Discovery Channel’s big surprise hit was a show in 2009 about the lives of two career pitch guys: an English gent by the name of Anthony Sullivan, and a black bearded, in your face screamer known as Billy Mays. People were surprised how good the show was and the ratings indicated that this was a tv program that could have some real legs. Unfortunately, one of the realities of life got in the way, as Billy Mays unexpectedly passed away, shocking the world, especially those closest to him. But Discovery liked the show so much that they were willing to give Billy’s partner, Sully a shot at making it work on his own. And I’m sure they’re glad they did as Pitchmen Season Two premiered and hit the ball out of the stadium and into the parking lot.

Now every great opening night has to have a great premiere party, and this one did not disappoint as northern Florida rocked. The beautiful new Tampa Museum of Art played host to a direct response celebration like no other as Sullivan Productions and TeleBrands sponsored a soiree to remember. 500 guests came to celebrate with Sully and AJ, as well as pay tribute to the late, great Mr. Mays. Industry big wigs, friends, and inventors featured in this season’s episodes posed for photos while partying hardy, and rightfully so.

Sully and his departed friend’s son, Billy the third gave heartfelt speeches about the pitchman, friend, and father who touched the lives of so many. And in a unique way of honoring the late Mays, local artists showed up with photos, prints and paintings of Billy Mays to be auctioned off in a silent auction for a charity. All proceeds from the auction  went  to a charity that is very dear to  the team: FOCUS ON RENEWAL, from Billy’s hometown of McKees Rocks, PA.

“This was just a great night for everyone involved,” said our very own AJ Khubani, who enjoyed the night with his family by his side. “I’m so proud to be involved with Discovery Channel and Sullivan Productions as this show truly brings out the entrepreneur in all of us!”

Finally came the nine o’clock hour as the music stopped and everyone gathered to watch episode one of the 2010 season – one in which Mr. Sullivan was lit on fire while performing one of the greatest pitchman stunts of all time!

Yes, Sully, & AJ, we all want to know what in the world you can do for an encore!

I have no doubt that a great night in Tampa will be followed by a great season of Pitchmen episodes!

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

AJ Khubani guest stars and Sully lights himself ablaze! Talk about “Must-See” TV!

Last Thursday, the premiere of Pitchmen Season Two made its debut as Sully goes solo, trying to find the inventor with the next great hit product. This year is focused on the inventors, their back stories, and how everyday people can experience the American dream – developing the next big product, with the possibility of millions in dollars as the reward.

Episode one featured inventors from all across the country making their pitches to Sully and special guest, AJ, who are hard to impress and demanding in what they want to see and hear. I know from my own personal experience from sitting in on TeleBrands Inventor’s Days that you’ve got to do your homework and know and understand the kind of stuff that sells well on direct response TV! Out of all the inventions presented, two were chosen for product testing – the Hex Light, an ingenious flash light that attaches to your arm allowing hands free movement, and Cold Fire, a fire extinguisher in a can that has amazing life-saving power!

The Hex Light straps around your forearm as tiny LED lights circle your arm while pointing directly at the intended target. When experimenting with the light, Sully said that he may not  need to have a focus group review the product because he actually thinks it’s so good.

Next we were treated to the Cold Fire demonstration where a group of highly skeptical Florida firefighters put out some very tough blazes, and after all was said and done, they were convinced that this product was the real deal. Of course Mr. Sullivan was equally satisfied, which convinced him to do the ultimate pitch for this product – one he said that even the great Billy Mays would not have attempted. Yes, Sully agreed to have himself lit on fire, with the hopes that a can of Cold Fire would douse the flames before he ended up in the local Denny’s as the crispy bacon breakfast special. Talk about making for great television!

Tensions mounted as Sully donned protective gear that would hopefully insulate him from the heat and flames long enough for firemen to extinguish the blaze. He soaked himself in flame retardant gel and applied several layers of garments as his personal team looked as if they were all ready to hurl their lunches in unison. I was squirming in my chair, myself, knowing that certain things can be faked for effect on television, but this definitely was not one of them. Sully was going all the way with this stunt, perhaps one of the bravest and most insane piece of live action ever filmed in the history of the infomercial world.

The moment of truth came as Anthony Sullivan became a human Tiki torch, diving to the ground while looking square into the camera to make his pitch – all while Cold Fire extinguished the flames from his back, head and arms!

