September-October 2016 Vol. 12, No. 5

The Official Magazine of U.S. Masters Swimming usms.org REST UP TO SPEED UP DYNAMITE DOLPHIN KICK Olympians Among Us

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As Seen on TV: Anthony Sullivan As Sen On

BY ELAINE K. HOWLEY LIFE’S A PITCH FOR PRODUCER AND ENTREPRENEUR ANTHONYANTHONY SULLIVANSULLIVAN

e slices. He dices. And he does so much more. He’s Anthony Sulli- van, the roguish Englishman you’ve seen on TV during dozens of H 2-minute spots for OxiClean, Stick-Up Bulbs, Smart Choppers, Swivel Sweepers, and loads of other inventive household products. A fixture of TV , Sullivan also appeared on the grueling 2003 reality adventure program “Eco Challenge,” and was the co-star of Dis- covery Channel’s “PitchMen.” He now runs a thriving production com- pany that creates advertising spots for Arm & Hammer, NutriSystem, Crock-Pot, and many other familiar products. What you might not know about this 47-year-old fast-talker is that he’s also a top notch Masters swimmer with Florida’s St. Pete Masters and he credits swimming for much of his success in life.

18 usms.org When he’s not producing television infomercials, OxiClean pitchman Anthony Sullivan swims with St. Pete Masters in Florida. Sullivan Productions

september-october 2016 19 Sullivan and friend and bought a house. But then and partner Billy came the fall—the Black Mon- Mays (right) pose with host Conan day real estate crash of 1987 O’Brien (center) after that submerged Sullivan into taping an episode of a deep trench of debt. “I was the “Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” 18 years old, and I was under- in June 2009. water,” he recalls. “It was a Steve Jones horrifying feeling.” Sullivan wasn’t quite sure how he would get out of this bind, but a solution was just ahead; one day while covering a friend’s shift at a market stall, Sullivan stumbled on his calling. A merchant across the way selling a product called the Washmatik caught Sullivan’s at- tention. “I was watching this guy sell, listening to the patter over and over and counting how many he’s selling, and I said to myself, ‘That’s what I need to do!’” So Sullivan introduced himself and asked the man to teach him how to hawk prod- English Rots kept training. “I had the bug. I yelled at by the coach, I was ucts. “I was good at it, and be- Long before he became a would wake up early and wake miles away from home, and fore I knew it, I was touring television personality, Sullivan my dad up and get there early. I not allowed to play other around England selling these lit- was a swimmer in Devon, En- wanted my coaches to know I sports. This dream I had of go- tle carwashes. It was more mon- gland. He says he can’t remem- was super keen,” he remem- ing to the Olympics, now it ey than I’d ever made in my life, ber a time when he didn’t know bers. His diligence paid off; by wasn’t fun anymore,” he says. but there was no glamor in it.” how to swim, and he joined his the time he was 10, he’d be- He stuck it out for about a Sullivan says his mom was dis- first team at about age 6. He come the Devon County cham- year and a half, but finally, he’d appointed because he’d gone to had talent and won his first big pion and “my coaches started had enough and quit swimming, a good school and she feared he race when he was 8. He liked taking me seriously,” he says. telling his coach dramatically, “If wasn’t reaching his full poten- the feeling of winning, and be- Because of this early display you put me in the pool, I’ll tial. But she needn’t have wor- cause swimming supplied it, he of aptitude and potential, Sulli- drown.” After leaving swim- ried—there was more to come. van enrolled at a private ming, Sullivan’s life at school im- Now flush with cash, Sullivan school, Kelly College (now mediately improved. “I started paid off his house and relocated called Mount Kelly College) in playing rugby and cross-country to Los Angeles, where he re- Devon, where several mem- running, and I had a great time sumed swimming. “I’d finally bers of the British national at the school. I don’t regret leav- gotten out of the rain in England. team trained. He arrived at ing swimming” he says. And it sounds kind of cliché, but age 12 and was the youngest But swimming wasn’t quite the American dream meant kid on the team. The pressure done with him. something to me,” he says. to train and win was a lot for Sullivan to cope with at that The American Dream Broadcast Destiny age, and the culture on the If the economy in England In the , Sullivan team left him wanting more in the late 1980s had been moved into selling Smart Mops social engagement with his stronger, the world might not at home shows all over Califor- peers. “That’s when I started have gotten the opportunity to nia. Eventually, the sales team to fall out of love with the witness Sullivan’s evolution decided to head east to try sport,” he says. “I remember into a pop-culture icon. Hav- their luck at some home shows going from being the fastest in ing finished school, Sullivan there. Enroute to Miami, the Sullivan at 10 years old the pool to the slowest. It was took a gap year before intend- group happened to drive past shows off his Devon County Championship trophy. so hard to keep up. I was this ing to study at university. He’d the Home Shopping Network Sally Greene skinny little rat kid, I was gotten some money together headquarters in St. Petersburg,

