# As Seen On TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005 "2008-01-02T17:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/1 "2008-01-02T17:32:32Z")
Have you ever bought anything from those commercials that have you call an 800 number? Because I really, really want the light up crafty cutting board with the 6 different blades. But not as much as I want Billy May’s epoxy clay. My daughter is hankering for his Hercules Hooks. I don’t want to encourage all that screaming and yelling on TV-- especially if the product sucks. But the yelling. . . there may be something to that technique because when Billy gets to “BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE!” and offers 6 tubes of epoxy clay, I’m reaching for the telephone before I even notice. I think these spots would be even more effective if the “before” people weren’t all spastic and plain retarded. I mean, c’mon! Anybody can cut a picture out without destroying all the other pictures on the page, can’t they? I have yet to succumb but it is getting close. Sooooo. Who has a pocket fisherman or a easy package opener or the famous Ginzu knives? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/2 "2008-01-02T17:43:41Z")
[This site](http://www.infomercialratings.com) might be a good place to do some research. I’ve decided against getting some really cool gadget I saw after reading the reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/3 "2008-01-02T17:52:12Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] [This site](http://www.infomercialratings.com) might be a good place to do some research. I’ve decided against getting some really cool gadget I saw after reading the reviews. [/QUOTE] Well poopy! The two things that I want haven’t been rated yet. The Hercules Hooks are rated pretty well. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/4 "2008-01-02T17:52:37Z")
Also check out your local Target, BigLots, Wal-Mart, etc. They all have products that are “only available on TV” that 3 months later show up on store shelves. That is how I got my magic pancake maker, my special carpet cleaner for people with pets that comes with the black light to show you things you might have missed, etc. They are all much cheaper and you can actually hold it in your hand and examine the product before you buy it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/5 "2008-01-02T17:55:50Z")
Biggirl, you probably don’t have them in that little hicktown you call home, but there’s a chain of mallstores called “As Seen On TV” which sell all of these wonderful devices. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/6 "2008-01-02T18:04:01Z")
I found **Kaboom!** at my local supermarket last week. FWIW, that stuff really works. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/7 "2008-01-02T18:08:30Z")
I once bought some CDs off TV that were supposedly “not sold in stores” and those worked out well enough. I bought some of that magic fabric repair powder that’s been advertised on TV forever, but not from TV. That stuff was the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/8 "2008-01-02T18:10:51Z")
FWIW, “Pocket Fisherman” was actually a great product. I was disappointed a couple of years ago when I wanted to get one for my kid and couldn’t find one anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/9 "2008-01-02T18:15:19Z")
[QUOTE=Rube E. Tewesday] FWIW, “Pocket Fisherman” was actually a great product. I was disappointed a couple of years ago when I wanted to get one for my kid and couldn’t find one anywhere. [/QUOTE] [Oh, the irony!](http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/pocketfisherman.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/10 "2008-01-02T18:21:52Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] [Oh, the irony!](http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/pocketfisherman.htm) [/QUOTE] Where were they when I needed them!? Anyway, as a Loony Tunes fan, he was happy with the Tasmanian Devil rod I ended up getting him. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/11 "2008-01-02T18:44:49Z")
I made the mistake of caving in and buying the **Perfect Pancake Maker** when I ran across it in a store (after seeing many ads for it on TV). Long story short, I ended up complaining to the BBB down the road. Perfect Pancakes, or anything edible, really, were not forthcoming. Still, I can’t help but stick my head in the As Seen On TV stores whenever I pass by one. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-seen-on-tv/432005/12 "2008-01-02T18:50:30Z")
I have the full range of [Chuck Woolery](http://www.chuckwoolery.com/motolures.php) fishing related items including the Motolure and the Bass Fishing Basics with Chuck Woolery. I still want the fishing rod car antenna. I’ve also bought the [Banjo Minnow](http://www.banjominnowstore.com/store/product/454) fishing system, which is actually not that bad except that the minnows they include rip off after a few casts.