Howie Mandel, known for frequently saying, “don’t touch me!” surprised everyone in September 2023 when he tightly embraced Reba McEntire on the stage of The Voice.
The comedian, who suffers from a debilitating fear of germs, couldn’t resist the excitement and the magnetic pull of the country music star.
Although Mandel appears energetic and happy in the spotlight, he explains that off-screen, he’s a “scared” man who prefers to live “in the fetal position.”
Recently, he made a shocking confession about managing the OCD that plunges him into “absolute hell.” Read on to learn more!
The global pandemic amplified the inner germaphobe in many people, heightening awareness of contamination dangers.
For some, this fear lasted a couple of years, but for others, the fear of germs is a never-ending, debilitating experience.
“There isn’t a waking moment of my life when ‘we could die’ doesn’t come into my psyche,” says Howie Mandel, who has struggled with severe anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since childhood. Speaking with People, the 68-year-old TV personality explained that the pandemic was especially triggering: “But the solace I would get would be the fact that everybody around me was okay. It’s good to latch onto okay. But [during the pandemic] the whole world was not okay. And it was absolute hell.”
The Mayo Clinic describes OCD as a “pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.”
“I’m living in a nightmare,” says the Canadian-born comic. “I try to anchor myself. I have a beautiful family,” says Mandel of his wife Terry (married in 1980), and their three kids, Alex, Riley, and Jackie. “…I love what I do. But at the same time, I can fall into a dark depression I can’t get out of.”
Laughter is the best medicine
Mandel, who had his big break in 1982 on the medical drama St. Elsewhere, explains that every day is a struggle, but his humor helps him through.
“My coping skill is finding the funny. If I’m not laughing, then I’m crying. And I still haven’t been that open about how dark and ugly it really gets.”
Noting that he uses comedy to resist the dangerous pull of OCD, Mandel adds, “I’m most comfortable onstage. And when I don’t have anything to do, I turn inward, and that’s not good.”
Bringing his unparalleled sense of humor to every project, Mandel always has something to do, like serving as a judge on the America’s Got Talent (AGT) franchise and hosting several other shows.
‘Incredibly medicated’
In 2022, he chatted with Kelly Clarkson on her talk show and candidly spoke about his mental health issues.
“I’m neurotic, I have OCD…so people think that I’m enjoying myself, and I’m out and amongst people…I’m scared. I like to go home and just live in the fetal position,” he told the host.
Surprised by Mandel’s alter ego outside the spotlight, Clarkson replied, “It’s so funny to me, because every time I’m around you, even seeing you out of work…you’re so the opposite of what I would think.”
“I know, I’m such a joy, I’m a light, I’m an energy, and I’m stunning,” Mandel joked. “…I’ll be honest with you, I’m incredibly medicated.”
Hugging Reba
That medication might have fueled his eagerness upon seeing Reba McEntire on the stage of The Voice.
Leaping from the audience while calling her name, Mandel ran up to the country music maven – a panelist on the show – and said, “We’re right next door shooting the AGT finale. Would you sign my shirt?”
After she signed his “I [heart] Reba” shirt, Mandel shocked viewers by tightly embracing McEntire.
“You don’t see that every day,” the show’s presenter, Carson Daly, remarked about the man who typically shies away from physical contact.
Acknowledging his puzzling behavior, Mandel says, “People see inconsistencies, especially in the media. ‘Oh he hugged someone’ or ‘he shook someone’s hand.’ I can shake your hand. But then I’d think I didn’t wash it well enough. And I’d go back and forth in a loop washing my hands for hours.”
Committed to keeping the conversation on mental health going, he continues, “I understand the funny in that. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly painful. And I don’t want to defend my mental health. I just want to maintain it.”
In 2022, Mandel contracted COVID-19 – a mild case because he is “vaxxed” and “boosted” – reminding us that fearing infection isn’t enough to keep you safe.
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