Blog - Ridiculous Infomercial Review

It’s not just Joe Fowler and Bruce Singer who are trying to be Billy Mays. This Halloween lots of people decided to go as the late, great infomercial star:

There were even people who imagined that the grave wasn’t strong enough to hold newly deceased pitchman and went as “Zombie Billy Mays”

Billy’s Oxiclean here is helpful in getting blood stains and brain matter out of his clothes.

Hat Tip: Unreality Magazine which you should really check out to see lots of other fun “only in 2009” Halloween costumes such as Balloon Boy, Octomom, and the Money You Could Be Saving with Geico

I’m a little surprised no Snuggie-based costumes made the list.

No reports yet of any trick-or-treater going as Vince from Shamwow or his hooker.

A few days ago I asked if Joe Fowler on the Gator Grip infomercial was trying to act like Billy Mays. Well, here’s a guy named Bruce Singer who seems to be doing the same thing on the TV commercial for Twist N Stay:

Actually, Bruce Singer seems like some sort of a cross between Billy Mays and Vince “ShamWow” Offer. He has the blue shirt and the shouting like Billy Mays. But his accent sounds more like Vince Offer/Shlomi. And when Bruce tosses the Twist N Stays over his shoulder it is reminiscent of Vince doing the same thing in the Slap Chop commercial.

Bruce’s awkward posture and the way he stands waaaay too close to the camera make me somewhat uncomfortable.

On an unrelated note, I think the groan at 0:19 was lifted from some hardcore porn video—and of course the Twist N Stay product itself might star in such a video in the near future.

I came across an infomercial for a product called “Get In Sync with the Opposite Sex,” which is an audio program for improving your relationship from some woman named Alison Armstrong. The product is boring and its infomercial is pretty dull. I’m surprised I kept watching it for one minute, but you oughta know that I’m glad I did because I suddenly saw one of the most surprising celebrity testimonials I’ve ever seen on an infomercial:

Isn’t it ironic that Alanis Morissette—whose musical oeuvre owes so much to her bitterness over men—would show up in some sappy infomercial for understanding the opposite sex! “One of the great outcomes in having immersed myself in Alison’s progam is that I’m able to love better,” Alanis tells the world.

Maybe they could get Dave Coulier to give a testimonial in their next infomercial. Now that would be a jagged little pill.

Watch veteran infomercial host Joe Fowler in the ad for Gator Grips and see if his manner reminds you of a certain recently deceased infomercial pitchman:

Maybe I’m just imagining things but it seems like Joe is deliberately trying to ape the style of Billy Mays:

1) He is SHOUTING in this commercial. In Joe Fowler’s previous infomercials (such as the Garden Groom or NuWave Oven), he was always rather soft-spoken but here he seems to be screaming…just like Billy!

2) The blue shirt—Billy’s trademark attire.

3) “Hi, Joe Fowler here” echoes Billy Mays’ signature line “Hi, Billy Mays here.”

It doesn’t help that Gator Grips is made by Simoniz, the company that also makes the products Fix It and Liquid Diamond, both pitched by Billy Mays. Or that Billy Mays did an ad for a similar product called Hercules Hooks. Or that Billy Mays also sold a product with “gator” in its name (Gator Blades).

Perhaps all these things are just coincidences, but they seem a bit suspicious.

However, if Joe Fowler shows up on his next TV commercial wearing a full beard then something is definitely up!

Now Caucasian and Asian women everywhere can have the “ghetto booty” they’ve long admired on the guests of the Maury Povich Show:

I quite enjoy the “pop” sound effect the commercial uses to emphasize “that bootylicious perky pop that all women want.”

The commercial calls BootyPop panties “Hollywood’s hottest new trade secret” and promises “now you can have that super sexy booty, just like the celebrities.” Maybe I haven’t been reading the National Enquirer as much as I should have lately, but are Hollywood celebrities especially known for having junk in the trunk? (With the exception of Calista Flockhart and Mickey Rourke, of course.)

Booty Pop offers a second pair of panties free, so women who are really desperate for a fat ass can wear both at the same time.

If the makers of Booty Pop can just get the mailing list of all the white women who bought the DramaTel, they will become rich beyond their wildest dreams.