By Anonymous, Wed, June 29, 2011
America’s Got Talent star, Howie Mandel, has never been shy about his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In a recent interview with Popeater, the charismatic host was very open about his condition and had no problems citing specific instances where it completely altered the way he lives his life.
"This side of the Mississippi I fly back on the same night. If I'm in the northeast I have my own place up in Toronto where I stay," Mandel said regarding his traveling style.
When questioned about the hotel rooms he sleeps in when he actually lands, Mandel had this to say:
"I love that everybody's paranoid and taking precautions. I've been sleeping in a cocoon and not touching the comforters as it was so I've been safe. I check really closely. I travel with a magnifying glass, a black light. I don't touch their sheets. I take mine, everything is sealed in plastic. I take towels and make a path. I'm a professional neurotic," he admits.
Bringing his signature humor into the discussion, Mandel quipped this regarding his condition:
"I feel like I'm a short Asian man trapped in a goofy Jewish body," Howie Mandel laughed.
Much like Catherine Zeta-Jones did for people dealing with bipolar disorder, Mandel’s openness on the topic helps dissipate some of the stigmas associated with OCD. As more and more big-name figures acknowledge that they have this disorder or any other mental condition, it will continuously become more and more accepted in popular culture and beyond.
