Infomercial Icon Mays Dead at 50

(NEWSER) - Initial autopsy results suggest that infomercial celebrity Billy Mays died of heart failure, the medical examiner announced today. The autopsy didn’t reveal any head trauma or drug abuse, both rumored causes of the 50-year-old's death, but did find hardening of his arteries, the St. Petersburg Times reports. He was also taking pain medication following recent hip surgeries, but there was no evidence they would have caused his death. More»

(NEWSER) - Many of the As Seen on TV goods hawked by the late Billy Mays were reviewed in the pages of Popular Mechanics; Harry Sawyers runs down the bellowing talent's top five infomercial products.

1. Hercules Hook: A heavy painting and a sack of books were no match for a hollow-wall anchor that Mays touted as "super strong."
2. Mighty Putty: Despite its innocent appearance as a two-part plumber’s epoxy, Mighty Putty managed to pull an 80,000-pound trailer, as demonstrated by Billy.

Low airtime costs offer big audience to low-budget spots

(NEWSER) - The recession has pushed TV advertising rates to a relative pittance, and that’s great news for tools like the PedEgg—a callous remover—and the Snuggie—a blanket with sleeves. Though it may hurt shows’ profiles, “Act Now!” infomercial-style ads have recently broken into primetime, the Washington Post reports. Broadcasters are loath to show the spots on premium shows, says an ad tracker, “but what are they going to do? They need the money.” More»

Sponsor spots to appear in 'Nature' and 'Nova' this fall

(NEWSER) - The days of uninterrupted programming at PBS may be numbered. Officials have notified member stations that PBS plans to start placing corporate sponsor spots and promotional messages in breaks during certain programs instead of between them, reports the New York Times , which notes that break-free programming has been one of PBS' most distinctive selling points for decades. The new model—which some fear will cause viewers and supporters to rebel—will be tested starting this fall in the science series Nova and Nature. More»

Their causes of death still puzzle researchers

(NEWSER) - These folks have been dead for centuries—and yet we still won’t leave them alone. Discover presents a list of celebs whose mysterious deaths keep us snooping:

• Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1961, researchers found a lot of arsenic in the emperor’s hair, prompting speculation that he was poinsoned. Two years ago, experts ruled this out: his arsenic levels hadn’t changed much during his life, and family members also carried high levels of the stuff.