Howie Mandel - Episode 1078

Summary

Fitzdog Radio: Greg Fitzsimmons Hosts Howie Mandel - Episode 1078

Release Date: December 4, 2024

Overview: In Episode 1078 of Fitzdog Radio, host Greg Fitzsimmons engages in an in-depth and candid conversation with the multifaceted entertainer, Howie Mandel. The episode delves into Howie's diverse career, personal traditions, challenges with mental health, and the dynamics of male friendships. The discussion is enriched with humor, vulnerability, and insightful anecdotes, providing listeners with a comprehensive look into Howie's life beyond his public persona.

---

1. Thanksgiving Traditions and Personal Anecdotes (00:39 - 08:54)

Greg begins the episode by sharing his vibrant Thanksgiving traditions, painting a vivid picture of his family's celebrations. He describes activities ranging from soccer games and ocean dives to dessert parties and poker games, highlighting the joy and camaraderie that define his family's gatherings.

Notable Quote:

Greg Fitzsimmons (00:39): "I'll grow up when I die, for God's sake. I'll be a child, be like my mother."

Highlights:

• Family Dynamics: Greg praises his mother’s youthful spirit and lively sense of humor, emphasizing the generational blend of fun in his family.
• Traditions: Activities include swimming after dinner, playing soccer, baking Irish soda bread, and hosting large dessert parties.
• Community Engagement: Greg mentions his involvement in stand-up comedy and his daughter's part-time bartending, showcasing a family deeply embedded in entertaining and social activities.

---

2. Introduction to Howie Mandel and Hidden Trivia Game (08:54 - 09:35)

Greg introduces Howie Mandel as a "renaissance man of entertainment," recognizing his extensive work as an actor, host, and comedian. He explains the unique segment of the show—a hidden trivia game designed to engage Howie in a light-hearted challenge.

Notable Quote:

Greg Fitzsimmons (08:54): "Yesterday I interviewed my guest, the great Howie Mandel... We played a game that I started... Hidden Trivia."

---

3. Early Encounters and Comedy Career (09:35 - 22:24)

The conversation shifts to Greg’s early experiences with Howie Mandel, recounting moments of feeling outshined and the strength of Howie's generosity in the comedy community. Greg shares humorous and humbling stories of bombing comedy auditions, only to be supported by Howie Mandel in turning moments around.

Notable Quotes:

Greg Fitzsimmons (14:00): "I played on stage when I was sick and embarrassed myself."

Howie Mandel (25:14): "Any comedian that has come on our show... has benefited by it."

Highlights:

• Supportive Nature: Howie’s encouragement helped Greg navigate through tough moments in his comedy career.
• Hidden Trivia Reveal: Howie successfully answered two out of three trivia questions, earning a Greg Fitzsimmons T-shirt, symbolizing the playful rapport between host and guest.
• Comedy Insights: Howie discusses the evolution of comedy shows, emphasizing the importance of exposure over winning contests and the shift from traditional platforms to digital exposure.

---

4. Comedy Shows, Festivals, and Industry Dynamics (22:24 - 45:03)

Greg and Howie delve deeper into the mechanics of comedy shows and festivals. Howie shares his perspectives on comedic authenticity, the value of live performances, and the challenges comedians face in maintaining genuine expressions amidst competitive environments.

Notable Quote:

Howie Mandel (31:05): "If you make it all about Heidi Klum or Sofia or Simon Cowell laughing... that's on you."

Highlights:

• Authenticity in Comedy: Howie stresses the importance of being true to oneself rather than catering to judges or audience expectations.
• Impact of “America's Got Talent” (AGT): Howie explains how AGT serves as a platform for comedians to gain exposure, regardless of contest outcomes.
• Industry Challenges: Discussion on how the comedy landscape has become more fragmented with digital platforms, making sustained exposure more crucial than ever.

---

5. Personal Challenges: Health and Mental Well-being (45:03 - 73:05)

The dialogue takes a heartfelt turn as Howie Mandel opens up about his struggles with health issues and mental well-being. He shares an embarrassing incident of performing while food poisoning, highlighting his vulnerabilities and the coping mechanisms he employs to manage anxiety and OCD.

