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-   -   Billy Mays Found Dead In His Home (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=106043)

KSigkid 06-28-2009 12:36 PM

Billy Mays Found Dead In His Home
 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obit_billy_mays

This has been one heck of a week. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and now Billy Mays.

33girl 06-28-2009 12:36 PM

I know you're being sarcastic putting him w/ MJ & FF.

AlwaysSAI 06-28-2009 12:38 PM

It really has been a terrible week. A friend at work has been to a funeral the past two Saturdays--so it's not just hitting Hollywood.

texas*princess 06-28-2009 12:42 PM

And Ed McMahn... so nutty.

50 is sooooo young! I know I say that a lot, but it is.

KSigkid 06-28-2009 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1820747)
I know you're being sarcastic putting him w/ MJ & FF.

Haha, whoops - sarcasm was unintentional.

lovespink88 06-28-2009 12:47 PM

OMG...my brother and I used to get a kick out of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOmvd...e=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmQ1...eature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQssF...eature=channel

And a ton more...

BabyPiNK_FL 06-28-2009 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI (Post 1820749)
It really has been a terrible week. A friend at work has been to a funeral the past two Saturdays--so it's not just hitting Hollywood.

My mom has been LIVING at funerals all month! This is crazy. And most of them are people injured by criminals (who randomly attacked them) who died of their injuries.

KSUViolet06 06-28-2009 02:21 PM

Wow.

ThetaPrincess24 06-28-2009 02:37 PM

I'm going to miss him yelling his commercials at 1am which always happen to be louder than the TV shows I've fallen asleep to.

Seriously though, what a crappy week to lose four icons plus chaos in Iran and N. Korea, etc. Can something good/happy happen now please?

KSUViolet06 06-28-2009 04:40 PM

Random question: Did he have kids or anything?

pshsx1 06-28-2009 04:49 PM

4 big deaths in 1 week. How odd.

And I know he had a wife.. uhhh I don't think he had kids...?

texas*princess 06-28-2009 04:51 PM

From his Wikipedia page:

Quote:

Mays had been aboard US Airways Flight 1241 from Philadelphia to Tampa that blew out its front tires as it landed at Tampa International Airport on June 27, the day before his death. None of the 138 passengers and five crew members were reported to be seriously injured immediately following the incident, but several passengers reported having bumps and bruises from falling objects.[2] Mays told a local Tampa television station that some of the objects "hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."[14] It is unclear whether Mays' death was related to the incident.
Am I the only one who didn't hear about this aircraft incident? I guess the news has been swarmed with Farrah Fawcett/Michael Jackson/N. Korea/Iran lately, but usually news reports stuff like this airplane incident even if there weren't any fatalities

SydneyK 06-28-2009 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 1820810)
Random question: Did he have kids or anything?

From the article on Yahoo!:

His former wife, Dolores "Dee Dee" Mays, of McKees Rocks, Pa., recalled that the first product he sold was the Wash-matik, a device for pumping water from a bucket to wash cars.
"I knew him since he was 15, and I always knew he had it in him," she said of Mays' success. "He'll live on forever because he always had the biggest heart in the world. He loved his friends and family and would do anything for them. He was a generous soul and a great father."

He must've had at least one child - sounds like with his former (first?) wife.

ETA: I hadn't heard anything about the plane incident, either. I'm wondering if there's a connection. (The article says that connecting the rough landing with his death would be pure speculation.)

Boro 06-28-2009 04:55 PM

Quote:

Random question: Did he have kids or anything?
I know his son is a production assistant on the Pitchmen show.

lovespink88 06-28-2009 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boro (Post 1820819)
I know his son is a production assistant on the Pitchmen show.

