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Billy Mays III sets the record straight about the catchphrase “but wait there’s more” and his father, the legendary pitchman “Hi, Billy Mays here”. Heck I even used “but wait there’s more” my cold open… Find out what his famous catchphrase really was and why he used it on this episode of Relatively Famous.
Pitchman Billy Mays died way too young and at the height of his career. Billy Mays was king of sales when tv infomercials were how new products broke into the mainstream public. Pitchmen were influencers before it was a thing and Billy Mays was the mid 1990s to 2009 top salesman. He even starred in the Discovery Channel show, Pitchmen.
Billy III grew up mostly with his mom as his parents divorced when he was young. At the time his father was traveling full time doing trade shows on the road trying to build his brand and hone his salesmanship. When Billy Mays landed the gig at Home Shopping Network and started doing tv infomercials it allowed more time to get to know his son.
Billy III shares those times together, and how he began to learn so much from his dad. We talk about when he realized his dad was a pop culture icon, about how his dad was instrumental in helping him pursue music. I ask if perhaps there is a career in the footsteps of his father?
We talk about how music helped him grieve and be at peace with his father’s death and the invasive publicity surrounding his father’s death.
I discovered that it’s one thing to be the brother of an American Pop Icon, but to be the son of a Pop Culture Pitchman is another thing. So, to quote the OG infomercial pitchman and mentor of Billy’s, Ronco legend Ron Popeil, “Wait there’s more”… Oh, and check out the photo on the website of the cool Billy Mays and Infinite Third stickers Billy III sent me.
I promise you’ll be intrigued by my conversation with Billy Mays III son of Billy Mays!