Notable Quotes:

Howie Mandel (37:43): "I was sick... I just let me get through the show."

Greg Fitzsimmons (57:04): "I see one of my kids has it, and it affects her friendships."

Highlights:

• Embarrassing Moments: Howie recounts performing on stage while severely ill, illustrating the pressures entertainers face to maintain professionalism despite personal hardships.
• Mental Health: Discussion on ADHD, anxiety, and OCD, emphasizing the stigma surrounding mental health and Howie's continuous battle with intrusive thoughts and fear of offending others.
• Therapy and Personal Growth: Howie describes his journey through therapy to mend his relationship with his daughter, showcasing his commitment to personal development and accountability.

---

6. Male Friendships and Personal Relationships (73:05 - 86:00)

Exploring the theme of male friendships, Greg and Howie discuss the complexities and depth of such relationships. Howie reflects on his limited friendships outside of his marriage, crediting his wife for providing a safe and accepting space that fosters personal growth and mutual support.

Notable Quotes:

Howie Mandel (54:28): "I grew up pretty lonely... struggling with ADHD and anxiety."

Greg Fitzsimmons (72:43): "When your child sees you apologize to them, that gives them a life lesson."

Highlights:

• Quality over Quantity: Howie emphasizes the scarcity of close friendships and the significance of his long-standing friendship with his manager, Michael Rotenberg.
• Impact of Marriage: Both Greg and Howie highlight how their marriages serve as primary sources of emotional support and personal stability, allowing them to navigate the public and private challenges of their careers.
• Parenthood Lessons: The conversation underscores how parenting has deepened their understanding of empathy, humility, and the importance of sincere apologies in fostering healthy relationships.

---

7. Reflections on Comedy and Authenticity (86:00 - 78:48)

As the episode draws to a close, Greg and Howie reflect on the essence of comedy and the necessity for authenticity in performance. Howie shares his philosophy on being true to oneself on stage, advocating for genuine expressions over forced personas.

Notable Quotes:

Howie Mandel (86:00): "Be funny from the beginning. Be witty and also respond to what's happening in the room."

Greg Fitzsimmons (77:10): "You got to put it out there. It's not about winning the contest. It's about being exposed and raising your career."

Highlights:

• Sincerity in Performance: Both hosts agree on the value of authenticity in comedy, with Howie illustrating how being genuine on stage leads to deeper connections with the audience.
• Evolution of Comedy: The discussion touches on how comedy has transformed from the diverse and edgy styles of the past to the more linear, self-focused approaches seen today.
• Encouragement for Emerging Comedians: Howie encourages new comedians to seek exposure through various platforms, emphasizing that persistence and authenticity can elevate their careers regardless of immediate success.

---

8. Closing Remarks and Trivia Game Outcome (78:48 - 78:30)

In the episode’s finale, Greg congratulates Howie on winning the Hidden Trivia game by correctly answering two out of three questions. The segment ends on a humorous note, with Howie playfully expressing his discomfort with potential urinary issues during the show.

Notable Quotes:

Greg Fitzsimmons (77:09): "So you want a T-shirt."

Howie Mandel (78:11): "I just think it's either catching on like wildfire or I have a urinary tract. Something."

Highlights:

• Trivia Success: Howie successfully answered "Boots are Made for Walking" and the five original NHL teams, securing his T-shirt reward.
• Humorous Banter: The light-hearted exchange about Howie’s potential health hiccup adds a final touch of humor to the episode.
• Upcoming Events: Greg promotes upcoming tour dates for both himself and Howie, encouraging listeners to engage with their live performances.

---

Conclusion: Episode 1078 of Fitzdog Radio offers a rich and engaging exploration of Howie Mandel's life, both professional and personal. Through honest conversations and shared anecdotes, Greg Fitzsimmons and Howie Mandel provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs that shape a successful entertainer. The episode seamlessly blends humor with vulnerability, making it a valuable listen for fans and newcomers alike.