Yep, as far as I know he only had a son (Billy Mays Jr. I believe, but I'm not sure I only saw the show once)

AOII Angel 06-28-2009 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas*princess (Post 1820816)
From his Wikipedia page:



Am I the only one who didn't hear about this aircraft incident? I guess the news has been swarmed with Farrah Fawcett/Michael Jackson/N. Korea/Iran lately, but usually news reports stuff like this airplane incident even if there weren't any fatalities

I've been in Tampa all week for AOII convention and just read this as I'm sitting in the Tampa airport! I hadn't heard anything about this!

dukemama 06-28-2009 10:30 PM

According to a news report I heard, Billy Mays told his wife that he didn't feel well before he went to bed Saturday evening. I wonder if this might be the same kind of thing that happened to Natasha Richardson a few months ago - a blow to the head that seemed harmless at first but later proved fatal.

I have a sneaking suspicion that US Airways had better lawyer up, and fast.

pshsx1 06-28-2009 10:49 PM

Yeah, I heard the airline incident briefly mentioned on a commercial for the news... but that's really it.

But whatever. We're had our share of airline incidents, right? More about puppies.

33girl 06-28-2009 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24 (Post 1820785)
Seriously though, what a crappy week to lose four icons

Again, SERIOUSLY???? It's sad that the man's dead of course, but considering that many people turned the channel as soon as he came on their TV, I don't see how he could be considered an "icon."

epchick 06-29-2009 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 1820810)
Random question: Did he have kids or anything?

From the article on Yahoo he has a 3 year old daughter and a stepson.

I was shocked to find out he passed, didn't expect it when I saw his name attached to an article today. Poor Billy :(

ThetaPrincess24 06-29-2009 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas*princess (Post 1820816)
From his Wikipedia page:



Am I the only one who didn't hear about this aircraft incident? I guess the news has been swarmed with Farrah Fawcett/Michael Jackson/N. Korea/Iran lately, but usually news reports stuff like this airplane incident even if there weren't any fatalities


I heard about that yesterday afternoon. If this turns out to be true, then I wouldnt be suprised. Many head injuries such as this are deemed minor, thus are never checked out, and then people seemingly suddenly wind up dead because the damage/effects are not immediate. Always check out a head injury.

ThetaPrincess24 06-29-2009 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1820910)
Again, SERIOUSLY???? It's sad that the man's dead of course, but considering that many people turned the channel as soon as he came on their TV, I don't see how he could be considered an "icon."

I think he is regarding tv commercials. Does anyone not know who he is? Or not seen atleast three or more of his commercials? I think for our current time period those will always be remembered like the "time to make the donuts" guy in the dunkin donuts commercials in the 80's.

KSigkid 06-29-2009 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1820910)
Again, SERIOUSLY???? It's sad that the man's dead of course, but considering that many people turned the channel as soon as he came on their TV, I don't see how he could be considered an "icon."

Haha, wow, you're pretty fired up about this. I see your point, although I'd stretch it a bit more and say that the only ones who passed away who were "icons" were Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson (while Farrah was famous, I wouldn't consider her an "icon").

Still though, Billy Mays was really famous, though I don't think anyone is equating his fame with that of Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett.

MysticCat 06-29-2009 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSigkid (Post 1820983)
I see your point, although I'd stretch it a bit more and say that the only ones who passed away who were "icons" were Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson (while Farrah was famous, I wouldn't consider her an "icon").

That's because you weren't an adolescent boy when "Charlie's Angels" was on TV. ;)

If there is anything at all iconic for those of us who were, it's this:

http://photos.ecanadanow.com/farrah-...nal-Cancer.jpg

KSigkid 06-29-2009 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 1820986)
That's because you weren't an adolescent boy when "Charlie's Angels" was on TV. ;)

If there is anything at all iconic for those of us who were, it's this:

http://photos.ecanadanow.com/farrah-...nal-Cancer.jpg

Haha, point taken - I'm not necessarily disputing her fame or notoriety...but I think if we're going to differentiate between "famous" and "icon," then that's a different story.

groovypq 06-29-2009 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24 (Post 1820978)
I heard about that yesterday afternoon. If this turns out to be true, then I wouldnt be suprised. Many head injuries such as this are deemed minor, thus are never checked out, and then people seemingly suddenly wind up dead because the damage/effects are not immediate. Always check out a head injury.

