Let's be honest, we've all been pretty shocked by the celebrity deaths in the past week. One has grabbed the media spotlight more so than others, but it doesn't make the others less important. I'm not going to pretend like I know any of them, or even know a lot about them. My only memories of Ed McMahon are from Star Search and I only know Farrah Fawcett from pictures. Enough will be said about Michael Jackson--musician, songwriter, dancer, entertainer--but I feel the need to make sure Billy Mays gets a proper send-off as well.
This is no way a shot at Michael Jackson. I wasn't a huge MJ fan. I enjoy his music and appreciate his long-lasting impact, but what else can I say that you haven't heard already? There will never be another like him, but he'll live on through his music.
I've written in the past that I'm not an idea guy--my brain just isn't wired that way. But I love being around idea people. I love that they live up in the clouds and they aren't confined to what is. Billy Mays was an idea guy. He was a self-made successful entrepreneur that got his start selling products on the Atlantic City boardwalks. He ran the circuit across country pitching products, sacrificing his family in turn and ultimately divorcing his first wife. But he kept at it, developing his signature style and rising to the top of the infomercial industry. Billy only recently started to gain the acclaim and respect that he truly deserved as he flourished in the so-called "prime" of his career. He started doing numerous commercials parodying himself and his style and even appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien with fellow pitchman Anthony Sullivan. Billy and Sully's show, Pitchmen, on The Discovery Channel allowed viewers a peek into the inner-workings of the industry and Billy's daily grind.
Billy was a successful entrepreneur because he cared about the products, proud to say that he owned every product he promoted on television. He wasn't bullshitting in his ads--if he was then I bought it hook, line, and sinker--and you could tell because the passion for the products was evident. And like a true entrepreneur, Billy wanted to help others reach the level of success he'd achieved. He knew what it felt like to have a product he knew people needed and how hard it is to catch the big break. Pitchmen became one of my favorite shows because Billy and Sully were giving inventors the chance to realize their dreams. Some succeeded, some failed, but they never would have gotten the chance if not for Billy and Sully.
From the show, Billy just seemed like a really nice guy. He remarried and appeared to be a loving father to his two kids--one of which bears his name and aims to follow in his footsteps. It would take Billy hours to walk through an airport to his gate because everyone wanted to stop and talk about how they loved the products he pitched. Sully even brought him along on his personal charter in an effort to convince Billy to travel hassel-free. But Billy wouldn't give in--probably I think because he loved that interaction with the people. Knowing that makes it even harder to fathom that his death may have been due in part to his last flight on a commercial airline.
Everyone will mourn Michael, but Billy's passing won't have the same impact. I hope he gets the respect and due that he's earned. He wasn't the Michael Jackson of entrepreneurship, but he was great at what he did and he had a great heart. Sometimes people like that deserve just as much credit as even the most acclaimed superstars.
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