Howie Mandel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Howie Mandel |
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Mandel at America's Got Talent in 2020
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| Birth name | Howard Michael Mandel |
| Born | November 29, 1955 Toronto, Canada |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film, books |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, improvisational comedy |
| Subject(s) | Everyday life, self-deprecation |
| Spouse |
Terry Soil
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 3 |
Howard Michael Mandel (born November 29, 1955) is a Canadian comedian, TV personality, actor, and producer. He is famous for many roles. Howie voiced Gizmo in the movies Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). He also played Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the TV show St. Elsewhere.
Howie Mandel created and starred in the children's cartoon Bobby's World. He has been a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent since 2010. He also judges Canada's Got Talent since 2022. Howie hosted the game show Deal or No Deal in the US and Canada.
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Howie Mandel's Early Life and Start in Comedy
Howie Mandel was born in Toronto, Canada. He grew up in the Bathurst Manor area. His family is Jewish, with roots in Romania and Poland. Howie is a distant cousin of the famous violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Howie went to William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute. He was actually expelled from school. He pretended to be a school official and hired a construction company to build an addition. After school, he worked selling carpets.
He started doing stand-up comedy at a club called Yuk Yuk's in Toronto. By September 1978, he was a featured act.
Becoming a Stand-Up Star
During a trip to Los Angeles, Howie performed at The Comedy Store. He was hired as a regular performer there. A producer for the TV show Make Me Laugh saw him. Howie appeared on that show several times in 1979 and 1980.
He also opened for comedian David Letterman in 1979. A TV executive from CBC-TV saw him perform. They quickly signed him for a TV special. In 1980, he got a main role in the Canadian movie Gas. Howie was also one of the first "VeeJays" on Nickelodeon's PopClips.
Howie Mandel's TV and Film Career
Howie became well-known in the United States on the show St. Elsewhere. He played Dr. Wayne Fiscus for six years, starting in 1982. While on St. Elsewhere, he also worked in movies. He voiced Gizmo in the popular 1984 movie Gremlins. He returned to voice Gizmo in the 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
In 1985, Howie had a small role in a short film called "The Iceman Hummeth." This film was shown on Late Night with David Letterman. In 1986, he starred in A Fine Mess with Ted Danson. He also performed his stand-up comedy act on the "Watusi Tour." For the first two seasons of Muppet Babies, he voiced characters like Bunsen Honeydew, Animal, and Skeeter.
He starred in the 1987 comedy movie Walk Like a Man. In 1989, he was "Maurice" in the movie Little Monsters. In 1990, he starred in the TV show Good Grief.
Creating Bobby's World
Howie Mandel created and produced the cartoon series Bobby's World (1990–1998). He also provided the voices for the main character, Bobby, and Bobby's dad. Bobby's World was very popular and ran for seven seasons.
In 1992, Howie had his own comedy show called Howie. His character, Bobby, often appeared on the show. In 1994, Howie voiced Little Howie in the video game Tuneland. He also starred in the sketch comedy show Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies in 1995.
Howie appeared in a 1996 episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He played the supervillain Mister Mxyzptlk. In 1998, he hosted his own talk show, The Howie Mandel Show. He also appeared in movies like The Tangerine Bear (2000) and Hansel and Gretel (2002).
Howie's famous stand-up comedy trick was stretching a latex glove over his head. He would inflate it with his nose until it popped off. He stopped doing this trick because of a sinus problem. However, he did it again in a small role on the show My Name Is Earl. He also appeared in two episodes of the TV show Monk.
Howie Mandel's Other Appearances
Howie Mandel often appeared as a comedian on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was also the spokesperson for Boston Pizza in commercials. In 2004, he was named one of the top 100 greatest stand-up comedians by Comedy Central.
In 2005, he became the host of the American version of Deal or No Deal. The show started in December 2005 and became very popular. Howie also hosted Deal or No Deal Canada, which began in 2007. This made him one of the few hosts to lead the same game show in two different countries.
In 2007, Howie appeared on Sesame Street. He was also parodied on the show as "Howie Eats well" for a segment called "Meal or No Meal." Howie has hosted DVD game versions of Deal or No Deal and other games. He had a small role as himself on My Name Is Earl.
On September 8, 2008, Howie started hosting a daily version of Deal or No Deal. His reality show Howie Do It premiered in January 2009. In March 2011, Howie started a flash-mob show on Fox called Mobbed. He also appeared as himself on The Big Bang Theory in 2012. In December 2012, he hosted the game show Take It All.
