KDKA.com Consumer Web Extras
May 20, 2009 5:45 pm US/Eastern
Popular TV Pitchman Also A Native Pittsburgher
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
-
-
Popular television pitchman Billy Mays now lives in Florida, but he is a native of McKees Rocks.
KDKA
If you watch television you have to know Billy Mays.
He is the mouth of infomercials, the king of TV pitchmen, but what you might not know is that Mays is a hometown boy, who was born and bred in McKees Rocks.
"I miss Pittsburgh so much you wouldn't believe it," said Mays, who now resides in Florida.
Mays and his family are living the good life in Florida, but Mays' number one fan, his mom Joyce Mays, still lives in McKees Rocks where she's had a notary public office for more than 30 years.
"I'm really am proud of him. The whole family is proud of him," said Joyce Mays. "He's conquered all."
Billy Mays will tell you he pulled himself up by the boot straps and fought his way to fame and fortune.
"The journey has been an unbelievable one, 27 years. I started on the boardwalk in Atlantic City and I learned the tough way," said Mays.
He's still fighting with the bad boy of the infomercials, Vince Shlomi. Just mention "ShamWow!" to Mays and the sparks start flying.
"Sham pow!" said Mays. "What do you think? I'm going to take the high road on this but be careful what you name your product. I had the original product 'Zorbeez.' It laid the foundation. What he did was build the house. Now, I'm moving back in. I'm going to take back what's mine and if you're out there Vince ... 'ShamPow!'... okay?"
But Mays says he has always been a stiff competitor, starting with his high school days on the football team.
"He was football" explains Mays' mom. "He graduated in 1976 from Sto-Rox. He was voted most valuable player. He broke the record for tackles."
The walls of Joyce Mays' office are covered with articles praising her son's accomplishments. There are pictures and lots of the products that have put Mays on the pitchman map.
She says right from the beginning there was something different about Billy, the oldest of her three sons.
"He probably was the one that was the biggest ham," said Joyce Mays. "He was just different. He was a ham."
And when he started pitching products, he always pitched his family first.
Billy Mays made it big. His breakthrough product was "Oxy Clean." He even gave the product away as favors at his wedding, always selling, always looking for the next big sell.
"I'm known for 'Oxy Clean,' 'Mighty Putty,' 'Mighty Mend It,' 'Kaboom' and the stains are gone. There are lots of products. I love them all. I take pride with them. I become one with the product," said Mays. "I have been doing this for 11 years. When I come out and say, 'Hi, Billy Mays here,' it's the product first. I'm just the quarterback. I'm the one who gets it to the next level."
And for all the viewers who think Billy Mays is shouting at you, he says, no way.
"No, I'm not shouting. I am projecting. That's what I am doing. If I stood here and I said 'Hi, Billy Mays for the amazing,' ...it just wouldn't be the same," he said. "It just doesn't come through, so I cut through the clutter and never veer."
Mays said he turns down 20 to 30 products for every one he accepts. When it comes right down to it, he says it's the product not just the pitchman.
Even in bad times, Mays says good products will sell, but it all starts with one good idea.
"Everybody out there, if you have an idea, it's just an idea until you put it down on paper and get it into a prototype," he says. "Go back in your garage. Start tinkering again because the American dream is alive and well. We are going to get out of this mess, one dream at a time."
And Pittsburgh, in case you are wondering, Mays said, "Everybody in Pittsburgh, I give you a two thumbs up."
MORE: 
Discovery Channel's "Pitchmen" featuring Billy Mays.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Does It Really Do That? (Recent Reports)
Click to enlarge
Light Up Night Marks Start Of Holidays
More Slideshows
Stumble It!
Reporting
