RIP "Crazy Eddie" Antar

[The Big Ragu]

Eddie Antar, owner of 'Crazy Eddie' electronics chain, dead at 68

Anyone who grew up in the NY area in the 1970s / 80s will remember this:



"His prices are so low, they're INSANE!"

The place went bankrupt in the late 80s and left behind a giant embezzlement mess. The real Eddie (who first fled to Israel before being extradited) and his cousin (who was CFO) went to prison for tax evasion and securities fraud.

 

[Songbird]

During that era, those of us on the the West Coast had Mr. "***** Cow" Cal Worthington ...

 

[wicked]

The local businessman serving as colorful pitchman schtick is gone.

Ernie Boch, a car dealer, was the big one in Boston.

 

[Vombatus]

Songbird, WTF on several fronts. First, why "***** Cow"?

Second, that flew by the FCC? Hmm.

Third, did you see what video cued up after the ***** Cow one? Looks like a perverted National Geographic special, tits and all.

 

[YankeeFan]

I can't believe he was only 68.

 

[Songbird]

Songbird, WTF on several fronts. First, why "***** Cow"?

Second, that flew by the FCC? Hmm.

Third, did you see what video cued up after the ***** Cow one? Looks like a perverted National Geographic special, tits and all.

They're really saying "Go See Cal" but it knew what they were doing and ***** Cow took off like a wildfire.

I watched one of those side videos of Amazon people. Fascinating, especially the end of one where the dude's family, after he comes back from hunting, gathers round to pick ticks off his **** and balls.

 

[wicked]

***** isn't on the list of seven dirty words. Asshole isn't either.

 

[mpcincal]

They're really saying "Go See Cal" but it knew what they were doing and ***** Cow took off like a wildfire.

I watched one of those side videos of Amazon people. Fascinating, especially the end of one where the dude's family, after he comes back from hunting, gathers round to pick ticks off his **** and balls.

I'll back Songbird on the "Go See Cal." I misheard that line all throughout my childhood, and my Dad finally set me straight when I asked him what on Earth a "***** cow" was.

 

[Monday Morning Sportswriter]

The local businessman serving as colorful pitchman schtick is gone.

Ernie Boch, a car dealer, was the big one in Boston.

We have had Billy Fuccillo selling cars all across upstate New York -- Watertown to Albany -- and I think he is in Flordia, too. He's Huuuge.

 

[dixiehack]

Birmingham had Jim Skinner and his equally annoying son.

 

[User 1019]

From Columbus, Mississippi, here's Carl Hogan Automotive's entry.

 

[Batman]

We bought a TV and our first VCR from Crazy Eddie's when I was a kid.
That's all I got.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

In high school, my social studies class was learning about the Articles of Confederation. One of the lessons was watching a video that discussed the problems the country was facing, pre-Constitution, including how different states had different currency, etc.

In the video, they did reenactments of the era in period costume, such as Ed Koch as NYC's mayor in 1787. Crazy Eddie was one of the actors, going on a sales pitch about how he was taking New York and New Jersey currency. It got a good laugh from our class.

 

[Webster]

Yo mama's like Crazy Eddie; she's practically giving it all away.

 

[ThomsonONE]

Eddie Antar is not in the commercials. The character in the commercials was played by Jerry Carroll.

 

[cjericho]

Eddie Antar is not in the commercials. The character in the commercials was played by Jerry Carroll.

Carroll was a DJ also.

 

[expendable]

This guy was operating out of Charlotte when I was little. The business was a front for a drug ring. When the dog "Spot" was on the car it meant the drugs were already in, and if he was beside the car, the shipment was on the way.

 

[Neutral Corner]

This goes back to when WTBS was just the low power UHF station in Atlanta, pre-superstation, pre-cable.

One of the regular sponsors was the Big Red Furniture Barn, one of those cheap furniture places. The pitchmen were two twins who looked like they stepped straight out of the background of a Hee-Haw skit, overalls, plaid shirts, work boots, straw hats. "Mama got two for the price of one and SO CAN YOU at the Big Red Furniture Barn! Buy this living room suite and we'll throw in this dining room set for just nine cents, that's right, nine cents. Buy your kid this bedroom set and we'll throw in this pony!".

Unfortunately very pre-YouTube so I can't bring it to you in all its cheesy glory. "Nine Cents!"

 

[micropolitan guy]

There was a guy in Richmond in the 70s whose schtick was, "I'd give 'em away, but my wife won't let me."

One of the big car guys in Portland in the 1980s-90s, Scott Thomason, always said "If you don't come see me today, I can't save you any money." He got busted for something and lost his empire.

 

[Steak Snabler]

There are still some local TV nutjobs around: