okp greg Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529328,00.html DEVELOPING: Television pitchman Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday, FOX News confirms. Mays was found unresponsive by his wife inside his Tampa, Fla., home at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Tampa Police Department. Police said there were no signs of forced entry to May's residence and foul play is not suspected. Authorities said an autopsy should be complete by Monday afternoon. Mays, 50, was on board a US Airways flight that blew out its front tires as it landed at a Tampa airport on Saturday, MyFOXTampa.com reported. US Airways spokesman Jim Olson said that none of the 138 passengers and five crew members were injured in the incident, but several passengers reported having bumps and bruises, according to the station. Authorities have not said whether Mays' death was related to the incident. "Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times," Mays wife, Deborah, said in a statement on Sunday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 R.I.P. Billy, I'll miss your yelling. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 That's too bad. I don't bear the guy any ill will, but now my television might stop shouting at me quite so much. RIP, loud dude. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 That's too bad. I don't bear the guy any ill will, but now my television might stop shouting at me quite so much. RIP, loud dude. Yes. I was in a restaurant a week ago, seated about a hundred fifty feet from the bar, and had no idea the TV's sound was up until his ad came on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alisa Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Strangely his death effects me more than Ed McMahon or Michele Jackson because I barley remember them but thanks to the internet and my grandma's tv watching I saw his stuff all the time. Oxyclean is the shit. i'm going to miss him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
augurus Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Thanks for teaching us how to yell it and sell it on the teeveeeee. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 He looks vaguely familiar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Just when I started using my awesome Billy Mays avatar... RIP Billy.. One of the best beards on television. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moxiebean Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 That's too bad. I don't bear the guy any ill will, but now my television might stop shouting at me quite so much. RIP, loud dude.Seconded - many times I had wished him silenced, but not dead. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Looks like they found cocaine in his system. No wonder he was so excited all the time.. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080703191.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Runaway Jim Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Looks like they found cocaine in his system. No wonder he was so excited all the time.. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080703191.html it's too bad shit like that can't just be kept private. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Autopsy reports are a matter of public record, and that is a good thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 it's too bad shit like that can't just be kept private. I don't know. This is an interesting statement, and I felt the same way initially - I still sort of do. On the other hand, I'm all for transparency. Publication of cause of death for anyone is routine, in our local paper at least. If he died of a heart attack without cocaine use, it would be a bummer he died but the coroner's announcement would not have made the headlines it did, and I think fewer people would have the, "they shouldn't be publishing that" reaction. But young people like that don't usually just die, and I think there are as many closer-seeking readers as there are people in it for the perceived "unfolding drama". My perception of my own reaction was that this statement can be embarrassing for his family because he misused a drug, either accidentally or as the result of a disease. Both reasons are a horrible way to die, and both are loaded with stigmas; while ideally this would have some sort of PSA-style impact, in reality that's not usually the case. On the other hand, I did find some closure in knowing how Jay B died at such a young age, and I do think that publishing his cause of death was a good way to raise awareness about the problems associated with pain patches. I also found a lot of closure in learning more of the details regarding the murder of an acquaintance of mine, and judging by local reactions at least, a lot of other people did too. So there's that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Runaway Jim Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Can't argue with anything you said there, Speed Racer. Those are all good points. As a former occasional/all-to-frequent drug user, it just bothers me to think if I had died one night, it would have been public knowledge that I had been doing somethings I wouldn't want a lot of people knowing about. But truthfully, now that I think about the many pros of making that public record, I feel differently. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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