Bravo, Sully, bravo… for one of the greatest pitches I have ever witnessed, and an utterly fantastic Season Two opener for this weekly show! Only one question comes to mind, my brother… what the hell do you do for an encore?! Guess we’ll find out in episode two airing Thursday night!

But Wait… There’s More!…

Stay tuned next time for a report on the amazing soiree that had all of Tampa talking – the Season Two Premiere Party sponsored by TeleBrands and Sullivan Productions – a red carpet event celebrating these giants of the direct response industry!

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

As usual people traveled from all over North America to show their inventions to AJ Khubani with the hopes and dreams of striking it rich and bragging to the world that their product was chosen by the King of As Seen on TV. But from the minute they arrive, inventors realize it’s not an easy task. Thirty-four people were there to show their wares, and usually only a small handful make the first round – but hopefully, Sir AJ gives it the thumbs up and wants to test it in a commercial!

“A lot of these people come a long way to pitch their ideas and I try to give every one of them the respect they deserve, and the opportunity to convince me that their creation is the next great TeleBrands product,” said AJ to television and newspaper reporters.”Many won’t make the cut, and that’s hard , but I encourage them to  make their invention better or come up with something new for me.”

It’s only a natural reaction when some people are dejected and taken aback that AJ didn’t get up and dance on the table that his greatest product ever was now here before him. But then there are some who just keep on plugging away, like a woman who was back before us for a third time with her revised invention of the cereal bowl that keeps your Corn Flakes and Fruit Loops forever crunchy, never getting soggy. AJ loves cereal himself and admired her thought process and determination, but in the end, what it came down to is that he just didn’t feel the WOW factor was there – the ability to make people watching a TV commercial say, “WOW, I have got to have that!” And that is often the case with the inventions we see. So many are good products, well thought out, and definitely solve a problem. But the real question always is – Is there a big enough problem that the world NEEDS this product?

Howie Dobell came in with the GOTCHA, a device that squeezes between your wall and furniture that catches loose items that drop behind the couch or bed, such as keys, money, or jewelry. Howie gave it a lot of thought and yes it was practical and useful, but will people rush to the phone to give their credit card numbers and authorize a purchase for $19.95? The Wow factor plays an important role in the decision making process.

And then there’s the all-important matter of market size. Does the potential problem and solution appeal to a wide enough audience? We’ve seen many excellent ideas in niche markets, like for instance lawn and garden or for babies – but niche is unfortunately not for TeleBrands. You’ve got to think big when approaching Mr. K. with your stuff.

“Again, I see a lot of well thought out, useful products,” claims AJ, “But I am constantly questioning if the market size is big enough. We want to sell millions of products. It’s got to appeal to a mass market to make it as a  TeleBrands product.”

It was a great day in Philly and we got to meet many wonderful people. We’ll talk about some of the neat products and good people we met in Part Two of our Philadelphia extravaganza!

Wow, I don’t know about you, but I am seriously joesning for a cheese steak! Hey, I would love to invite the guy that invented it to our next Inventor’s Day! And if we do Philly again, I’ll make sure that Pat’s and Geno’s sends over an ample supply to keep the troops happy.

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

Okay, questions, I do see that you do have some questions. Yes you in the front row waving the Go Duster in the Iron Maiden t-shirt…

Hey Tommy,

I see there’s an upcoming TeleBrands Inventor’s Day in Philadelphia. They seem like an awful lot of fun, but I’m sure they’re actually a heck of a lot of work. What are your most memorable moments so far – good and bad? Any trouble makers or over the top people?

- Martin Short, Mississauga, Canada

Our time in Los Angeles back in March was definitely most memorable – mostly because I had the distinct honor of being on the judging panel. That was an incredibly long day because we kept accepting people to show their inventions who were showing up unannounced. We want to be nice an fair, but it does get to be too much. Even though they only get five minutes to do their pitch, we saw forty-four people that day, and combine that with the long flight and time difference, we were all ready to croak. But it was awesome having a media blitz there and being on the Today Show gave us some great exposure.

