Howie Mandel Says There Is 'Nothing I'm Not Afraid Of'

Howie Mandel is facing his fears.

The Deal or No Deal star spoke out in an interview with Esquire. Here’s what he had to say…

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On the lack of personal contact during the pandemic: “I have grandkids who I can’t go inside and hug, so I go over there and I climb a tree and I look in the window. It’s kind of this weird zoo, where they see their Poppy outside in a tree. I don’t know if I’m helping or harming.”

On fear: “There is nothing I’m not afraid of. How I’m being perceived, how I look, what’s going to happen tomorrow, how yesterday went. Fear is my fuel, and also my poison. I like fear. I’m a product of fear.”

On hosting Deal or No Deal: “When I was cognizant of somebody making ridiculous choices, that was heartbreaking inside. Did I give them this air that it’s a fantasyland? Was it because of me? It changed my cadence. I would say to people: ‘The banker is offering you [deep look]: Twenty. [pause] Thousand. [pause] Dollars.’ And I talked like that because I wanted them to hear it. ‘Before you make a decision, how long would it take you to accumulate $20,000?’ ‘Oh, I’ve never had $20,000.’ ‘At the last job you had, how long would it take–?’ ‘I’d have to work two years to get that.’ And then in the teleprompter they would say, ‘Stop prompting, let her make a decision.’ But my whole goal for everybody who came on—I threw all the comedy by the wayside. It was the first time I didn’t play Dr. Wayne Fiscus, I didn’t play the Howie Mandel comedian, I didn’t do the Bobby voice. The only emotion I had was empathy: I just want you to do good.”

Howie recently opened up about how he’s coping during the pandemic. Here’s what he said!

For more from Howie, head to Esquire.com.