twiss@stolaf.UUCP (01/29/84)
Well, Jeff, Cal. isn't the only wierd place in the world. In Topeka, KS (or was it KC) there is a car salesman who actually got runner-up in a nation-wide contest for the most ridiculous car salesman. His name is Boots Williams and he has a sidekick named colonel Billy who sounds like he garggles with gravel. Such selling ploys include being chased by a bull up a hay stack (no bull at Boots Williams' Ford), running around his car lot naked (but wearing a barrel) and being chased by Col. Billy (they ran out of money by virtue of their low, low prices). So stop by Boots Williams Ford. Take I-70 east and take that SWIIINGIN' Red Bridge Exit! Col. Billy has become very popular in other insipid commercials, too. He has been seen in a barrel in a commercial for the "Inflation Beatin' Eatin' at the Rockwood Smorgasboard", flying (superimposed over background) down the streets of KC for a waterbed commercial.... Where does it end? I hear he's doing a commercial for a wombat-steak house...... Tom Twiss ...!ihnp4!stolaf!twiss
ted@teldata.UUCP (01/30/84)
***** Don't forget Dick Balsh(sp) who was on TV in the Seattle area a few years ago. He would smash headlights, fenders, doors, etc. with a sledge hammer or throw in a radio, literally, through a closed window. It seems he liked drugs and young girls and was indicted for that. Haven't heard of him for several years. Ralph Williams was here for a while too but the Wash. State Consumer Protection Agency chased him out. Funniest part of that was the fact the City of Seattle got burned by Ralphie on a deal for some fleet cars. Any one in the Chicago area remember Jim Moran the Courtesy Man?? (Goes back a few years) How about the Foreman Brothers (one of them got shot by an irate customer in about 1965).
okie@ihuxs.UUCP (B.K. Cobb) (01/30/84)
Well, in Oklahoma City, we have a memorable car dealer by the name of
Alan Merril ("Alan Merril Chevrolet, on the Northwest Expressway at May!")
-- memorable for the fact that he's rotund, short, and has a lisp that
won't quite. He's also well-known for "his committment to the Mexican
used-car market..." "So bring in that car today and trade it in -- we've
got to honor our committment to the Mexican used-car market!" His
commercials were on at every commercial break on movies after 10 p.m.
(sometimes twice each break) and during local newscasts. His son ran
for public office in OKC, and dear old dad had to help out on his
commercials -- needless to say, poor Alan, Junior (same lisp) lost by
a wide margin.
Along the same lines, we have a drastically obnoxious TV personality
that uses some of the same techniques to sell stereos. Linda Soundtrak
(that's her real name, folks!) is ugly, loud, rude, and on at least fifteen
times a day (mostly late evening). She yells into the mike, sets boxes
of stereos on fire to illustrate her "burning hot deals," and even named
her baby Sluggo Soundtrak (the kid drools on TV -- yeeccchhh!). She's
been doing this for seven years...and still her stores do a landslide
business (*sigh*).
B.K. Cobb
ihnp4!ihuxs!okieamigo2@ihuxq.UUCP (John Hobson) (02/01/84)
I remember reading about a car dealer in Los Angeles in the early days of TV who sold a car to a middle-aged, middle class black couple in a live commercial, waved to them as they drove off, turned to the camera and said: "There go a pair of happy niggers." John Hobson AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL (312) 979-7293 ihnp4!ihuxq!amigo2
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (02/01/84)
In the New York area, we get to put up with a guy who does screaming commercials for "Crazy Eddie". Everything you ever wanted in stereo, tv's, and computers. His prices are rock bottom. The guy who does the commercials is just as obnoxious off the set as on, having seen him interviewed one night on the news. Then, there is everyones favorite, good old (and I mean OLD) Tom Carvel. When he made the semi-rock commercial, I thought I'd split.
giw@browngr.UUCP (Jerry Weil) (02/03/84)
Speaking of Tom Carvel, I saw him a while back on David Letterman, telling the story of how he started doing his own commercials on radio - he seems to realize all too well just how stupid he sounds.
msimpson@bbncca.ARPA (Mike Simpson) (02/03/84)
***
Speaking of T C Wheeler (pyuxa!wetcw)'s reconunting of
"Crazy Eddie" -- I think that we have Eddie's sons here in
Boston. They are known as Krazy Ken and Demented Dave, and shill
mindlessly in trademark rapid-file style for a discount outlet
known as *Manufacturer's Marketplace*. TOO obnoxious for words.
-- Mike Simpson, BBN
--
-- cheers,
Mike Simpson, BBN
msimpson@bbn-unix (ARPA)
{decvax,linus,wjh12}!bbncca!msimpson (Usenet)
617-497-2819 (Ma Bell)neal@denelcor.UUCP (Neal Weidenhofer) (02/07/84)
************************************************************************** Here in Denver, we have a salesman for a furniture company by the name of Peter Boyle--He looks like one too. Regards, Neal Weidenhofer Denelcor, Inc. <hao|csu-cs|brl-bmd>!denelcor!neal
urban@trwspp.UUCP (02/08/84)
Another recent invention here in Southern California is a series of commercials for a chain of stereo stores called The Federated Group. These feature a character (i.e. an actor playing the role) named Fred Rated. The ads are usually very fast-talking and often witty, though sometimes only half-witty. Mike
obrien@randvax.ARPA (Michael O'Brien) (02/12/84)
In response to the question as to whether or not we culturally creative Southern Californians have anything in the way of TV sales more interesting than Cal Worthington (and his highly dangerous dog Spot), I'll mention the Rev. Gene Scott, who was one of the first TV personalities I took note of after moving out here. Dialling through the UHF haze one day, I ran across this TV preacher who was busily reading out, insulting, and generally scolding his entire studio technical staff for not supporting him more in his fight with the FCC. HIS history is fascinating indeed...particularly if you believe the rumors about his being seen in high-class nightclubs with improbably beautiful women...
gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (02/21/84)
This commercial drove me crazy in the winter of '83:
"This is Ed McMahon. You too can win the Publishers' Clearinghouse
Sweepstakes ..."
--
By the power of Grayskull!
Greg-bo, Prince of Eternia, Defender of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull
{decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds (UUCP)
Gds@XX (ARPA)