McKEES ROCKS, Pa. — References to television pitchman Bill Mays’ trademark image were everywhere at his funeral yesterday near Pittsburgh.
Most mourners wore stickers showing a cartoon image of his distinctive bearded face. The six pallbearers eschewed suits and instead wore bright-blue, button-down shirts like the ones Mays wore on TV. At the conclusion of the ceremony, they gave a “thumbs-up,” just as Mays did at the end of one of his commercials.
Mays, 50, whose high-energy hawking turned products like OxiClean from infomercial curiosities into mainstream successes, was remembered as a pop-culture icon who never forgot his hometown or spiritual roots.
“He sold more OxiClean than Andy Warhol sold Campbell’s soup,” cousin Dean Panizzi said in eulogizing Mays and comparing him to the Pittsburgh-born pop artist.
Panizzi’s 20-minute eulogy evoked everything from memories of their childhood together — complete with a Christmas Eve remembrance of their parents ringing sleigh bells — to Mays’ devout Christian faith.
Panizzi recited lines Mays made famous, including “Life’s a pitch, and then you buy,” and drew a standing ovation parroting Mays’ signature introduction, “Hi, Billy Mays here.”
Hundreds of mourners packed the Catholic church in the suburb of McKees Rocks, where Mays was raised, to remember the popular pitchman.
Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other “as seen on TV” gadgets on Atlantic City’s boardwalk and worked for years as a hired gun on the state-fair and home-show circuits.
Mays got his start on TV on the Home Shopping Network and then branched out into commercials and infomercials. He developed such a strong following that he became the subject of a reality-TV series, Discovery Channel’s “Pitchmen.”
“Pitchmen” creator and executive producer Chris Wilson said the likable personality Mays presented to TV viewers existed in real life, too.
“As great as a pitchman Billy was, he was an even better man and an even better individual,” he said.
Outside the funeral, a company owned by fellow “Pitchmen” star Anthony Sullivan handed out the shiny stickers bearing a caricature of Mays.
Mays is believed to have died of a heart attack in his sleep June 28 at his home in Tampa, Fla., but further tests are needed to be sure of the cause of death.