Pitchmen

January 18, 2010 -- "Pitchment"

Maybe it’s the DNA. Or too much caffeine at a young age. What is that special gift that enables great pitchmen to part us from our money? And what is that part of us that wants to be pitched? Hold on to your wallet: this week Terry O’Reilly looks at the natural born pitchmen- from the travelling medicine shows of the early 20th Century, to the late-great Billy Mays. He’ll explain what separates the true pitchmen- such as Vince “Slap-Chop” Shlomi, from high-octane celebrity spokespeople, such as Priceline’s William Shatner. And he’ll chronicle the pitchman’s ouster from prime time broadcast to the low-rent districts of shopping channels and infomercials.