July 28, 2021

Ron Popeil, RIP

Sad news, I'm afraid. TMZ is reporting that the great Ron Popeil "experienced a severe medical emergency Tuesday and died early Wednesday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A." He was 86.

Early in my career, I met Mr. Popeil at the Housewares Show in Chicago and later had the honor of interviewing him for a newsletter that IdeaVillage CEO Andy Khubani and I were doing at the time. Mr. Popeil was always gracious and full of gems, which I eagerly snapped up and put to good use. May he rest in peace. His impact on our industry is immeasurable.

For those interested, you can download and read the interview with Mr. Popeil. I also highly recommend his autobiography, Salesman of the Century. The title is no exaggeration: He was indeed.