As far as over the top people, yeah, there’s always an extremely colorful person or two. It seemed that in LA, some of the flower children from the Valley waited until the very end to show us their stuff. It’s not every day you meet the guy who was the inspiration for Reverend Jim Ignatowski on Taxi, and lucky for us, we got to hang with his wife, friends, and family as well. No one ever causes trouble, in fact it’s great to meet everyone who comes out to give their all and pitch the inventions that they believe will be the next big TeleBrands product.

I’m really looking forward to hanging with the good people in the city of Brotherly Love. We’re meeting some great people wherever we go and you just never know when you’re going to find the next great invention. Now, this TeleBrands Inventor’s Day for August 11, is filled to capacity with inventors, but if you have a great idea, go to www.telebrands.com, go to the Inventors Link and let us know what you’ve got!

Dear Tommy,

What has to be the strangest or wackiest invention you’ve seen to date? – Wilma Bedrock, Las Vegas, Nevada

Hey Wilma, First off, I hope Fred and Pebbles are doing well. You know there’s been a lot of weird and wacky stuff invented and marketed in the direct industry, but I think one of the top vote getters in this category has to be one of our own – an item called the Comfort Wipe. God knows what we were thinking but this baby came and went faster than poop through a goose. And trust me, that’s a good analogy because the Comfort Wipe was a handle designed to pick up toilet paper and clean up after yourself in the bathroom without your hands going near any of the yukky stuff. It was basically developed for seniors and rather large people who have trouble reaching around and, well, you know. I don’t need to get graphic here. I could, I mean I’ve been known to go for the low hanging fruit, but I’ll spare you the gory details for one day. Yeah, it was one of the crazier things I’ve ever seen and wouldn’t you know it, it didn’t test on tv too well. I guess people can tell a crappy product when they see it. Oh no, I didn’t just say that. Uh, yeah, I think I just did.

Well, thanks for checking in today, and keep throwing me these mind boggling questions. I’m ready for ya!

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

AJ’s is in the house and the ladies are lovin’ it!

I live close to the glorious TeleBrands world headquarters, here in northern New Jersey. Face it, Jersey often gets a bad rap and I can assure you that is NOT the cesspool it is painted to be by comedians who make us the brunt of their jokes. For those of you across the country who do believe that all people from New Jersey live in a putrid industrial swamp, say fugeddabouit at the drop of a hat, and will whack somebody just for taking their parking space… you really do need a little “Jersey Style” education.

In case you were ever wondering, (yeah, like I’m sure you were) here in the “Garden State” we’ve got tons of great stuff to see and lots to do to keep us occupied. The office is like half an hour outside of Manhattan…We’ve got the Meadowlands and the Prudential Center and a load of pro sports teams around the corner… There’s 100’s of miles of beach and coastline along the Atlantic, but unfortunately it is embarrassing to refer to it as the Jersey Shore any longer. The Sopranos made their home here and so many times you’d see them shooting scenes in local neighborhoods. And our staple breakfast sandwich is the Taylor Ham, egg and cheese on a hard roll with ketchup.

There’s a million plus acres of forest and mountains, and we are the some of the countries leading producers of cranberries and blueberries. Ever have huge dark red Jersey tomatoes or white Jersey sweet corn? If you have, you KNOW how amazing it is. Washington’s headquarters are in Morristown, Thomas Edison’s home is incredible to walk through, and the Bada Bing really exists under s different name.

New Jersey is home to Princeton University, Seton Hall, and Rutgers, as well as luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Buzz Aldrin, Norman Schwarzkopf , Derek Jeter, Shaq, Bon Jovi, Sinatra, and of course let’s not forget Derek Drymon, from my hometown of Jefferson Township, and famed producer of Spongebob Squarepants.  This state is a venerable melting pot of nationalities, with Wallington Township being the 2nd largest Polish community in the country! And above and beyond anything, we’re probably best known as the “diner” state. Oh hey… did I forget to mention the infomecical King, Mr. AJ Khubani?!

But damn, people, don’t call it New JOISEY. Nobody says that – it’s a myth. I think it derived from some 1930’s gangster flick. You THINK we say it, but we don’t… trust me.

I will admit there’s no doubt that Jersey people are nowhere near as friendly as others around the country. We’re certainly not mean or anything, it’s just that people in the NY / NJ metro area move at a much faster pace than anywhere else in the U.S. New Jersey is the most densely populated state and the cost of living is outrageous. Our property taxes and car insurance is the highest in the nation and millions of us are cramped into this little state that basically looks like a guy with a flat head who is looking to his left.