Key Takeaways:

• Authenticity Matters: Staying true to oneself is crucial in both comedy and personal life.
• Support Systems are Vital: Strong relationships, whether familial or platonic, provide essential support in navigating life's challenges.
• Mental Health Awareness: Open discussions about mental health can foster understanding and reduce stigma.
• Persistence in Career: Continuous exposure and genuine performance are key to sustaining and growing a career in entertainment.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• Greg Fitzsimmons (00:39): "I'll grow up when I die, for God's sake."
• Howie Mandel (25:14): "Any comedian that has come on our show... has benefited by it."
• Howie Mandel (86:00): "Be funny from the beginning. Be witty and also respond to what's happening in the room."

---

Connect with Fitzdog Radio: Stay updated with Greg Fitzsimmons' latest tour dates and episodes by visiting fitzdog.com. Don’t miss future interviews with renowned guests and engaging segments that dive deep into the lives of entertainers.

Transcript

[Fred Meyer Ad]

New year, same great savings. All in the Fred meyer app. Get 10 for $10 on select varieties of Kroger pasta, Starkist tuna pouches or Powerade. Then get Tender Fresh Heritage Farm boneless chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound, all with your card. Shop these deals at your local Oregon Fred Meyer today or click the screen now to download the Fred Meyer app to save big today. Fred Meyer Fresh for everyone. Prices and product availability subject to change restrictions apply. See site for details.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Welcome to Fitz dog radio. 58 year old guy in a skateboard hat. I don't know how I feel about that. I feel good about it. It's comfortable, it's. What am I gonna do? I bought a Mustang. I still do stand up comedy. Like I'm 26. I mean, Jesus Christ, I'm not gonna grow up. I'll grow up when I die, for God's sake. I'll be a child, be like my mother. My mom is just out for Thanksgiving. She's still youthful, fun. She's the best. She was out here for like five or six days. She's just, you know, Bronx Irish, sense of humor, bus balls, great laugh. She's got her father's laugh. Florence McCarthy from County Kerry, she's got his laugh. And we just had so much fun. She comes out every year for like 25 years. She's come out to LA for Thanksgiving. Lot of traditions as people know. We swim in the ocean after dinner, we play soccer. Soccer. We have a. We had a big dessert party back at the house. We had like 30 people over this year and, and, and you know, went out to my daughter's bartending now part time. And so we dropped into the bar she bartends at and they had a live band and my mom is out there dancing and she's 82, wouldn't leave. She's the last. There was probably 20 of us at the bar that all met up and she doesn't want to leave. At the end of the night, she's the last one standing. Always after Thanksgiving, we all go to the beach and we dive in the water. My mom stays back on that one with Tom O'Neill, author of Chaos. And they clean up the dishes and they finish all the wine, all the wine. Somehow they get it clean though. We come back and the house is clean. I don't know how they do it, but that's their tradition. And went to a museum, went to lacma, the museum in la. Went to Redondo for the day, walked around the canals. Poker is a big tradition too because she taught my kids how to play poker when they were probably about 6 and 8 years old and we do that every year. Anyway, it was just fun. Baked an Irish soda bread. Lot of fun. And by the way, if you also want to have fun, Christmas is here and it's time to pick up the Sunday papers T shirt for the holidays. If you want to grab a one says take it eash and the other one has a very cool logo with a show on it. It's 26 bucks. Go to fitzdog.com check it out. Order it now. It'll get to you in about a week. High quality