Actually it was massive fraud and racketeering. Here is a link to three of the legendary Crazy Eddie commercials, with Jerry Carroll as the spokesman: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/09/watch_the_craziest_crazy_eddie_commercials.html
If you were alive in the 80's and lived in the Tri State area it's impossible to not know who this guy was.....
Classic stuff. I remember my Uncle went to the grand opening at the Enfield CT location & brought back a bunch of "crazy" novelty items including this cardboard face cut out attached to a wooden stick..