Howie Mandel, known for his catchphrase “don’t touch me!” surprised everyone in September 2023 when he gave Reba McEntire a big hug on stage at *The Voice*.
Despite his intense fear of germs, Mandel couldn’t resist embracing the country star. On screen, he seems lively and cheerful, but away from the spotlight, he admits he feels scared and often stays curled up in a fetal position.
Mandel recently made a surprising confession about how he deals with his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which he describes as “absolute hell.” The global pandemic heightened many people’s fears of germs, but for some, like Mandel, this fear never goes away and is very overwhelming.
“There isn’t a waking moment of my life when ‘we could die’ doesn’t come into my psyche,” says Howie Mandel, who struggled with severe anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) since he was a child. Speaking with People, the 68-year-old TV personality explains 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 explains OCD as having unwanted thoughts and fears that lead to repetitive behaviors, known as compulsions. These can interfere with daily life and cause a lot of stress.
Howie Mandel, the Canadian comedian, says he feels like he’s living in a nightmare. He tries to stay grounded by focusing on his family—his wife Terry (whom he married in 1980) and their three kids, Alex, Riley, and Jackie. Even though he loves his work, he struggles with deep depression at times.
Mandel, who gained fame on the medical drama *St. Elsewhere* in 1982, says each day is a challenge, but humor helps him cope. “My way of handling things is to find the funny side. If I’m not laughing, I’m crying. I haven’t been very open about how dark things can get,” he shares.
He uses comedy to fight against the tough effects of OCD and feels most at ease on stage. When he’s not performing, he tends to turn inward, which he finds troubling.
Bringing his unparalleled sense of humor to every project, Mandel always has something to do, like serving as a judge in the America’s Got Talent (AGT) franchise and hosting several other shows.
In 2022, he had a chat with Kelly Clarkson on an episode of her talk show and candidly spoke of 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.
Kelly Clarkson was surprised by Howie Mandel’s off-screen persona. She said, “It’s funny because whenever I see you, even outside of work, you’re so different from what I would expect.”
Mandel joked back, “I’m such a joy, a light, full of energy, and stunning,” but then admitted, “I’m actually incredibly medicated.”
His medication might have played a part in his excitement when he saw Reba McEntire on *The Voice*. He jumped up from the audience, called her name, and ran over to her, saying, “We’re next door filming the AGT finale. Could you sign my shirt?”
After Reba McEntire signed his “I [heart] Reba” shirt, Howie Mandel surprised everyone by giving her a tight hug. Carson Daly, the show’s presenter, noted how unusual this was for Mandel, who usually avoids physical contact.
Mandel explained his actions, saying, “People notice when I do things like hug or shake hands. I can shake hands, but then I worry I didn’t wash it properly, so I end up washing my hands repeatedly for hours.”
He emphasizes that, while he finds some humor in his situation, it’s still very painful. Mandel wants to keep the focus on mental health without defending his condition.
In 2022, Mandel got a mild case of Covid, reminding us that even with precautions, fears of infection don’t always keep us safe.
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