The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill and the Clapper: Products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows?
What will become of iconic pitchmen such as Ron Popeil, Tony Little and Richard Simmons in an age where consumerism is changing by the day? This hour we'll take a look back at some of the most memorable infomercials of all time and ask if they still have a place in our national media landscape.
GUESTS:
- Remy Stern- Chief Digital Officer for the New York Post and author of the book, But Wait, There’s More
- Kevin Harrington- An original “Shark” on ABC’s The Shark Tank, unofficial “King of Infomercials” and author of Key Person of Influence. You can find him at www.kevinharrington.tv
- Ron Popeil- Inventor and iconic infomercial pitchman. He’s the creator and voice behind famous Ronco products like the Chop-O-Matic, the Showtime Rotisserie & BBQ and the Food Dehydrator
MUSIC:
- “Infomercial” by Milk & Cookie
- “The Infomercial Song” by Brian Spahr
- “Mr. Popeil” by “Weird Al” Yankovich
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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired on March 7, 2016.
