Billy Mays died yesterday. While he was best known for selling OxiClean and Orange Glo, he promoted many other products. One of the odder ones was the Grater Plater. It was "no ordinary plate" and let users grate any cheese -- "even Asiago!"
In a recent mini-profile, The New York Times Magazine called him a "celebrity endorser whose celebrity is based entirely on having endorsed things."
It also said he had the most familiar voice on television. No matter
what product he was endorsing once you heard the words "Hi. Billy Mays
here," you knew you were sticking around for two minutes to watch what
he was schlocking.
Probably the most ridiculous product Mays
ever endorsed was the Big City Slider. It takes all of 10 seconds to
realize this hamburger-maker is beyond pointless yet Mays is so
enthusiastic about it, he almost pulls it off.
With Shamwow Vince having trouble with the law
and Ron Popeil being nearly 75, the future for pitchmen was already
bleak but Mays stood above being a regular pitchman, he was an icon.
While the Big City Slider and Plater Grater may not last, May's pitches
for them will.
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