I can’t believe we’re 19 posts into this thread and nobody has yet mentioned the infamous Don Lapre. This is the guy who will tell you how create a source of revenue by placing tiny ads in newspapers “ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY”. This is an obvious scam; what the hell is the average person gonna sell in these ads? He never seems to mention that. He’s obviously making money somehow. Anyone fall for this, or know what his game is?
For those interested, I just found this link: http://xarda.com/donLapre.html
I don’t know if this is his scam, but here’s what it could be. He tells you to put an ad in papers all over the company that says something like: Become rich. No inventory, no experience needed. Send $1.00.
If you send in your dollar, you get a letter telling you to put ads in papers all over the country that says…
Of course this was a lot more profitable when postage was lower. I guess you’d need to raise it up to about $2.50.
The one for Nad’s cracked me up from the beginning because of the other meaning that they are apparently unaware of. To top it off, from what I remember in the ad, they sponser an Olympic swimmer, who of course wears the logo on her suit. All I could think of was people cheering in the stands, yelling, “Go Nads!!” And the corker is how they sit there and tell you that ripping your hair out by the roots isn’t painful if you use THEIR product because it only adheres to the hair, not the skin. Let me assure you that if it hurts to pull the hairs out one at a time with tweezers (which also do not adhere to skin), ripping out a whole patch is going to be agonizing! They said the same thing about that Sweet Success stuff–“it doesn’t hurt at all!” I bought some and tried it–it hurt like hell, let me tell you!
And about Miss Cleo–are there any hate sites out there for her yet? I find that idiot dinosaur Barney easier to listen to than her–he comes across as FAR more genuine! His accent is better, too! 
I don’t know what he’s been up to, but I read that his company is going through bankruptcy. I’ve read a few things about Lapre on the Internet–apparently, the “Making Money Package” is really just a break even deal for him, and the real big money comes when he gets customers on his telemarketing lists to push his 900 numbers and other schemes, for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
I’ve always thought Lapre bore an uncanny resemblance (in appearance and mannerisms) to the character Alex Keaton from Family Ties. There’s something compelling about watching him even though you just know he’s a con–in the same way that a charlatan like Robert Tilton is perversely entertaining.
Great Debate: Who was a slicker pitchman–Don Lapre or William J. McCorkle?
P.S. Has anyone seen Brad Richdale? His infomercials were all over the place a couple of years ago, and then he just vanished.
I have a hankering for infomercials. I guess I just love those hard-sell pitchmen, they amuse me.
http://www.infomercialindex.com
http://www.infomercials.net
There are a few sites selling “as seen on TV” products.
My favorite anti-scam site:
http://www.worldwidescam.com/index2002.htm
Loved Don Lapre; he just filed for bankruptcy. Remember William J. McCorkle? He’s in jail for a long, long time. Of the get-rich-off-of-no-money-down-real-estate Carleton Sheets seems to be a survivor. I looked at the “Question Mark” guy’s book when I was at the library. I thought it was pretty good. Remember, no home is complete without a vacuum-saver. Look, if the product has any merit, it will end up at K-Mart. Even if it doesn’t have merit, it may end up at K-Mart. Remember colored car polish? Polish away those unsightly scratches. It went from $20 on the infomercial to $5 at K-Mart. Guess what…it didn’t work. One of my favorite completely useless products is a $60 mouth “exerciser” that is supposed to get rid of wrinkles. Scams sometimes come in cycles: the old reduce fat with small electro-shocks is back.
When I was in Minnesota I visited the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices. Off topic, but if you’re a scam buff it is a fun museum: http://www.mtn.org/quack
I got a dehydrator for Christmas last year. Not a Ronco…I think it’s a Magic Chef, or something. I use it probably a few times a month. Any time mushrooms are on sale, I’ll stock up about three pounds and dry them out. They keep for ages, and when rehydrated in seasoned chicken broth, are muy tasty. I also bought jars of several kinds of peppers and dried them all for grinding into pepper flakes. To Hades with the generic red pepper flakes. I’ve got the ancho-guajillo-jalapeno-tobasco-habanero combo flakes in my shaker. Onions and tomatoes come out sweet and tasty in a dehydrator, too. Fresh ground dried celery makes an interesting seasoning. The thing makes me wish I had a garden.
The great thing about living in Australia is that most of the crap featured in informercials usually ends up in crappy discount stores (The Reject Shop, Crazy Prices, Cunningham’s etc) 3 months later at about 1/10th of their original asking price.
If you want to see crappy merchandising Aussie-style (and you’re sick of having Aussie Nads waved in front of your faces), try http://www.danoz.com.au - these guys are to Australia what Ronco is to the USA.
