News

A few things to talk about today, most of which would be awkward in comic form.
First, a winner of the caption contest has been chosen, and the comic will be up in a few days. Thanks again to everyone for posting ideas, some of you owe me a new pair of pants.
Next, this really has been a crappy week to be famous. Dr. Jerri Nielsen, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays had a particularly rough week. Of the three, it is Billy Mays whose death has affected me the most.
Obviously I did not know Billy, and many of you may be wondering how I could possibly care about the screaming man in the blue shirt. I have always made fun of Billy Mays, and I have never believed in the validity of products sold through direct response media (infomercials). I always considered Mays to be an "if it exists and can make me money I'll sell it" kind of guy. Then Discovery began airing a show called "Pitchmen". This show followed Billy Mays and his business partner Anthony Sullivan as they found new products, filmed commercials for them, worked with the inventors, and ultimately marketed the products.
Pitchmen showed a different side of Billy Mays. It showed that although it was in fact difficult to fit his ego in a room with anyone else, he also cared very much about the products he sold. He used all of the products that he sold, and was passionate about being successful for the inventors. Billy had realized the American Dream (if such a thing still exists), and his goal in life was to help others do the same.
So I guess Billy Mays' death shows the power of television and its influence on my generation. I felt like I was just getting to know Mays, and now he will never yell at me at 3am ever again.
On a separate note, I believe Billy Mays may have single handedly built and destroyed the infomercial business. Go ahead, name another pitchman (Anthony Sullivan doesn't count since I just mentioned him). That guy from shamwow? He beat up a hooker, how successful will he be selling family products. Who else? Who could possibly step in and be the next Billy Mays? It can't be done. Elvis could not be replaced, Bruce Lee could not be replaced, and Billy Mays won't be replaced. Direct response media will never be the same.
In conclusion: Someday I will grab a bottle of Oxiclean and yell about how great it is, my kids will look at me like I'm crazy, and I will be a bit sad...