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Cocaine killed Billy Mays!

Archive: 18 posts

An official autopsy report released Friday found that cocaine use contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed TV pitchman Billy Mays in June, but his family called the finding "speculative" and considered getting an independent look at the results.

The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office previously determined that the bearded, boisterous TV spokesman had a heart attack in his sleep. His wife found him unresponsive in bed in their Tampa condo June 28.

Mays, 50, was a pop-culture fixture with his energetic commercials pitching gadgets and cleaning products like Orange Glo and OxiClean.
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While heart disease was the primary cause of death, a report released Friday by the medical examiner listed cocaine as a "contributory cause of death."

The medical examiner "concluded that cocaine use caused or contributed to the development of his heart disease, and thereby contributed to his death," the office said in a press release.

Family 'extremely disappointed'
The office said Mays last used cocaine in the few days before his death but was not under the influence of the drug when he died. Hillsborough County spokeswoman Lori Hudson said nothing in the toxicology report indicated the frequency of Mays' cocaine use.

"We were totally unaware of any non-prescription drug usage and are actively considering an independent evaluation of the autopsy results," Mays' family said in a statement.

The statement said the family was "extremely disappointed" by the release of the information by the medical examiner's office. The report "contains speculative conclusions that are frankly unnecessary and tend to obscure the conclusion that Billy suffered from chronic, untreated hypertension, which only demonstrates how important it is to regularly monitor one's health."

Cocaine can raise the arterial blood pressure, directly cause thickening of the left wall of the ventricle and accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, the release said.

Tests show painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs
The toxicology tests also showed therapeutic amounts of painkillers hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol, as well as anti-anxiety drugs alprazolam and diazepam. Mays had suffered hip problems and was scheduled for hip-replacement surgery the day after he was found dead.

Longtime friend and colleague AJ Khubani, founder and CEO of the "As Seen on TV" product company Telebrands, said Mays never exhibited any signs of drug use and was always prepared for his many commercial shoots.

"I'm just shocked," Khubani said. "He was the model of a responsible citizen."

Mays, a McKees Rocks, Pa., native, developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.

He got his start on TV on the Home Shopping Network and then branched out into commercials and infomercials. He developed such a strong following that he became the subject of a reality TV series, Discovery Channel's "Pitchmen."
This was definitely unexpected.		2009-08-08 01:08:00

Author:
Arkei
Posts: 1432

wow didnt see that coming2009-08-08 01:18:00

Author:
siccology
Posts: 279

Yeah, I agree, really unexpected. And sad. 2009-08-08 04:22:00

Author:
Bumblebee__
Posts: 65

Billy Mays, cocaine? Wow... just wow2009-08-08 09:15:00

Author:
Shermzor
Posts: 1330

Wow.

..............		2009-08-08 12:03:00

Author:
Adam9001
Posts: 744

Expect some bad jokes from this. 2009-08-08 13:35:00

Author:
iiiijujube
Posts: 594

A little innapropriate but this reminded me of this song.

YouTube - Queens Of The Stone Age - Feel Good Hit of the Summer Live

1:08		2009-08-08 13:40:00

Author:
Zac
Posts: 165

and to think I thought of this guy as an honest, well meaning spokesperson...2009-08-08 20:33:00

Author:
Gondito
Posts: 1082

hmmm.............2009-08-08 20:40:00

Author:
Rustbukkit
Posts: 1737

Well, didnt see that one coming. Billy was the man.2009-08-08 21:08:00

Author:
King_Tubb
Posts: 435

wow
............		2009-08-08 21:32:00

Author:
lbptrophyluver
Posts: 103

Hi, Billy Mays here! And I'm here to show you the incredible life-enhancing powers... of COCAINE!!!
Sorry, couldn't resist.
I too didn't see that coming. I thought it was because of a fatal head injury during the flight home. I've also heard that someone messed up his medications and swapped them out for the lethal dose of cocaine that killed him. At least now we won't have to wonder how he died anymore...		2009-08-09 03:47:00

Author:
Outlaw-Jack
Posts: 5757

If that is true it would not be surprising to me at all. No disrespect intended but looking back on his ads I would not doubt that he had taken a snort during his shoots.2009-08-12 16:40:00

Author:
rz22g
Posts: 340

If that is true it would not be surprising to me at all. No disrespect intended but looking back on his ads I would not doubt that he had taken a snort during his shoots.
I gotta wholeheartedly agree with that!		2009-08-12 16:43:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

...WHAT!? I'm shocked :o2009-08-12 21:18:00

Author:
Zhion5991
Posts: 164

:/

Well this is awkward. Not to mention a bit disappointing.		2009-08-12 21:38:00

Author:
Astrosimi
Posts: 2046

Sad tale, I looked up to Billy Mays.2009-08-13 05:51:00

Author:
TheMarvelousHat
Posts: 542

Well, remember gentlemen, simply because he used cocaine, it does not mean he was any less of a great man, just less of a role model in terms of health..... Many famous rock stars did drugs recreationaly, which may not even have been Billy May's case. In the post-revelation press release the family stated he was going through pain before his third hip surgery.... It may have very well been possible Billy couldn't take the pain.


But please, I don't think we should forsake him for this.		2009-08-13 10:27:00

Author:
Astrosimi
Posts: 2046


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