From 2013 to 2014, Howie produced the hidden-camera show Deal with It. He also appeared on the show. In 2023, Howie competed on The Masked Singer as "Rock Lobster."
Howie Mandel and Deal or No Deal
In 2003, Howie was thinking about leaving show business. But the producers of Deal or No Deal asked him to host. He said no many times. They sent him a tape of the show from another country, and he finally agreed.
He hosted the Canadian version of Deal or No Deal in 2007. The show then moved to daytime TV, and Howie stayed as the host. In 2018, it was announced that Howie would host a new version of the game show on CNBC. He also became an executive producer for it. The show started on December 3, 2018.
In 2024, Howie was an executive producer for the spin-off show Deal or No Deal Island. In the first season's finale, it was revealed that he was the secret "banker" who made offers to the contestants.
Howie Mandel and Got Talent
In January 2010, Howie Mandel joined America's Got Talent as a judge. He replaced David Hasselhoff. Howie has been a judge on the show for many seasons, longer than any other judge or host.
In October 2021, it was announced that Howie would also be a judge on the second season of Canada's Got Talent, which aired in 2022.
Howie Mandel's Podcast and Other Shows
Since February 2021, Howie has hosted the Howie Mandel Does Stuff Podcast. His daughter, Jackelyn Shultz, is his co-host. They make prank calls, talk about pop culture, and interview interesting people.
On April 27, 2022, Netflix released a game show called Bullsh*t: The Game Show. Howie Mandel hosted this show. Contestants could win money by answering trivia questions. They also had to convince judges that their answer was right, even if it was wrong.
In June 2025, it was announced that Howie Mandel would host a Canadian version of The Price is Right.
Howie Mandel's Personal Life
Howie Mandel has been married to Terry Mandel since 1980. They have three children.
On September 4, 2008, Howie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto in 2009.
Howie has spoken openly about having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He works to help people learn more about adult ADHD. He has written a book about his life with OCD, ADHD, and comedy. The book is called Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me.
Howie is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team. He is colorblind and has mysophobia, which is a fear of germs. He lives in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles.
Howie Mandel and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Howie Mandel has talked publicly about his OCD. This condition can make him afraid of germs. Because of this, Howie does not shake hands with people. On Deal or No Deal, he often gives fist bumps or puts his hands on contestants' shoulders. He sometimes wears latex gloves.
He once kissed a contestant on the show for good luck, despite his fear. Howie takes medicine to help control his condition. He even makes jokes about it. He has a shaved head, which he says helps him feel cleaner because of his OCD.
Howie has a separate small house in his backyard. He built it so he can be alone if a family member is sick. He has also made fun of his germophobia on TV shows like Mad TV.
Howie remembers a childhood experience that might have caused his fear of germs. When he was about seven or eight, a sandfly laid eggs in his skin during a family vacation. The larvae could be seen moving under his skin. Removing them was painful. This experience made a lasting impact on him. He says recalling it still makes him feel like things are crawling under his skin.
In 2005, on Live with Regis and Kelly, a guest named Rob Schneider took Howie's hand sanitizer. Schneider teased him about his phobia. The host, Kelly Ripa, got Howie more hand sanitizer from the audience. In 2007, on NFL Network, football player Marshall Faulk shook Howie's hand even after Howie refused. Howie screamed and went to wash his hands many times. He has also said he cannot use public bathrooms, only his own.
On America's Got Talent, a contestant named Dan Sperry dropped dental floss near Howie. Howie ran to the other side of the judges' table. He later said it was "the most horrified" he had been on the show. Another time, a juggler grabbed Howie's head. Howie refused to give him feedback.
In 2015, on AGT, a hypnotist used Howie's fear of germs in his act. Under hypnosis, Howie shook hands with everyone, thinking they were wearing gloves. After seeing the video, Howie said he was "upset" but his therapist said it was a good thing.
Howie said in 2011 that he has had OCD since childhood. But he did not get help until he was an adult. He felt different and uncomfortable but did not know what to do. He says there is still a stigma around mental health issues. Since May 2022, Howie has worked with NOCD, a company that helps people with OCD.
Howie Mandel's Charity Work
Howie Mandel started a charity called Breakout the Masks. This group helps provide protective equipment to healthcare workers. He also supports Bell's Let's Talk Day, which helps people with mental health issues. He has raised money for the American Cancer Society and Trillium Health Partners' mental health program.
Images for kids
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Howie Mandel at America's Got Talent in 2020
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Howie Mandel at the Emmy Awards in 1987
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Hand prints of Howie Mandel at Disney's Hollywood Studios
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Howie Mandel on Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, 2007
See also
In Spanish: Howie Mandel para niños
