No Laughing Matter

To say Howie Mandel is one of the hardest-working comics in Hollywood is an understatement.

The 63-year-old entertainer hosts the popular television game show “Deal or No Deal,” serves as a judge on the hit reality show “America’s Got Talent” and regularly tours the country performing stand-up comedy.

Yet, in addition to his comedic pursuits, Mandel also has a surprisingly serious side. Off camera, he works tirelessly as a health advocate, openly discussing how being diagnosed with conditions such as high cholesterol, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impacted both his career and his life.

Growing up in Toronto, Canada, Mandel remembers being ridiculed by classmates who made fun of his short attention span and fear of germs. His trademark fist bump, an alternative to shaking hands, came about as a result of his germophobia, which is commonly associated with OCD. Mandel details his struggles with the condition in his humorous 2009 autobiography, “Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me.” 

“Years ago, no one talked about OCD and ADHD, so people would say I was ‘suffering from Howie,’” Mandel says. “If I had known as a child what I know now about mental health, maybe I wouldn’t have felt as isolated. I’d love to help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness and to see access to mental health care improved.”

Mandel also believes in using his celebrity to raise awareness of medical conditions, including risk factors for heart disease. He was only 30 when his doctor diagnosed him with high cholesterol, a condition that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), affects more than 100 million Americans.

“After being diagnosed with high cholesterol during a routine check-up, my doctor prescribed a statin [a drug that lowers blood cholesterol levels], but I felt fine and didn’t think I needed it,” Mandel says. “I’d also heard how statins can sometimes have unwanted side effects, such as muscle aches, so I quit taking the medication without telling my doctor.”

His decision to stop taking a statin without doctor approval isn’t uncommon. According to the CDC, an estimated 71 million Americans have high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as “bad cholesterol,” and are often prescribed statins. Yet, research shows that only 61 percent of those who are prescribed a statin were still taking it after three months and only 55 percent remained on the medication after six months.

“I didn’t realize at the time that high cholesterol is often called a ‘silent killer,’” Mandel says. “Even though you may feel good and not have any symptoms, having high cholesterol puts you at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.”

When he returned to see his doctor a year after being diagnosed with high cholesterol, his physician was stunned to see that Mandel’s cholesterol levels were even higher than before.

“He couldn’t understand how my cholesterol had gone up, and I admitted I hadn’t been taking the statin he prescribed,” he says. “My doctor told me it was dangerous to quit taking medication, and we talked about my concerns regarding side effects.”

His doctor told him there are different types of statins and recommended one that eased Mandel’s concerns about muscle aches.

Today, he’s feeling great and recently joined with the Take Cholesterol to Heart campaign to encourage people to get their cholesterol checked and to talk to their doctor about whether statins are right for them.

Between shooting his TV shows and doing stand-up nationwide, Mandel has a rigorous travel schedule. Yet, despite the long hours, he doesn’t neglect his health.

“I de-stress by running three miles every day and make it a priority to eat well, although I do have a sweet tooth,” he says.

Mandel, known for his improvisational style of comedy, says he’s surprised when people comment on his return to stand-up. The reality is: He never left. He first performed stand-up in the 1970s at Yuk Yuk’s in Toronto and continues to do more than 100 shows a year. 

Last year, the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, premiered the Howie Mandel Comedy Club, which served as the venue for his Showtime stand-up comedy special, “Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club.” The show, his first stand-up comedy special in more than 20 years, premiered in January and is currently on Showtime.

Mandel, who lives in Los Angeles with Terry, his wife of 39 years, says one of his favorite places to perform comedy is South Florida. Some of his fondest memories involve escaping the snow in his native Toronto by vacationing in Florida, first with his parents and later with his wife and their children: daughter Jackie, 35; son Alex, 29; and daughter Riley, 27.

“I love the weather and water in Florida,” Mandel says. “Some of my favorite dining spots in Miami include David Grutman’s Komodo restaurant and Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach.”

Last year, he visited Universal Studios in Orlando to tape 30 episodes of “Deal or No Deal,” which returned to TV, on CNBC, in December for the first time in almost a decade. 

“I initially didn’t want to host ‘Deal or No Deal,’” Mandel admits. “I didn’t think it was a good idea for a comedian to host a game show. Fortunately, my wife talked me into it, and it’s been the biggest success of my life.”

In his 40-year career, Mandel has become something of a multi-hyphenate – working as an actor, a voice artist, a comedian, a producer and a host. Longtime fans may remember him portraying ER intern Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the 1980s medical drama “St. Elsewhere” and serving as the voice of little boy Bobby in the animated TV series “Bobby’s World.”

Today, Mandel is gaining a new generation of fans as he narrates the Internet’s funniest animal videos on the National Geographic show “Howie Mandel’s Animals Doing Things,” which was just renewed for a second season, premiering in June.

Plus, he returns to NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” May 28, along with fellow judge Simon Cowell. The network recently announced that actresses Julianne Hough and Gabrielle Union would be replacing Heidi Klum and Mel B. Actor Terry Crews is also taking over hosting duties from Tyra Banks. 

“We just started filming the new season of ‘America’s Got Talent,’ and I’m very excited about the new season,” Mandel says. “The show is variety television at its best and offers something for everyone.”

One thing’s for certain: Whatever Mandel does next, we’ll be watching – and laughing. O