Joe Fowler Channels the Ghost of Billy Mays in the Gator Grips Commercial
October 20th, 2009 by Paul Lucas
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!
There is almost no question that he is coining in on the Billy Mays image. Even his mannerisms are reminiscent of the late Billy Mays.
Comment by Truly — October 23rd, 2009 at 6:08 am
Oh man, what a joker! Even the silly description in the form of a rhyming couplet has Billy written all over it. It’s so obvious it almost comes across as an homage to Billy Mays.
Comment by Devika — October 28th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Wow, man has out done himself.
Comment by fd — November 5th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Or maybe! Billy Mays powers are so strong hes channeling himself through Joe Fowler… I must say Bill Mays must have had evil powers or something I bought so much stuff from him! XD
Comment by Nova — November 8th, 2009 at 2:01 am
He was loud and shouting when he did sports in San Antonio
But he was good at sports
Comment by Cda — September 10th, 2010 at 9:31 am
I agree that he’s copying Billy Mays’ style – but how do we know it was his idea? Maybe the infomercial’s producer directed him to do all those things, to copy Mays’ style. If Joe was hired for his own style, they wouldn’t have let him go renegade like this. I think it is specific direction. Lotta judgment here by people who don’t have all the information.
Comment by jcp — March 20th, 2011 at 6:05 am