Last updated: 2026-08-27 · Published: 2026-08-27
Comedian Howie Mandel says a veiled ultimatum from his wife, Terry, pushed him toward the therapy he says he needed for years of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. He shared the story in an interview with Hoda Kotb on the Joy 101 podcast.
Mandel, a judge on America’s Got Talent who married Terry in 1980, described how his germaphobia and daily rituals overwhelmed their household before she convinced him to talk to a professional.
Key facts at a glance
| Where it was told | Hoda Kotb’s Joy 101 podcast |
| Wife | Terry Mandel, married since 1980 |
| What he described | Stage germaphobia and OCD rituals |
| Her message | “I can’t do this… go talk to somebody” |
| His coping | Built a separate space behind his home |
| Current treatment | Prescription medication, therapy, professional support |
What Mandel said about the ultimatum
On the podcast, Mandel said his rituals had grown so all-consuming that Terry finally insisted he get help. “Finally, my wife just went, ‘I can’t do this, this is really tiring, go talk to somebody,'” he recalled. He described her ultimatum as a decisive push and called her “a hero” for standing by him while urging him toward treatment.
He said people with OCD sometimes build rituals to feel comfortable, and for him germaphobia became one of the most overwhelming. It became part of his public persona, the subject of jokes on stage, but he described the daily reality as “hell.”
Living with germaphobia behind the laughter
Mandel said his anxiety at one point drove him to build a separate structure on his property. He explained that it was not really a guest house, adding, “I built a place in our backyard.” He said he would retreat there for up to a week if one of his children sneezed, and that he would ask others to disinfect phones he considered unsanitary.
He said his struggles worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he said he “almost died” after self-medicating. That period pushed him toward the professional support he now relies on, combining prescription medication with therapy. The couple stayed together through the rough stretch and the two now run an entertainment venture together, with Howie co-hosting his Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast alongside their daughter.
His openness about OCD is not new. In a 20/20 interview, he noted that roughly five million Americans live with OCD and described how he avoids handrails, doorknobs and glasses, favoring his trademark fist bump because a handshake, in his mind, is “a petri dish.”
Watch: What the Videos Show
Howie Mandel Talks About Living With OCD | 20/20 | ABC News
The broadcast interview shows Mandel on set at Deal or No Deal, explaining how he steers clear of handrails, knobs and shared surfaces, and why his fist bump began. He describes the condition as “crippling” and something he kept secret for much of his career.
Howie Mandel on Managing His OCD
In a podcast conversation, Mandel talks about the medication and routines that let him manage the condition day to day, describing his own struggle in candid, self-deprecating terms and reinforcing that living with anxiety is a continuing process, not a one-time fix.
Confirmed vs. not confirmed
| Confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Mandel made these statements on the podcast | Any medical evaluation of his condition by outside doctors |
| He and Terry have been married since 1980 | Details of his current treatment plan |
| He said the ultimatum led him toward therapy | The timing or specifics of his self-described pandemic-days low |
These are the entertainer’s own first-person accounts. Mandel is not a clinician, and his descriptions do not represent a medical diagnosis for anyone else.
Frequently asked questions
What did Howie Mandel say about his wife on the podcast?
He said Terry told him, “I can’t do this, this is really tiring, go talk to somebody,” and that her ultimatum pushed him toward therapy for his OCD.
How long have Howie and Terry Mandel been married?
The couple married in 1980, and Howie has spoken about the relationship enduring through his struggles with OCD for more than four decades.
Is Howie Mandel still on America’s Got Talent?
Yes, he remains a judge on the show. The podcast comments are separate from his AGT role.
Why does Howie Mandel do a fist bump instead of shaking hands?
He has said he avoids handshakes because of his germaphobia, calling a handshake “a petri dish” in his mind and preferring the broad fist bump.
Does Howie Mandel speak openly about OCD?
Yes. He has discussed it in interviews and in a book titled Here’s the Deal, Don’t Touch Me, and says he now manages the condition with medication and therapy.
Related stories
- Tim Curry, ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Star, Dies at 80
- Emily in Paris Season 6 Drops Christmas Eve: Greece & the ‘One Final Choice’
- Avengers: Secret Wars Rumored to Add Multiple Ghost Riders
Sources: Yahoo Entertainment, ABC News 20/20, Page Six, USA Today