Exactly. I keep thinking about Natasha Richardson...

Smile_Awhile 06-29-2009 01:52 PM

Though the final result isn't known , it looks like Billy Mays died of heart disease, not any injury to the brain.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/0...ath/index.html

sdeason1 06-29-2009 02:01 PM

June, please go away! fred travalena also passed away. What a crapy month for all of us fans.

texas*princess 06-29-2009 02:30 PM

I think that Billy Mays was an icon - he wasn't as famous as Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett, or even Ed McMahon, but everyone knew who he was.. kind of like the "Maytag Repairman" of the "As Seen on TV" world.

Thetagirl218 06-29-2009 05:20 PM

I was very sad when I heard that Billy Mays died. I do watch Pitchmen, so it makes it even sadder. Its been cool to see him all around the Tampa Bay area. They would go down a street or be some where and you would know right where they are. On the show, he flies in a private plane, so I thought it was odd when I heard it was a regular airliner...

I have been in Orlando all weekend, and this is the first I have heard of a plane issue at TIA. I am not sure if it made the news....One would think it would. I will have to check Tivo from this weekend!

33girl 06-30-2009 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24 (Post 1820980)
I think he is regarding tv commercials.

I don't think anyone whose primary fame comes from TV commercials merits the title of "icon." That includes Billy Mays, time to make the donuts guy, Clara Peller, Mr. Whipple and Betty Furness.

PeppyGPhiB 06-30-2009 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1821276)
I don't think anyone whose primary fame comes from TV commercials merits the title of "icon." That includes Billy Mays, time to make the donuts guy, Clara Peller, Mr. Whipple and Betty Furness.

What about Ron Popeil?

SydneyK 06-30-2009 01:51 PM

I must need to watch more TV. I have to go google Clara Peller, Betty Furness and Ron Popeil. Although, maybe I'll recognize their pictures (but their names sure don't ring any bells).

ETA: Oh! "Where's The Beef?"; Westinghouse? (I still don't recognize her); and the Chop/Veg/Dial-O-Matic guy
I feel better now.

epchick 06-30-2009 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1821276)
I don't think anyone whose primary fame comes from TV commercials merits the title of "icon."

Maybe it depends on what you mean when you say "icon." Because although I wouldn't consider Billy Mays a celebrity or an icon like McMahon or even Jackson, I would say he was a Infomercial "icon." You didn't even have to know his name to know who he was....just a couple words "the OxiClean guy" and the lightbulb goes off in people's heads and they automatically know who.

Just like if you hear the words "set it......and forget it" you'd probably think of Ron Popeil and his products.

knight_shadow 08-07-2009 05:32 PM

TAMPA, Fla. – An autopsy report shows that cocaine use contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed TV pitchman Billy Mays in June, officials announced Friday.

The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office previously determined that the bearded, boisterous TV spokesman had a heart attack in his sleep. His wife found him unresponsive in bed in their Tampa condo June 28.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090807/.../us_billy_mays

perfectinpurple 08-07-2009 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 1833210)
TAMPA, Fla. – An autopsy report shows that cocaine use contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed TV pitchman Billy Mays in June, officials announced Friday.

The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office previously determined that the bearded, boisterous TV spokesman had a heart attack in his sleep. His wife found him unresponsive in bed in their Tampa condo June 28.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090807/.../us_billy_mays


Oh wow. That's just crazy. I would have never pictured him as a drug user.

christiangirl 08-07-2009 05:57 PM

IDK...how boisterous he was on TV, I'd peg him for a drug user, maybe speed or something.

jennyj87 08-07-2009 06:14 PM

holy moly.

pshsx1 08-07-2009 06:27 PM

I feel really bad b/c I laughed a little... But Cocaine + Billy Mays = not a shock.


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