America’s Got Talent: Howie Mandel Reveals How COVID-19 Affected His OCD

Howie Mandel, a judge on America’s Got Talent, admits he’s “teetering” on depression due to his struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 65-year-old comedian has spoken publicly about his disorder on many occasions, usually exchanging fist bumps with contestants over handshakes. In all of the years he has hosted televised competition programs, he has only once broken his no-contact rule in order to wish a female contestant good luck.

Howie has previously tried to take matters into his own hands by going to therapy, taking medication, and keeping things light-hearted within his comedy. For example, Howard Stern asked Howie back in 2006 why he shaved his head, and the AGT judge responded with a joke explaining how the lack of hair makes him feel cleaner throughout the day. As for dealing with his OCD at work, Howie has only had a few confrontations. During an episode of AGT season 5, contestant Zach Carty performed an act that involved sneezing, which prompted Howie to immediately press his X button and run into an aisle until the act was completed. Later that season, Howie’s OCD struck again when Dan Sperry dropped dental floss that he had run through his neck as part of a magic act in Howie’s vicinity. Howie later admitted that was the most horrifying moment he has ever experienced, but his therapist must love Dan because Howie had to schedule an additional two sessions to cope with that terrifying moment.

In a new interview with TMZ, Howie admits being a “world-renowned germaphobe” actually made life in quarantine more difficult. “People have jokingly said you’ve been planning for this. It’s a nightmare for me, it’s really hard,” Howie said. “Honestly, I’m really down and teetering on depression right now as we speak. You see a high wire act on AGT, they maintain their balance don’t fall, I feel that’s how I live.” Howie continued to explain he has an amazing life, family, support system, and career, but his mental health is pretty far on the other side of the spectrum.

Howie’s disorder will be explored in his new documentary, Howie Mandel: Bit, Enough About Me. “It was so freaky for me, so hard. I’d committed [to filming the documentary], and [COVID-19] broke out and we had to continue, I had to show up places, camera men in masked suits, it was really hard. As I’ve been open about my mental health, it was on full display,” Howie said. The NBC star, who shares three children with his wife Terry, admitted he began seeking professional health after she gave him an ultimatum. “I talk about it in the documentary, the thing that talked me into getting help was an ultimatum from my wife who said, ‘You either get help or you leave,’ and I wouldn’t leave, I’m still here and I got help.”

On a more positive note, Howie hopes the world’s view on mental health improves after experiencing its own ups and downs throughout the past two years. “I always said you don’t have to have OCD or ADHD or all the issues that I deal with, you just have to be a human being and this has put a weight on the world’s shoulders and people are screaming out for help. People that would not normally ask for help,” Howie said. “If there is one glass half full, it’s that I believe the stigma or having a mental health issue or reaching out and asking for a coping skill has made its way to the forefront.” 

Many America’s Got Talent viewers wondered how Howie was coping with the pandemic, as he seemed to be a leader in living life with a healthy separation. Though he has always kept sanitization at the forefront, it has to be taxing to realize the entire world is contaminated by a new virus that only magnifies his original fears. That said, it’s impressive that Howie has remained strong and participated in all of his public commitments since the pandemic began.

Source: TMZ