# Who the F&CK is Billy Mays, and why is he shouting at me? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 17, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290 "2002-08-17T03:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/1 "2002-08-17T03:45:23Z")
Who exactly is this guy? He’s trying to sell me shit all day long. Off the top of my head, these are the products I’ve seen him pitching: 1. Oxyclean 2. Orange clean 3. Orange glo 4, The Ding King 4. Some cell phone thing that allows hands free operation by pumping the call through your car stereo. Why is he now the defacto standard pitchman. Is he a celebrity that I should know? He comes out, screams at the camera **THIS IS BILLY MAYS HERE FOR SOME BOGUS PRODUCT!** So what? He holds no credibility to me. And he’s constantly making his point by leaning into the camera and giving the audience hsi patented two-fisted point pump. I HATE THIS GUY! ---
**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/2 "2002-08-17T03:46:47Z")
Amen. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/3 "2002-08-17T03:55:34Z")
Sometimes I’ll fall asleep with the television on. His voice, which can best be described as a multi-car pileup involving several window-hauling trucks, can snap me out of a deep sleep faster than you can say nails-on-a-blackboard. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/4 "2002-08-17T03:57:24Z")
Wasn’t he a baseball player? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/5 "2002-08-17T05:20:06Z")
“Wasn’t he a baseball player?” Yeah, but his brother Willie was better. ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/6 "2002-08-17T07:22:17Z")
_bursts into laughter_ ---
**Author:** ![airdisc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@airdisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/airdisc)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/7 "2002-08-17T15:57:31Z")
He also sells a cleaning agent called Kaboom, some device that is essentially a pair of tongs, and Space Bags, which are really just giant Ziploc bags. And yes, he is very annoying. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/8 "2002-08-17T16:20:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Carter of Mars \* > \*\*“Wasn’t he a baseball player?” > > Yeah, but his brother Willie was better. \*\* Because of his shoddy baseball abilities as compared to his brother, he went and had the color of his skin changed, just like Michael Jackson. He then realized he could make a lot of money by selling stuff on TV. Or maybe I made that up. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/9 "2002-08-17T19:39:10Z")
I have to be honest here, I find him oddly mesmerizing. I can sit there and watch him for hours. I just find it fascinating how someone can be that pumped up and enthusiastic. Maybe I’m just odd… ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/10 "2002-08-17T20:31:36Z")
Here’s the skinny on the obnoxious Mr. Mays and the products he flogs (Note: requires Acrobat Reader plug-in): [http://www.greatcleaners.com/web/Assets/site/images/ResponseMagazine-020430.pdf](http://www.greatcleaners.com/web/Assets/site/images/ResponseMagazine-020430.pdf) Got his start as pitchman on the Atlantic City boardwalk. Figures. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/11 "2002-08-17T22:24:32Z")
ONE THIN DIME, ONE TENTH OF A DOLLA’!!! ---
**Author:** ![LithiumPage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@LithiumPage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LithiumPage)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/12 "2002-08-17T23:17:24Z")
Anyone remember in the Oxyclean commercial when he’d shout something similar to “Powered by the water you and I drink, activated by the air you breathe”? It stands out in my mind so much because he’d declare it was the water he and I drink, but the air that only I breathed. Of course, my quote may be wrong, but I do know he seems to either not drink water or not breathe air. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/13 "2002-08-18T01:03:40Z")
He obviously shouts so much he’s unable to take time to breathe. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/14 "2002-08-18T10:28:56Z")
I’m rubbing two thick nickels together and wondering if this guy can make me some change. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Trari\_de\_Reeson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Count\_Trari\_de\_Reeson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Trari_de_Reeson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/15 "2002-08-18T12:12:54Z")
I think he is Rula Lenskas, step brother. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/16 "2002-08-18T12:20:52Z")
**Count** , what makes you think that? P.S. You need some remedial punctuation advice. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Trari\_de\_Reeson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Count\_Trari\_de\_Reeson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Trari_de_Reeson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/17 "2002-08-18T15:22:28Z")
Jjimm, the Rula Lenska thing was just a lame Sunday morning joke. As for the offer of help in punctuation advice, thank you I will keep you in mind. PS. I think it is PS. not P.S. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/18 "2002-08-18T17:10:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Count Trari de Reeson \* > \*\*Jjimm, the Rula Lenska thing was just a lame Sunday morning joke. As for the offer of help in punctuation advice, thank you I will keep you in mind. > PS. I think it is PS. not P.S. \*\* P.S…you’re wrong. “P.S.” stands for “post script.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/19 "2002-08-18T17:23:01Z")
Gaudere’s Law, meet **Count Trari de Reeson**. ---
**Author:** ![white-tigeress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f475e1/32.png) [@white-tigeress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/white-tigeress)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290/20 "2002-08-18T17:40:56Z")
LOL [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-the-f-ck-is-billy-mays-and-why-is-he-shouting-at-me/124290.md?page=2)