Howie Mandel

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Howie Michael Mandel II (born November 29, 1955 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian comedian and actor.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal Life 3 Trivia 4 External links

[edit] Biography

After dropping out of school, Mandel became a carpet salesman who would later open a carpet sales business of his own. By 1979, his carpet empire included numerous stores throughout the greater Toronto area. Like many comics, Mandel's intro to show business was a chance one. On a business trip to Los Angeles, Mandel performed an off-the-cuff set during an "amateur night" at the Comedy Store club. A producer for the comedic game show Make Me Laugh was in attendance and booked Mandel for several appearances during the show's run. A successful stand-up career followed.

Howie came to national attention in the United States during a six-year stint on St. Elsewhere. He also did movies, including his role as the voice of Gizmo in the 1984 hit Gremlins, and the role of "Maurice" in the 1989 movie Little Monsters. He was also the creator and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated children's animated series Bobby's World, to which he supplied the voices of the title character and his father. Bobby's World ran for eight seasons on Fox Broadcasting Company and was later syndicated. He also played the lead role of the professor in the short-lived TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys, and guest-starred on a 1996 episode of the ABC TV series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as DC Comics supervillain Mister Mxyzptlk. He also hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show, which was cancelled after one season on the air. Mandel appeared in the 1995 Clint Black country music video Summer's Coming. Mandel's signature stunt as a stand-up comedian was stretching a rubber glove over his head and inflating it with his nostrils. He eventually gave up the routine after a mishap that resulted in a burst sinus.

More recently, he is known for his frequent appearances as a stand-up comedian and for his hidden camera segments on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Also, he has appeared in many television commercials for Boston Pizza as its hired spokesperson. In April 2004, he was selected as number 82 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of all time. In October 2005, he was named to be the host of the U.S. version of Deal or No Deal, which debuted on December 19, 2005, on NBC and became a popular program in early 2006. Mandel will also host a version for Canada that will be taped in Toronto and will air in 2007 on Global TV. [1] Mandel is a notable alumnus of Beth David B'nai Israel Beth Am's Hebrew School located in Toronto, as well as three other Toronto high schools. [2]. Mandel is currently performing a variety/comedy act at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[edit] Personal Life

Although Howie tours on the road over 200 days/year and spends much of the rest of his time taping Deal or No Deal, he is one of the few major Hollywood stars to have maintained a stable, long-term marriage, and more amazingly to a spouse who is not in show business (he met his wife Terry in high school and they have been happily married for 26 years as of 2006).

Mandel has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and mysophobia (fear of germs) to the point that he does not shake hands with anyone, including enthusiastic contestants on Deal or No Deal, unless he is wearing latex gloves. Instead of shaking contestants' hands when they offer them, he will give the contestants congratulatory gestures such as tapping another's fist with his own fist, or putting his hands on their shoulders. Howie now takes medicine to control his condition and even pokes fun at himself for it. This is made more evident in a skit he appeared in on Mad TV where he teaches castmember Bobby Lee how to be a better comedian and keeps spraying him with a hose. [3] He revealed on The Howard Stern Show that his shaved head is not related to natural hair loss, but to his mysophobia. He stated that the lack of hair makes him feel cleaner.[4]

Mandel attended Northview Heights Secondary School in Toronto.

[edit] Trivia

• Mandel has a signature sign-off on Deal or No Deal: starting with his right hand in a salute position, he waves in a circular motion away from his face while twisting his wrist, as the crane shot typically pulls out and the show fades out.
• Originally, Mandel opted not to host Deal or No Deal, but his wife Terry talked him into hosting the show.
• Mandel was voted sexiest comedian amongst males through a University of Pennsylvania survey of 20,000 people.
• Mandel was impersonated by Fred Armisen on Saturday Night Live on April 8, 2006.
• Mandel was ranked #82 on "Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups" list.
• Mandel appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 26, 2006 as a guest. That night, he talked about his OCD as well as his initial decision not to host Deal or No Deal. Also, he explained how it was such a hit.
• He again appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thanksgiving Day, 2006 as a guest. He hosted "Armed Forces Deal or No Deal".
• Mandel and Deal or No Deal model Leyla Milani both grew up in the same Canadian neighborhood of North York, Ontario, and the same high school in Canada (albeit a quarter-century apart).
• On a September 28, 2006 edition of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Mandel announced that Bobby's World will be returning in 2007.

[edit] External links

• His official website
• Howie Mandel at the Internet Movie Database
• - NBC.com>Deal or No Deal>Howie Mandel