fabric. A lot of fun for yourself or for a loved one for the holidays. Also, I got a bunch of tour dates coming up. If you're in San Francisco this weekend, I will be there the fifth through the seventh at the punchline. Cleveland hilarities December 13 and 14. Then I'm going to South Africa for a few weeks. When I come back, I'll be in Janesville, Wisconsin. Nyack, New York, Raleigh, North Carolina, Milwaukee. Just added Boston. I'll be in Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Toronto. Go to fitzdog.com get some tickets for my winter dates. Oh, it's gonna be busy. So anyway, I had fun today. Yesterday I interviewed my guest, the great Howie Mandel, who is kind of a renaissance man of entertainment. It's done it all acts actor, host, comedian and we played a game that I started that I think, I don't know. See how it went. I think it went pretty well. It's a trivia game. We'll call it. What are we gonna call it? Hidden Trivia. Hidden Trivia. So basically I laid in three trivia questions throughout the interview in advance. So I'll tell you what they were. I was going to ask him what Nancy Sinatra's big hit song was. I was going to ask him to name five of the six original NHL teams hockey and I was going to ask him the longest running game show on the air today. And we'll see how he did. Should I say the answers now? Yeah, I'll tell you now. Boots are Made for Walking as the song. The six teams are Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Chicago, Detroit and the New York Rangers. Those were the six original and NHL teams. And the longest running game show on the air is Price is Right. So we'll reveal the answers at the end. See how he did. See if he won a Sunday papers, T shirts, a lot of anticipation. But how he goes back when my first time I auditioned for Catch a Rising Star, which was the Club in New York back in 93. 90. No, 90. Probably 94. And I had an audition. Kevin Meaney set it up. And who walks in? I was about to go on, and then the club owners like, hold on, we got to drop in. And it's fucking Howie Mandel who went up and annihilates the room destroys. And then I get up and I bomb. So years later, I'm at the Montreal Comedy Festival, and he's Canadian, so he was hosting the. It's called the Gala, which is a big show that they record it and it plays all over the world. It's like this huge TV taping. And I went up and I bombed. Again, I don't want you to think I bomb a lot, but these were two Howie Mandel related bombs. And it was just. It was a 3, 3 in the afternoon show. The whole audience was old people. I was on like three hours into the show. It was brutal and I bombed. Anyway, so Howie comes out and he says to me, he whispers in my ear after I say goodnight. And he's hosting. He goes, do you have another five minutes? And I go, you mean now? He goes, yeah. I go, fuck yeah. So he goes up to the mic and he says to the audience, okay, look, you guys been here three hours. I know you're down. This guy's a great comic. I want you to give him some fresh energy. He's gonna do another set. Please welcome back Greg Fitzsimmons. And I go up and I open by shitting on Deal or no Deal, which the crowd loved, how he loved. And then I did five minutes. I'm not saying I crushed, but I got by. It was a usable TV set. And I've always. He's always had a place in my heart for doing that. He's a really generous comic. He supports other comics. He's a great dude. This interview was fucking good. He was very funny. And then he went deep. We got into male friendship and he was very vulnerable about it. And I learned a lot about him. I didn't know a lot of stuff that. If you think you know Howie Mandel, I think you're gonna learn different from this interview. A lot of layers. Um, so anyway, you know him from God, everything. Deal or no Deal, America's Got Talent. He's been doing it for 15 years. He was on St. Elsewhere. He was in Gremlins. And really good dude. Here is Howie Mandel.