20 usms.org Fla. “And a lightbulb went off in “We were hypercompetitive, but They’d both finally arrived, at Beam, and lots of other As my head,” Sullivan says. He re- had a healthy mutual respect for just about the same time. Seen On TV items. Sullivan’s alized if he could get inside the each other. Still, I didn’t want What Sullivan didn’t realize commercials air in 60 coun- building, he liked his chances him anywhere near me when while basking in “The Tonight tries, and the business is growing of getting on the airwaves we were working because he Show” glow was that just a few and evolving, making for a fast- where he might reach a much was as good or better than I days later his friend and business paced career both in front of and larger audience—with more was,” Sullivan laughs. partner would be gone; Mays behind the camera. Sullivan says dollars to spend—than he After leaving HSN, Sullivan died unexpectedly of heart dis- direct-to-consumer marketing could at any home show. set up his own company, Sullivan ease on June 28, 2009. Sullivan “used to be laughed at. But it was So the group pressed on to Productions, and his first product was devastated. “That was a the only retail category that Miami and then back to St. Pe- was the Rotato Potato Peeler. massive blow on every level. I grew during the recession,” and tersburg, where Sullivan worked Other products soon followed, in- lost my best friend.” But Sullivan now “our whole business has the home shows. That’s when a cluding the Tap Light, which sold soon realized that the best way to been adopted by retail.” buyer from HSN spotted him. 6 million units. Along came Oxi- remember Mays was to carry on HSN had already been thinking Clean, perhaps the most success- the business they’d started. “So I But Wait, There’s More! about promoting the Smart ful brand Sullivan has promoted, scraped myself up and said, ‘I Despite having been raised in Mop, but the buyer told Sullivan but the manufacturer had a con- have to keep this going. I have England, Sullivan says St. Pe- they didn’t have a pitchperson dition—they wanted Billy Mays employees, a company, and I just tersburg is definitely home, and lined up yet. Destiny had finally and Sullivan to work together. “I have to keep going,” He filmed a swimming with the St. Pete caught up with Sullivan. said, ‘We’ll kill each other,’ but second and final season of “Pitch- Masters has cemented that feel- Sullivan first appeared on the company insisted. We shot Men,” and continued to produce ing. “I live a mile from the pool, HSN in October 1993. In his our first OxiClean commercial more product infomercials. and I think the camaraderie and first, 18-minute appearance, he in 1999, and all of a sudden it Today, Sullivan Productions the pool and the people at the says the network sold 5,000 was everywhere. You couldn’t employs 25 full-time staffers pool—I found what makes me mops. A star was born. Sullivan turn on the TV and not see it. and works with 150 subcon- feel at home,” he says. He’s was all too happy to leave be- We had graduated.” tractors. They produce com- started competing again too, on hind the grind of the home And working with Mays mercials for all sorts of items, the recommendation of Coach shows, so he started working at turned out to be a smart move. including the Ped Egg, Atomic Patty Nardozzi. Recognizing he HSN, building up a repertoire Sullivan says he didn’t need to of products he’d pitch over the be on camera all the time and next half decade. “I have such was happy to write scripts and fond, awesome memories of handle all aspects of produc- working there,” he says. “I’m tion. The formula worked, and just so grateful to HSN for the over time, Mays and Sullivan opportunity they gave me.” He became just as famous as the attributes only a little bit of his products they pitched. HSN gig to luck, and a lot of it In 2007, the Discovery Chan- www.sbrsportsinc.com to perseverance, hard work, nel approached them about a and being open to a big break. series called “PitchMen.” “Be- “I really feel that when that op- fore we knew it, we had a reality portunity presented itself, I was show. It’s a pretty cool moment ready. It’s the same thing in in my life,” Sullivan remembers. swimming. You don’t luckily He and Mays appeared on “The break world records.” Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” to promote “Pitch- Bily Mays and Sulivan Men” shortly after wrapping Productions production of the first season. While at HSN, Sullivan met The fact that Mays and Sulli- fellow HSN employee Billy van achieved these great Mays, arguably the most fa- heights of success together was mous of all TV , recog- both fitting and ironic. “It was for all of your swimming needs nizable for his gigantic person- hilarious that the two of us had ality, black beard, and blue den- been in a street fight for 16 years, Chlorine-Out Hair & Skin Care Anti-Fog Cleaning Towelettes im shirt. They pitched different and suddenly we’re doing this products on the network, and show together that leads into despite their initial rivalry, the ‘Deadliest Catch,’ the most- Continuous Spray Skin Lubricant two soon became best friends. watched program on cable.”

september-october 2016 21 Sullivan posted Sullivan’s parents still live in several personal the United Kingdom, and he bests at the credits his father, “the water 2016 USMS Spring National taxi,” with helping him achieve Championship in what he has in swimming. “I Greensboro, N.C. don’t think I would have done it Peter H. Bick to the level that I did if he didn’t help me. My parents were super supportive.” And in case you’re wondering, his mother now wholly approves of his career choices. “The minute my mom saw that I was on TV, she was impressed,” Sullivan says. So what comes next for the multifaceted television person- was a potential point-earner, strategic in his event selection. good for another Top 10 finish ality? A book and lots more she convinced a reluctant Sulli- Although he had dislocated his in his age group. production work ahead. And van to swim at the 2015 Nation- shoulder for the fourth or fifth In training, Sullivan swims ev- look for him to become more wide USMS Spring National time during a surfing vacation ery day, logging about 15,000 to involved with USMS in the Championship in San Antonio. to Hawaii four months before 20,000 yards per week. He pre- coming months and years. He “I had a blast. I felt like I was 13 the meet, he managed to earn fers the afternoon workouts, but recently shot a fun infomercial again,” Sullivan says. personal bests in the 1000, says, “I’d even drag my ass out of for USMS, “The Greatest Work- He participated in the 2016 500, and 200 frees, and a Top bed at 5 to get to the pool” if he out of Them All,” which can be Nationwide USMS Spring Na- 10 in the 1650 free. He had al- knows he won’t be able to make viewed on USMS’s YouTube tional Championship in ready logged 4,995 yards the afternoon workout. He’s channel. This pitchman sure Greensboro and, angling for during the 2016 1-Hour ePost- found it’s critical to ground him knows a great product when he some top finishes, was more al National Championship, amidst a busy schedule. sees one.

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