I still pull this up from time to time and can’t help but giggle.
I love when he pulls the drawer out at the end of a scene but they still decided to keep that take. The “good enough” mentality is strong with this production. Great find!
My favorite is always going to be that first segment. You know they told him he should speak to the camera, and by god he was gonna do it right, even while oh so agilely wailing on that dresser, sending at least two pieces of it flying into the air.
Fantastic. Love this guy’s enthusiasm
He beat it to death. “Slightly used” furniture for sale.
This guy has a face too small for his head:
Bonus: Riffing on the Linoleum Floors gag.
Did he call it a “suit”? (vs. suite)
Interesting… his names Johnny Ross and he’s done various wacky commercials for various stores
Johnny Ross swings his arm around clockwise over and over from the elbow - not the shoulder - looks as if it would produce a sharp twinge.
He swears it doesn’t hurt a bit.
The portly television pitchman, known in Northwest Arkansas for the zany commercials he does for Sam’s Furniture in Springdale, incorporates the fast-moving swing into most of the ads he does. Ross’ quirky arm motion and familiar “Get it at Sam’s” line - spoken in unison with store owner Joe Donaldson - show up in most of the Sam’s advertising these days.
…
Ross for 30 years has made his living in the fast-paced, sometimes crazy world of TV advertising for furniture stores. While Ross’ antics promote stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas, other pitchmen do their own shenanigans elsewhere. Two people dressed as pirates clang swords over a dining room table to make high prices “walk the plank” at Martin Fine Furniture in Indiana. In Grand Prairie, Texas, Town and Country Furniture shows ads in which a man clobbers a piece of furniture with a baseball bat to “beat down” prices.
https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2010/dec/27/arm-rotating-ross-puts-fun-furnishings-20101227/
Possibly, but parsing the article and listening to the Texas commercial, I don’t think it’s Johnny. I’d be willing to admit he was involved, though. Our bat-wielding friend claims to be named Brent, and the article seems to put the Grand Prairie commercial in the “other pitchmen” section.
I totally missed that. Thanks for the correction
No worries. I loved the article. Gave great insight into what must be one of the more unusual ways to make a career in TV. Thanks!