[Howie Mandel]

Hey, buddy.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Hey now.

[Howie Mandel]

Hey now.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Hey now.

[Howie Mandel]

I'm trying to get a seat. There I am.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Look at you.

[Howie Mandel]

How are You.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I'm good.

[Howie Mandel]

Thanksgiving.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I did. Well, let's. Yeah, let's start with that. Yeah, I did. We have a. We have a tradition here. I live in Venice beach and our neighbors are all pretty tight. We all been here for like 25 years. So every year for 20 years, we play soccer in the morning and then we dive into the Ocean at like 7:00 at night. And then everybody comes to my house and we have a big dessert for like 50 people.

[Howie Mandel]

That was incredibly random. But yet traditional.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes, it's been a. It's been a sort of combination of different goofballs putting. I'm in charge of the soccer, somebody else is in charge of the dinner, someone else does the beach and. Yeah. And everybody gets drunk. By the end of the night, we can tell the night is almost over. My mom drinks red wine and. Which.

[Howie Mandel]

Your mom is involved in the soccer game?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes. So she flies out from Florida and you can tell how far the night has progressed because the teeth get pink from the red wine. Then they get red, and when it goes purple, it's time for everybody to go home.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, so it's like a, Like a litmus. Like litmus paper. She has litmus paper that kind of let you at the timer?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes, yes. It's like 9th grade chemistry meets alcoholism.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh. So I just, like, I. I know you're gonna think this is crazy, but I get together with my family, my kids, their kids, and we eat turkey and we watch football.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No.

[Howie Mandel]

Imagine that. No, I mean, we are not. We're not like. Like we never would have thought of playing soccer and jumping in the ocean and getting mom drunk. Yeah, but you are. Always have been so much more traditional than me in that way.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, I'm American. You come down from Canada and you see our tradition and you say, okay, I guess. I guess we eat turkey and, and. And watch football.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, it's just who you meet as a. As a. You know, an immigrant.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

I just try to fit in. And as you can tell, I didn't meet you first because.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No.

[Howie Mandel]

Had I met you.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

We would all be wet and we'd have sand in our cracks.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And we'd have disconnected their teeth.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And we would. Oh, look, it's Thanksgiving.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

That's a lot to be thankful for. Wait, speaking of Canada, how about your Blue Jays, huh? Pretty hot this year.

[Howie Mandel]

Yes. I don't really follow baseball. I'm not a. I'm not a big baseball fan. Baseball is a little slow for me. But I will tell you, the Blue Jays. I threw out the pitch for the first game they ever won in their stadium, which was probably in the 80s. And the stadium, which is the Rogers center, where they play is most notably known for during, I think an ABC broadcast of a World Series or something like that, where they panned up. There was. There used to be. I don't know if it's still a hard rock, but there's a whole show.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah. You know.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. I think it was the first stadium to do that. Sort of like high end, combining hotels and good restaurants. I remember going there. It was, it was the first.

[Howie Mandel]

It was the first, you know. And it closes. And it opens.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Talks about the Cowboys Stadium now, but this was like. We were so ahead of that, you know, so we had the hotel where you can get a hotel room and actually watch a game from your hotel room. It looks out onto the field. But what happened is ABC is shooting and I think it was a high fly out to left field and they panned up and you could see that the wall in left field is actually the hotel. Somebody was hitting a home run. Home run against the window. I mean, is that third base is where first base is making out, second.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Base, third is the finger or the hand. It's manual.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

So it was a home run.

[Howie Mandel]

Home run. He had her pressed against the window.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Now what? I just, I have to think as a cameraman, you have to make an editorial choice at that point, depending on the couple.

[Howie Mandel]

They didn't end on that. It went, it cut. You know, we were following. He was following the ball. I'm going to Google it as we sit here. And I'm telling you that it's true. It's Toronto.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I believe it. I have actually heard that story. Oh, yes, I can confirm.

[Howie Mandel]

Ten seconds ago.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

That'S where I heard it.

[Howie Mandel]

Okay.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Jesus. But what about.

[Howie Mandel]

All right, questions I can Google and talk.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Let's switch over to the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs are such an exciting team to watch this year. Are you watching them?

[Howie Mandel]

No.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

What?

[Howie Mandel]

Football. American Football. In fact, thing. I watched American football as a Canadian. I, I, as a Canadian, I watched. Did you watch the Buffalo game last night?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I did. So much fun.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, I love that. And I used to sit and watch CFL. The CFL's Canadian Football League. And, and when I was an artist, Doug Flutie. Not only Doug Flutie. Do you know who. Well, Joe Theisman was our quarterback when I was watching. And a lineman was Lou Ferrigno.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No way. The Hulk.

[Howie Mandel]

Yes. Who is, for all intents and Purposes considered death. So I don't know.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes. Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

In the huddle. What? Yeah. Well, I don't know how you. Are you a baseball fan? Your thing?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, obviously this year I'm from New York and I live in la, so this year's World Series is pretty exciting. But I just love. I figured you were a big Maple Leafs fan because they are like one of the original hockey. What was the. The original six teams. Do you remember what the. Which the original six teams were?

