On April 15, 2009, the Discovery Channel began airing PitchMen, a documentary series that featured Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their jobs in direct-response marketing. Shooting was scheduled to begin in August 2009. Prior to his death, Mays had signed a deal with Taco Bell to film infomercial-style commercials for the chain. He also made a live appearance during the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl promoting ESPN's and ABC's January 1, 2009, bowl games. These ads were a slight departure for Mays as they were designed to be parodies of his and other infomercial cliches with Mays appearing to be doing a parody of himself. In December 2008, Mays began appearing in ads for ESPN's online service, ESPN360. Mays claimed to be an avid user of the products he promoted. His services as a pitchman became highly sought-after, and he appeared in commercials for many diverse "as seen on TV" products such as Mighty Putty. Mays was the CEO and founder of Mays Promotions, Inc., based at his home in Odessa, Florida. Later on he would appear in Kaboom infomercials. He would be a staple on the group, as well as the more common company at the time, OrangeGlo. In October 2000 he shot an informercial for the then-three-year-old OxiClean corporation. For example, Washington Post staff writer Frank Ahrens called him and other similar television salesmen "a full-volume pitchman, amped up like a candidate for a tranquilizer-gun takedown". He was very well known for shouting in an abrasive manner during infomercials. Customer response to Mays' sales pitches was enthusiastic, with a sharp increase in sales after his first day on the network, although some reviews were poor.
That same year he also befriended another future pitchman, Anthony Sullivan. He was then hired by the company to promote their line of cleaners, OxiClean, Orange Clean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom, on the Home Shopping Network in St. Television pitchingĪt a Pittsburgh home show in 1993, Mays struck up a friendship with rival salesman Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International, a Denver-based manufacturer of cleaning products. Mays then traveled to home shows, auto shows, and state fairs across the United States for a period of twelve years, selling various maintenance products and tools, including cleaning products and food choppers. In Atlantic City, he was taught how to sell by the older salesmen, saying "I was taught to pitch by a lot of old pitchmen.
On the Atlantic City boardwalk, Mays sold the Washmatik portable washing device to passersby, along with other "As Seen on TV" products. After dropping out of college, Mays worked for his father's hazardous waste company before moving to Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1983.
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