
Product Pitchman Mays Remembered as Natural Seller
comparing him to the Pittsburgh-born pop artist who turned soup cans into works of art. 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 outside -- to Mays' devout Christian faith. Panizzi recited various 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 black brick, gothic 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...