[Howie Mandel]

Boy, I feel like I'm on a game show that I got miscast for. No, but I could guess. You know, I'm not.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Come on, guess. Let me hear you guess what the first six hockey teams were because Toronto was.

[Howie Mandel]

One of them would have to be Boston. Yeah, Boston, Toronto, Montreal, the Red Wings, Detroit, Chicago. The Blackhawks.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, that's five. One.

[Howie Mandel]

One more. So I got five out of six.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Five out of six up there.

[Howie Mandel]

I got five out of six.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

All right. The last one is the New York Rangers.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, yeah. Who knew to be a big city.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah. And this year, I. I have a picture of myself with the Stanley Cup. I'm with the. And the Stanley cup actually came to my house.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No way.

[Howie Mandel]

I was the voice of the, you know, the NHL Stanley cup commercials. I did.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Okay.

[Howie Mandel]

Voiceover. And they brought the Stanley cup to my house, which was, you know, on one hand, as a Canadian, that is the, you know, bringing the Torah.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, is to. To a. A rabbi's house. But. And then you think of all the fluids that have actually.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Germaphobe.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

People know the tradition, but the teams get to keep it for a while and I think have their way with it.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

You didn't drink out of it.

[Howie Mandel]

No, I didn't. I shows up, has gloves on, and I just.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Beside it. And took pictures. And I just did that last week. I just took pictures with the Stanley cup because I'm a judge on Canada's Got Talent, and the company that airs Canada's Got Talent also has the. The hockey rights. So. Yeah, I. I'm a proud Canadian. Well, I'm proud American now, but I'm also a proud Canadian. I've got dual citizenship. I'm bi. I hope you edit that in a good way. But. But I have two citizenships, so I took a picture with the. With Stanley Cup. But my favorite sport to watch is. Is American football.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. This weekend was amazing. So many of the. The Chargers and the Rams both won. They both squeaked it by. But watching football in snow is about as exciting as it gets. And I feel bad because I think. What's his name, the running back for San Francisco, He. He pulled his Achilles or something. I think he might be out for.

[Howie Mandel]

The season, but that was just a disaster for the 49ers. They. That was horrible. It was just like a lot of bad skating.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

Trying to hold on and falling and just. You would.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

What was great is that, like, a fullback could just keep going because the defenders, normally, they dig their feet in and they pull you down. But the only way to tackle in that snow, because the runner has the momentum, is to grab them and hold on and get dragged. So guys were getting 7, 8, 10 extra yards after contact.

[Howie Mandel]

Right. But it was also a much slower game because they didn't. A lot of them didn't have the speed. Yes, well, buffalo. But no 49er could run.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And it was funny because the people who were calling the game kind of figured out the tactics of how to do it. Like, you have to catch it and you have to be moving in that direction because if you already have some momentum, then you could keep going. But if you catch it and you're standing still, you can't get going on an icy snow floor. But it's so great when you're tackled and then you watch them slide for another 10 yards. It made me feel homesick for my childhood.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Did you play American football growing up?

[Howie Mandel]

Canadian football? Yes.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, no, American.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, CFL has different. We have different rules.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Do you know that that's a wider field, right?

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah. And there's. I think it's only three downs, right? Am I correct?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Okay.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah, I think it's only three downs. And I did play in school. We were. I was always fascinated. Our super bowl is called the Gray Cup. We have the Gray Cup. How much boring? More boring. It's a cop goes to the Super Bowl.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, Stanley.

[Howie Mandel]

We have a cup.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, Stanley sounds like a nerd, doesn't he? The Stanley Cup. Yeah, we're American.