So there ya go. A little lowdown on the home of Bon Jovi, the Ped Egg, the Perfect Fit Button, and the Windshield Wonder! Hoping you’re feeling a bit more astute, and if the category of “Garden State Trivia” comes up Jeopardy, you’ll wow your guests and family with your inane and gnarly New Jersey knowledge.

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

Dear Tommy,

TeleBrands has so many great items and throughout the years there have been so many great inventions. What are some of your favorites?

- Pete Shwetty, Havestraw, New York

Well, Pete, I’m really an old school kind of guy and I’ve got to go way back and say my all-time favorite invention has got to be FIRE. Like the great Mr. Khubani always says about a good invention, it’s got to solve a big enough common problem and I think the cave people did a hell of a job, to tell you the truth. Can you imagine those early informercials? “Oh NO! Raw tyrannosaurus again?! What a scaly, slimy mess! And what about that ice-cold cave you sleep in? You know that elk fur can only keep you so warm. And damned if you can’t see more than two feet in front of your face at night! But now there’s FIRE by Caveco, the hottest new thing to come along since Raquel Welch in One Million BC! It’s cooks, it lights, it warms…versatile and easy to use and clean up is a snap with just a splash of water. But wait, there’s more! Act now and we’ll also send you the wheel!

Dear Tommy Z,

You may very well be an annoying, self absorbed, talentless slug with little redeeming value, but for some reason I am hopelessly addicted to this blog! Is there something wrong with me. Should I get myself checked out? What the heck, man?

- Scutt Farkus, Hammond, Indiana

The power of As Seen on TV is a mighty one, Scutt. Can I call you Scutt? Right. While I admit that I do have some deep personal issues, my love for TeleBrands products simply cannot be ignored. Except for Bare Lifts, I use every TeleBrands product, including Bark Off on my kids. Psychiatric help may be something you’d want to consider, but in the meantime, keep enjoying my senseless drivel and check in every so often. I am here for your personal enjoyment. What the heck, man, is right!

Dear Z,

As a tribal high priest, I’m always on the run practicing my voo-doo and black magic and I never have enough room for the shrunken heads. Well, I finally came up with an amazing method to store the heads while eliminating the fuss that goes into the clean up. I think AJ will love it and I’d like to know when your next Inventor’s Day in Fairfield, New Jersey will be?

Chief Hannibal Shwartz, Somewhere in New Guinea

Well, Chief, we’ve kind of gotten into themed Inventor’s Days like the recent one we just had featuring kitchen items. So, I’m not really sure what category your product would fit under. Maybe house & hut wares, not sure, bro. Definitely a niche market item, but I’m not saying it’s bad. You might be better off at Lowes or Bed Bath and Beyond. I’m sure they’d give you prime isle space or an end cap display. (Man, I’m really reaching with this one. You wouldn’t think I’d be running out of material this early on.)

Hey, so many questions, so little time. We’ll get to a new batch next time here on the TeleBLOG. So keep those cards & letters coming! Or, go ahead and be a lazy shmoe and use email. Whatever.

But WAIT… There really is More!!!

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

So What’s The Buzz in TeleBrands Land…

Yeah, welcome to the first TeleBuzz on the BLOG… the post that lets you in on all the cool and funky happenings with AJ Khubani and his illustrious TeleBrands empire. Let me tell you, there really is some great stuff going on here in north Jersey and AJ is becoming a real star in his own right…

That Was One Very Crazy VIEW!…

On June 21, AJ appeared live on the view and it was one of the most insane segments you’ll ever see! Host Sherri Shepherd was joined by comics Jay Mohr and Tom Bergeron for an evaluation of some AS Seen on TV products. But when it came to the Shake Weights and the Bare Lifts, things got a whole lot crazy, as AJ played the perfect straight man during several minutes of comedic mayhem! See the You Tube clip right here on the blog in our video section!

Say… Have You Seen Chelsea Lately?…

On June 21, AJ made his debut appearance on the E Nework’s late night talk show, Chelsea Lately, showing off the As Seen on TV wares to the quick witted blond host, Ms. Chelsea Handler. The author/comic/show host is known for her sharp tongue and she let a few expletives fly, but AJ took it all in stride, even while demonstrating how to secure the Perfect Fit Button on the lovely host’s jeans. Okay, so his hands shook a little.. and yours would too, so cut the dude some slack. All in all it was a great segment – very funny,  and the bossman is invited back to LA for another round! Next time, I’m definitely tagging along… unfortunately he doesn’t know it yet. I think I’ll wait to tell him. Uh-oh… man, I think I just did.

AJ Inducted into Free Enterprise Hall of Fame…

On June 16,  The King of As Seen on TV was named Man of the year and inducted into the Free Enterprise Hall of Fame, here in Jersey. According to a ParamusPost.com article: The Foundation for Free Enterprise is the educational arm of the Commerce and Industry Association of NJ. The foundation’s mission is to provide leadership by educating young people, and others who will influence the future, concerning free market economics, limited government, individual self-reliance, and the preservation of the entrepreneurial spirit. It was an incredibly festive luncheon with over 300 guests and local dignitaries coming to honor the well deserving Mr. K! On a side note… By the looks of the photo, I have GOT TO work on my tan!

Tell Me, What’s So Great About America?…

Okay I will… Its entrepreneurial spirit, so says TV news commentator, John Stossel, whose TV special, What’s So Great about America featured our very own AJ as well as pitchman Anthony Sullivan, as they discussed the positives of being an entrepreneur in the land of the free. And much to this Blog author’s surprise, I was shown several times during the special as they featured clips from our Inventor’s Pitch Day from Los Angeles, several months ago.

Inventor’s Pitch Day Coming Next Week…

On July 13th we’ll be seeing inventors from all over North America, who come to pitch King Khubani in hopes of having the next big TeleBrands product! Unfortunately this one is closed as we’ve reached the maximum number of inventors, but we’ll be hosting several more in the near future! So if you’ve got a great idea, don’t hesitate to contact us on the main website > http://www.telebrands.com/inventors.html

So that’s all for the first presentation of the TeleBuzz. We guarantee more great stuff to come!

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG

Now some of you think that getting to write this Blog is way cool – which of course it is. But if you’re like my wife, you really don’t think this is much of a job. She’s waiting for me to put my resume out there and be a vice president of something, but that just ain’t gonna happen. I’ve been to Charlotte and LA over the past few months, been on TV and film a bunch of times, sat on the judges panel in Los Angeles, and have met a load of inventors who all think they have the next great product. And, I also get to ride in AJ’s Rolls Royce once in a while which really isn’t so terrible – trust me on this one. You know what, I am having a hell of a lot of fun so tough noogies honey, I’m staying put.

And after years of being the man in charge, AJ gets to finally have a little fun of his own, appearing on numerous TV and talk shows, news programs, and cool gigs like being on the show Pitchmen. And he even got to drop the puck for the opening faceoff at a hockey game! Just this week he appeared on the View and the late night show Chelsea Lately – a heck of a departure from selling eggs that scrape the dead skin from the bottom of your feet. But after 30 million units sold, selling Ped Eggs isn’t so bad.

Which leads me to the products that are tested and sold, which are not even remotely mundane in any respect. Look at Crazy Critters. It’s not like selling oven mitts or wingnuts. They’re cloth animals that kind of resemble road kill, but your dog can chew the bejeezuz out of ‘em and they won’t shred or leave stuffing everywhere! Pooches absolutely love them! The Perfect Fit Button is great… so you packed on a few extra pounds since Christmas… insert the Perfect fit Button and being a fatso was never so fun and easy! Go ahead, have that last hunk of pie, I’m not looking, I swear! Then there’s the Pasta Boat. Have you seen this yet? Probably the easiest, funnest, and most effective way to make any kind of pasta. Of course what could be better than Bare Lifts? Nice! Damn people, I think I have to say that TeleBrands is an amazing amount of fun. I mean if you’re gonna be in business, why not peddle Windshield Wonders and run around like a loon screaming BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE, DAMMIT!!!

Hopefully I’ll get some of the cool behind the scenes people like Home Girl Sherrie and Wonderfully Mad Max to chime in on the comments. And how about you throwing a few comments this way too. Let’s get this social media party thing started, people, because I’m telling you that TeleBrands is where the fun is at!

Later y’all

- Tommy Z
TeleBrands The BLOG