Howie Mandel is a Canadian actor, comedian, and television host most recognized for his roles as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on St. Elsewhere, host of the game show Deal or No Deal, and as the judge on America’s Got Talent. He has used his eloquence and sense of humor to entertain audiences all over the world. Howie is one of the few celebrities who has discussed his life-long struggles with ADHD and OCD openly to create awareness about mental health issues. He has more than 800k followers on Twitter and more than 700k followers on Instagram.
Born Name
Howard Michael Mandel
Nick Name
Howie
Sun Sign
Sagittarius
Born Place
Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Residence
Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Howie studied at Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am’s Hebrew School in Toronto and celebrated his bar mitzvah there.
He also attended William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute in Ontario. However, he was expelled from school for pretending to be a school official and convincing a local construction company to carry out construction work at his school.
Occupation
Comedian, Actor, Television Host
Family
- Father – Albert Mandel (Lighting Manufacturer, Real Estate Agent)
- Mother – Evy Miller
- Siblings – Steven Mandel (Brother)
- Others – Shmiel Mandel (Paternal Grandfather), Eva Sara Goldhar (Paternal Grandmother), Itzhak Perlman (Cousin Brother) (Violinist)
Manager
Howie is represented by –
- 3 Arts Entertainment, Beverly Hills, California, United States
- Alevy Productions, Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre
Observational Comedy, Improvisational Comedy
Subjects
Everyday Life, Self-Deprecation
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 9¾ in or 177 cm
Weight
69 kg or 152 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Howie has dated –
- Terry Mandel (1980-Present) – Howie met his future wife Terry Soil when they were only 12 years old. They went out on their first date while studying in high school. He married Terry on March 16, 1980, at the age of 25. Over the years, they became parents to 3 children – daughters Jackie Mandel (b. December 14, 1984) who works as a teacher and YouTuber, Riley Mandel (b. 1992), and son Alex Mandel (b. 1989), who is also a YouTuber. Terry has been instrumental in helping him achieve career-defining success by encouraging him to host Deal or No Deal much against his initial hesitation.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He has Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
Hair Color
Black (Natural)
However, he shaves his head regularly due to his OCD tendencies.
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Clean-shaven head
- Sometimes, sports a goatee and earrings
Brand Endorsements
Howie has done endorsement work for the following brands –
- Boston Pizza (2002)
- Buy.com
- Xfinity (2018)
- Stop Bullying: Speak Up (2014)
- Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (2018)
- Child Mind Institute
- Optometry’s Meeting
Religion
Judaism
Best Known For
- Playing ER intern Dr. Wayne Fiscus on St. Elsewhere (NBC) from 1982 to 1988
- Hosting the popular game show Deal or No Deal in the US and Canada
- Being one of the judges on America’s Got Talent
First Film
Howie made his feature film debut in 1981 as Matt Lloyd in the comedy film Gas.
First TV Show
He made his first TV show appearance on The Alan Thicke Show as a guest in 1980.
Personal Trainer
For over a decade, Howie has been practicing outdoor 7 days a week for 6 to 10 miles each day. He prefers running as it offers him solitude and keeps him physically and mentally fit without having to visit a public gym. Also, he had revealed in 2016 that he was following the fitness program to stay in shape.
Howie Mandel Favorite Things
- Comedian –
Source –
Howie Mandel Facts
- As a stand-up comedian, one of his most memorable acts involved him inflating a latex glove placed over his head by blowing it through his nostrils. The resulting outcome would resemble a cockscomb and received uproarious laughter from the audience.
- He developed a perforated sinus and eventually discontinued the act at the behest of his doctor. The last time he did the act was during his cameo appearance on the NBC show My Name is Earl.
- In April 2004, he landed at the 82nd spot in the ‘100 Greatest Stand-up Comedians of All Time’ list by Comedy Central.
- As a host of Deal or No Deal (for both US and Canada versions), he has joined the list of game show hosts who have appeared on the domestic and international versions of their show. Others to do the same are (The Singing Bees), (The Chair), Anne Robinson (Weakest Link), Darren McMullen (Minute to Win It), and (Pyramid).
- Along with Jim Perry, Geoff Edwards, and , Howie is one of the selected game show hosts who served as an emcee of one show simultaneously in the United States and Canada.
- He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 4, 2008.
- On September 12, 2009, he was presented with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto. After Monty Hall in 2002 and Alex Trebek in 2006, he became the 3rd game show host to receive this distinction.
- During his appearance on Live With Regis and Kelly in October 2008, Howie revealed his life-long struggle with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Since then, he has worked towards raising awareness about adult ADHD among the masses.
- He suffered a minor heart attack on January 12, 2009. After complaining of chest pains, he was rushed to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto but was later discharged.
- Howie is colorblind. Additionally, he also has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
- He suffers from germophobia, which is a manifestation of OCD. He has taken severe steps as a result of it like avoiding public bathrooms and shaving his head to feel cleaner. Howie has also built a smaller house in his backyard to steer clear of family members when they are sick.
- He avoids shaking hands with enthusiastic contestants on Deal or No Deal, only conceding when wearing latex gloves. As a compromise, he offers to exchange fist bumps with contestants.
- While Mandel was guest-hosting Live With Regis and Kelly in 2005, guest seized his hand to force him out of his phobia. Host came to his rescue and helped Mandel to a hand sanitizer while reprimanding Schneider for his behavior.
- His autobiography, Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me was released in 2009. The book makes use of his trademark humor and chronicles his life dealing with OCD and ADHD.
- Howie supports the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.
- In September 2007, while interviewing NFL running back Marshall Faulk, Mandel refused to shake his hand, offering to fist tap instead. Faulk sneakily shook his right hand, freaking out Mandel, who then proceeded to wash his hand many times.
- With the help of therapy and medication, Mandel has learned to live with his mental health conditions. He has leveraged his celebrity status to draw attention to these issues.
- His daughter Jackie Mandel married DJ Alex Schultz in 2013. Howie became a grandfather when his daughter gave birth to a baby girl Abbey Jax and son Axel Jackson.
- Howie was diagnosed with high cholesterol and atrial fibrillation, a heart condition caused by an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke. Since then, he has worked continuously to create awareness for the same.
- Follow him on , , and .
Featured Image by Matt Ottosen / Flickr / CC BY-SA 3.0
Facts of Howie Mandel
- full nameHowie Mandel
- Date of Birth November 29, 1955
- Age 68 years 11 months
- Horoscope Sagittarius
- Lucky Number 6
- Lucky Stone Turquoise
- Lucky Color Orange
- Best Match for Marriage Leo, Aquarius
- weight69 kg
- height5 ft 9¾ in