Pot-bellied Joe Kagan, the buffoonish manager of a Cheapmart discount store, unwinds from his late shifts with some television which at that time of night means infomercials. Seduced by claims of amazing products and easy payments, Joe soon finds himself deep in debt.
Sammy Thieua Vietnamese immigrant turned infomercial pitchman who surrounds himself with scantily clad women and other accoutrements of wealth entices viewers of his infomercials with stories of the fast fortunes to be made in real estate. Desperate, Joe registers for Sammy’s seminar leading him on a series of ludicrous misadventures.
Interspersed throughout the novel are descriptions of the ridiculous and outrageous infomercials Joe and others watch on TV, such as The Psychic Support Hotline, in which a washed-out 70s pop singer assures viewers, All you need is a credit card and a willing suspension of disbelief! and Whiff Trim, in which sniffing a piece of plastic is touted as a legitimate strategy for weight reduction. Make That Call Now! is the laugh-out-loud story of one misfits journey through the tacky world of TV infomercials.
