently seen "As advertised on TV" sections in both
Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond stores. Most items are $9.99 but of
course you don't get the "wait, there's more" hype of two or three
items "for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling."

Yes, most of it is junk. There's an online website that reviews the
products and it concurs that most of them don't work/are useless.
I can't download it currently but it was http://www.infomercialscams.com

gloria p

gloria.p said...

> Andy wrote:
>> jmcquown said...
>>
>>> Pitches have been a part of radio and
>>> television advertising for decades. It's not going to stop any time
>>> soon.
>>
>>
>> The BIG difference being, brand names products paid to sponsor TV
>> programs (like soap operas) and had their products available on
>> supermarket shelves!!!
>>
>> "Not available in stores" became an entirely bullshit racket and Mays
>> was a shrewd pitchman who took it a new level.
>>
>> Sorry for his passing but, NOT sorry that he'll instantly be replaced
>> to continue the crap product advertising "that's not available in
>> stores."
>>
>>
>
> Actually I have recently seen "As advertised on TV" sections in both
> Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond stores. Most items are $9.99 but of
> course you don't get the "wait, there's more" hype of two or three
> items "for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling."
>
> Yes, most of it is junk. There's an online website that reviews the
> products and it concurs that most of them don't work/are useless.
> I can't download it currently but it was http://www.infomercialscams.com
>
> gloria p


gloria p,

At Boscovs, a dept. store at the local mall there's an "As Seen On TV"
section like you mention.

I always stop and check out the products, out of curiousity.

I bought a ginsu knife set and the plastic mandolin gizmo with a half dozen
throw away attachments years ago. They still work and I still have the
lifetime warranty paperwork. What are the chances???

Best,

Andy

sf wrote:
> Oh, come on George. He was a caricature of the pitchmen at county
> fairs and they sell a lot of product.
> (snip)
>
No, sf, he wasn't a "caricature" he was a real pitchman at county fairs,
state fairs, Atlantic City, etc., where he honed his craft for many
years; then from exposure in those areas, he was spotted and hired by
one of the shopping networks (which are also real pitchpersons) and
the rest is history.

Jim...in New Mexico

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:40:13 -0600, Jim Macey >
wrote:

>sf wrote:
>> Oh, come on George. He was a caricature of the pitchmen at county
>> fairs and they sell a lot of product.
>> (snip)
>>
>No, sf, he wasn't a "caricature" he was a real pitchman at county fairs,
>state fairs, Atlantic City, etc., where he honed his craft for many
>years; then from exposure in those areas, he was spotted and hired by
>one of the shopping networks (which are also real pitchpersons) and
>the rest is history.
>
Thanks! I didn't know that.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

> Nancy Young wrote:
> 50 years old. Bad week to be a celebrity.
>
> nancy
Seriously... celebs are dropping like flies

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:47:41 -0700, Dan Abel wrote:

> In article >,
> Sqwertz > wrote:
>
>> I'm pretty sure some regular people died, too.
>
> Do you have a cite for that?

I will post them daily. For breakfast.

-sw

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:55:29 -0600, Pennyaline wrote:

> Phil-c wrote:
>> Hells bells -------- Who cares ?
>>
>> Starting to wonder if Tv has taken over the ability for people to
>> think for themselves. There is a big nasty as well as wonderful world
>> out there.
>> FFS get away from the tube it appears to be programming a whole society .
>>
>> Remember those GM and Chrysler Ford adds ------------- Eron etc where
>> did that get you
>>
>> While ou flame listen to this http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/suv.ram
>>
>> Dons flame proof suite
>
> No problem. It IS the vast wasteland Milton Minow predicted it would be
> and has done precisely what he said it would do.

actually, i don't think it was a prediction - it was a description of the
current reality in 1961. things certainly haven't improved since then.

your pal,
blake

Lin wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>
>> As for Billy, sorry he's dead, but
>> not sorry that grating voice will be heard no more (hopefully).
>
> I can't explain it, but for some reason it -seems- they have cranked up
> the amount of advert time with this guy. I've seen at least six
> commercials in the last two hours on Nickelodeon. (Granddaughter likes
> the channel). Sheesh. I spoke to soon. Mark that up to seven ... one was
> airing as I typed this.

Actor Robert Urich did a number of infomercials in the time before he
died of cancer in 2002. Long after he was gone, those infomercials just
kept running and running.

Pennyaline wrote:
> Lin wrote:
>> notbob wrote:
>>
>>> As for Billy, sorry he's dead, but
>>> not sorry that grating voice will be heard no more (hopefully).
>>
>> I can't explain it, but for some reason it -seems- they have cranked
>> up the amount of advert time with this guy. I've seen at least six
>> commercials in the last two hours on Nickelodeon. (Granddaughter likes
>> the channel). Sheesh. I spoke to soon. Mark that up to seven ... one
>> was airing as I typed this.
>
> Actor Robert Urich did a number of infomercials in the time before he ]
> died of cancer in 2002. Long after he was gone, those infomercials just
> kept running and running.

Robert Urich had a personality and charisma. The only thing Billy had
going for him was a big mouth.

Am I sorry he died so young? yes. Am I sorry he'll never make another
commercial? Not only no, but HELL no.

Bob

"Bob Muncie" > wrote in message
>
> Robert Urich had a personality and charisma. The only thing Billy had
> going for him was a big mouth.
>
> Am I sorry he died so young? yes. Am I sorry he'll never make another
> commercial? Not only no, but HELL no.
>
> Bob

He actually had quite a following. He'd draw crowds in airports and he'd
also ham it up. He sure sold lots of stuff though.