Howie Mandel

About Howie

• Says that when he was young, he was “a mess”; he had issues concentrating in school and issues with social anxiety.
• He was later diagnosed with ADHD, as well as mysophobia, a crippling fear of contamination and germs.
• One day, one of his friends urged him to get up during an open mic comedy show; says his ADHD made him impulsive enough to say “okay.”
• Once he got up onstage, he realized that it was actually the one of the few places where he felt comfortable.
• After performing as a stand-up comic for some time, he broke into the acting world, appearing in dramas and soap operas.
• He eventually appeared on The Howard Stern Show, where he accidentally announced that he had learning and attention issues.
• After facing such a stigma all his life, he feared he’d made a huge mistake by revealing his “weakness.”
• Instead, people started coming up to him on the street and saying “me too,” and thanking him for speaking out about his issues.