I’ve seen that one, too; and the real kicker is the fact that the swimmer’s name is Nadine, and her childhood nickname was…you guessed it…Nads. So isn’t it cool how THAT worked out??? It’s like, she was destined for it, or something. Totally trippy, man.
Depends on the Aussie…
My mother has one, she got it at an estate auction for $1.
It actually works quite well:)
I bought a device from an infomercial called {b]Pet Trainer**it’s a remote control sized device that emits a high pitch sound used for training dogs and cats. It also works much better than expected.
That being said, I hate:mad: infomercials! They use up the space a real television show could be using! At very least they should be telling good dirty jokes or something entertaining while trying to sell their stuff!
Slightly off topic but I have always wanted a potty light. When they used to sell them on tv I always missed the #. Now the potty light is no more. Doesn anyone know where to find em?
Yes! I own one - have had it for 3 years now - the greatest invention ever made. Instead of paying $15 for the privilege of waiting an hour for the “Stylist” to grace me with a bad hair cut, I can now get the same hair cut at home for nothing. And it never asks for a tip.
I don’t think it would work on all people, but I have short, straight hair that is pretty dry.
It is truly one of the best purchases I have made. I have always hated going to the barber.
sheepishly raises hand
I bought one of those when I was in college, and I loved it. It worked as advertised and I could trim my hair every couple of weeks with it - something a poor college student didn’t have the time or money to do otherwise.
My parents bought one of those rotisserie things and it works pretty good, but it’s a bitch to clean. They probably use it a few times a month. Funny thing though, it comes with a sticker on the front that says something to the effect of “‘Set it and forget it’ is only a slogan and not to be taken literally. Do not leave unit unattended.” 
I utterly despise infomercials, but seem to be the only one in my family immune to their siren song. The first one I recall ever seeing was for ORI (or some such), pitched by a very enthusiastic Aussie. Aside from their general insipidness, I can’t stand their taking of saturday-morning catoon and sunday-afternoon b-movie time.
Incidentally, I’ve noticed commercials for CDs on MTV have gotten longer, playing a good chunk of a video in the process. It used to be only unknowns that hawked thier disks like this, but recently, REM, Train and other more established bands as well as well-known newcommers like my beloved Gorillaz have taken to it. With wide major label releases and the ubiquity of Wal-Marts (damn their censoring ways!) why pay $18.95 plus $3.95 S&H?
I utterly despise infomercials, but seem to be the only one in my family immune to their siren song. The first one I recall ever seeing was for ORI (or some such), pitched by a very enthusiastic Aussie. Aside from their general insipidness, I can’t stand their taking of saturday-morning catoon and sunday-afternoon b-movie time.
However, I did laugh my ass of at Nads…cavewoman and I had a grand old time with that…
My father-in-law uses a flowbee, and he has long hair, but it seems to work fine…
Incidentally, I’ve noticed commercials for CDs on MTV have gotten longer, playing a good chunk of a video in the process. It used to be only unknowns that hawked thier disks like this, but recently, REM, Train and other more established bands as well as well-known newcommers like my beloved Gorillaz have taken to it. With wide major label releases and the ubiquity of Wal-Marts (damn their censoring ways!) why pay $18.95 plus $3.95 S&H?
I want some of Dijon Warlock’s pepper flakes!
Actually, it was the Topsy Tail. Looked like an oversized bubble wand. Part your hair, slide in the Topsy Tail, insert your hair and voilà, a Klein bottle ponytail and instant glamour. Nearly bought one myself, but then thought better of it.
Is Hairgami the one with the snap bracelet insert? Wrap your hair around this foot-long wedge, twist around and <click> into place and voilà, instant glamour bun? The sound effects sounds like it’s breaking your neck. Ick.
Guess I didn’t hit the “Stop” button fast enough there…figures my 50th post would be related to an error…
screech-owl’s correction is right. The Topsy Tail is what was referred to. I bought a knockoff and actually have used it. The Hairigami is newer and the one I’ve seen in stores isn’t cheap enough yet for me to break down and take the chance.
Wal-Mart has had Magic Chef dehydrators in the $20-$25 range for quite a while. You can dry several jars of peppers overnight and grind them in a mortar and pestle. I bought out my local store’s supply of tobasco, jalapeno and habanero peppers, ground in some already dried anchos and guajillos, added a good shot of chopped onion and garlic and turned them into the spice from Hell. My chili makes grown men (mostly me) cry. Probably the Baby Jesus, too…although it’s been a while since he’s been over for dinner.