Howie Mandel Reveals How He Really Feels About Working With Simon Cowell
Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 2 minutes
Beloved America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel recently opened up about what it’s truly like to work with the big man himself, Simon Cowell. Apparently, the two get into constant disagreements while filming the series.
Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell Constantly Disagree
While appearing on a recent episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, Mandel was asked what it’s really like to work with Simon Cowell. While the comedian states that he loves working with Cowell, he also admitted that they don’t always get along. Considering Cowell is very opinionated with certain things, so it could be difficult to find someone who agrees with him all the time.
In typical Howie Mandel fashion, he admitted that he disagrees with Cowell’s opinion of Hudson singing a Barry Manilow song on American Idol. In contrast to Cowell’s reaction, Mandel recalls having loved the song when he first heard Hudson sing that night.
Nevertheless, Mandel confirms he and Cowell are good friends beyond work. He also confirmed that he will happily continue working with Cowell on AGT.
Mandel Gets Candid About Mental Health Problems
While appearing on the show, Mandel once again opened up about being diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in his 40s. He admittedly did not want to talk about the topic of mental health even after receiving a formal diagnosis.
Along with being diagnosed with OCD, Mandel has also been dealing with depression and anxiety. Throughout most of his life, he’s had numerous episodes of compulsive rituals and repetitive thoughts that almost brought him to a breaking point.
“I have a lot of mental health problems, I’ve been saddled with this my whole life.” Mandel said.
At one point Mandel’s mental health became so bad that his wife of over 40 years threatened to leave him. Nowadays, Mandel is an advocate for mental illness partnering up with NOCD. NOCD is a telehealth provider that connects individuals affected by OCD with licensed therapists for immediate help.
His podcast Howie Mandel Does Stuff, is a way for him and his Daughter Jackelyn Shultz, to cope with OCD. Mandel’s daughter, who also suffers from OCD, wants to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. They both want to ensure that everyone who has OCD gets the help they need.
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