Howie Mandel

Bio:
Howie Mandel (born Howard Michael Mandel in Willowdale, Toronto on November 29, 1955) is a Canadian comedian, actor and show host. In 1978 he kicked off his stand-up comedy career in Canada and headed to Los Angeles to perform in ’79. It was then he was booked to open for David Letterman and began to gain national attention.  In 1980, Howie moved on to acting when he landed the lead role in the Canadian movie Gas. During a six-year run on St. Elsewhere, playing the role of Dr. Wayne Fiscus, Howie started to garner even more national attention. Howie created and starred in the animated series Bobby’s World, which was on the air from 1990 to 1998. He has an alter-ego, Phil Skorjanc, which is a fan favorite. In October 2005, Howie was named as the host of Deal Or No Deal, which became a popular program in the United States. In 2010, Howie replaced David Hasselhoff as a judge on America’s Got Talent and continues to be on the show as one of the four judges.

Best Known For:
Howie Mandel is best known as the host of Deal or No Deal and a judge on America’s Got Talent.

Personal Life:
Howie married Terry Soil in 1980. The couple have three children: daughters Jackie (32) and Riley (24), and son Alex (27). He revealed on Regis & Kelly in 2008 that he had ADHD and was working to bring awareness to the general public. He is colorblind, as well, and has openly struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. His OCD surrounds his anxiety of germs, which has lead him to only fist bump contestants and fans, rather than shake hands. He stated on The Howard Stern Show that he actually shaved his head to make himself feel cleaner, due to his OCD. He also admitted that behind his house is a smaller house he had built for him to stay in when a family member was feeling sick. He is on medication for his OCD and often pokes fun at himself because of it.