As it turns out, Eric Szmanda's great-uncle was Ray Szmanda. For those who grew up in the midwest, you'll definitely be familiar with Ray as he was the star of some commercials for the home improvement store Menards. As TV Over Mind notes, Ray became somewhat of a local celebrity which would have given Eric a lot of inspiration growing up.

Ray starred as "The Menards Guy" for over two decades, filming hundreds of advertisements featuring "his trademark smile, infectious enthusiasm, and passion for telling you about great deals" as Menards wrote in tribute to the actor, who sadly passed away in 2018.

Prior to landing the Menards role, Ray studied at the American Institute of the Air (via People Pill), and also took writing courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All that studying and experience led Ray to operate the Trans-American School of Broadcasting situated in his hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin. Unsurprisingly, Eric also grew up in the state, but in the town of Milwaukee and then the small town of Mukwonago.