Billy Mays, rest in peace

"Life's a pitch, and then you buy!"

Unlike many people, I never found Billy Mays's ads to be crummy. I always thought his over-the-top exuberant style was...well, kind of funny and kind of charming.

The thing is, his ads worked. You remembered what the commercial was for, didn't you? And unlike some other pitchmen, Billy never made me hate the product.

But not until I watched an episode of Pitchmen did I gain a deeper appreciation for Billy Mays's talent and personality. He was larger than life, and he was a warm and generous man.

I love Oxiclean, and I will miss Billy Mays. Here's my favorite of all his ads...not crummy at all: