© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Remembering An Inventor Who Sold Dreams In The Form Of Pocket Fishing Poles

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Insomniacs, gadget lovers, shopaholics and fans of dehydrated beef are all in mourning today.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: The appliance that can slice, dice, chop...

SHAPIRO: America has lost the infomercial star and inventor Ron Popeil.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RON POPEIL: Just four easy payments. And it makes a great gift.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Popeil, who was 86, died Wednesday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

POPEIL: But wait. There's more.

CHANG: He came direct into our living rooms to sell us gadgets we didn't even know we needed until we had to have them, like the Bagel Cutter, the Hav-a-Maid Mop and the Whip-O-Matic.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: I got one.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: I got this microphone, and I love it.

SHAPIRO: Generations of TV viewers saw Popeil pitch his Pocket Fisherman.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: There's never been anything like it - Popeil's Pocket Fisherman.

SHAPIRO: And hawk everything from the Veg-O-Matic to the Chop-O-Matic.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

POPEIL: I'm going to show you the greatest kitchen appliance ever made. It's called Chop-O-Matic.

CHANG: But wait. There's more. His biggest moneymaker was Ronco's Showtime Rotisserie and Barbecue. Popeil sold millions of the ovens and delivered his most memorable catchphrase.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

POPEIL: Just...

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: Set it and forget it.

SHAPIRO: Set it and forget it.

CHANG: (Laughter).

SHAPIRO: Popeil and his gadgets were widely parodied, like in the song "Mr. Popeil" by Weird Al Yankovic.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MR. POPEIL")

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC: (Singing) You get a Ginsu knife and a smokeless ashtray.

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) Now how much would you pay?

YANKOVIC: (Singing) Now how much would you pay?

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC AND UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) Mr. Popeil, Mr. Popeil.

SHAPIRO: And most famously, he was parodied in the Bass-O-Matic skit on "Saturday Night Live" with Dan Aykroyd.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE")

DAN AYKROYD: That's the whole bass into the Super Bass-O-Matic 76. Now I'll adjust the control dial.

CHANG: Yummy, yummy. But Popeil was in on the joke. He even voiced a version of himself for the animated series "Futurama."

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FUTURAMA")

POPEIL: (As Ron Popeil's Head) I'm your host, Ron Popeil, inventor of Mr. Microphone, the spray-on toupee and, of course...

SHAPIRO: Really, Popeil was more beloved than mocked. For example, take this birthday tribute posted to Popeil's Facebook fan page last May.

(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #5: (Singing) Your spray-on hair really worked, but some people thought it was a joke. Bought a Showtime Rotisserie. Works like a champ, it's true. Now that you turn 85, I wish happy birthday to you.

CHANG: Ultimately, you didn't watch a Ron Popeil infomercial so much as get mesmerized by one

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

POPEIL: ...Spend $400 or 350 or 320...

SHAPIRO: From Mr. Microphone to the smokeless ashtray, Popeil's infomercials introduced us to problems we didn't know we had.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

POPEIL: The Inside the Eggshell Egg Scrambler perfectly blends...

SHAPIRO: But a low, low price in four easy payments, he offered us solutions. And for that, we are grateful. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.