[Howie Mandel]

That tells you. You know, if you look at our awards for our sports, it kind of tells you the difference between America and Canada, right?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

We're bold. You know, it's just. It's. It makes a big. Yeah, the. The Canadians. I don't think it's the same. I think they changed it, but they got mad at me. They wanted me to be a. The entertainment at the Gray Cup. Like, they had a. Think of a Super bowl dinner right before game. I'm gonna not take that call, though. I'm. I'm Doing a little bit of a fundraiser. So I'm working the phones today. Anyway, they had eight teams, eight Canadian teams. I'm not gonna ask you to guess who they were, but only seven names. Do you know that now? No. Two of the teams. Ottawa and Saskatchewan.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

The exact same name. The Rough Riders. It was the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Saskatchewan Rough Riders. Wow. And people say no. 1 are the rough Riders, and these are the Rough Riders. And I'm going, you really, really. You couldn't come up with one more name? And that's. I said that, and they got upset with me. They didn't see the humor in it. I go, it's not like you have 3,000 teams, eight teams, seven names. And some of the most artistic people come out of this country. You know that a lot of directors and comedians, Leonard Cohen and Cirque du Soleil and everything come up with. And Rough Rider isn't even a. I don't think that's a name anybody really wants to share.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No. It sounds like a place you go for brunch in West Hollywood after you take some poppers.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, the Rough Rider.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Rough Riders. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

They're not. I think now they. So their. Their uniforms are. I think it's black and red. I may be wrong, and that's okay for your. The people who comment on your thing, but they changed their name. Their. Their uniform is black and red. It might be red and white, but it's. I think it's black and red.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Then. And then. So now they call themselves the Red Blacks.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Nice.

[Howie Mandel]

Huh? Huh.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, listen, the last time I saw you, you were kind enough to have me on your podcast. Howie Mandel does stuff. We danced. We had a dance off. But I feel like there was never a winner announced from the dance off. Or is it just a celebration?

[Howie Mandel]

Well, it's. It's both. So it is a celebration, and there is a winner. I'm not one to gloat, you know, and I didn't want to. I think it was. I think if people watch the episode, it's just obvious. And I think I didn't want to. And you're the guest, and I wanted to make you feel comfortable, but I think it was just obvious.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, no, no. I don't think it was at all. I think that, number one, you had a home field advantage. You. You planned it. You stretched, probably. I'm guessing you had a choreographer. Paul Abdul was back there with you.

[Howie Mandel]

There's no arguing. I. I don't know if you know what I do when I'M not doing your podcast, but I judged him, and dancers come from all over the world to hear Howie Mandel have to say about their moves. So.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Isn't that interesting? Isn't that interesting? You know, I mean, nobody's more surprised.

[Howie Mandel]

Than how he handed.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

You've got, you got kids coming in from Dayton, Ohio, on the Greyhound and they hit LA and they look at that Walk of Fame. And you're. I'm guessing you got a star in the Walk of Fame, right?

[Howie Mandel]

Yes. And a stain on semblimada.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

And you did not put your name on that one. And, and they, and they. And their dream is. Does Howie Mandel, a comedian, think I can sing?

[Howie Mandel]

Who. Who would have thunk?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Who is this?

[Howie Mandel]

I even think this was a job, let alone.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Whether I'm qualified for it or not. You know, somebody who's been in the business for 45 years. I just wanted to. Strangers to like me.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, that's. And I would do anything and humiliate myself just to make you like me. I think I was a little bit humorous. And hopefully you enjoyed spending, you know, a few minutes with me. And then, you know, my whole career has been this weird whirlwind of I can't believe what I'm doing, but this just judging. And, and the truth is I think I'm really good at it. And, and I think I'm really good at it because I've. I've gotten really comfort comfortable in. In being authentically honest. I don't think I'm right. I just think I'm authentically honest. I don't think anything's right when it comes to any art form.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

If you like it, it's great. If you don't like it, it doesn't mean it's not great. It just means you don't like it. So I, I never tell anybody that something's not good. I could just tell you what I think.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And. And you could take that with a grain of salt or you could, you know, maybe use it and find some inspiration, be behind my words. And which.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

What comedians have come off that show with. Has it launched anybody's comedy careers?

[Howie Mandel]

No. But here's what it does. I don't know that it's yes. I shouldn't say no. I'm saying no because no comedian has won yet. But I believe that any comedian that comes on. And this is just by virtue of. How long have you been in the business?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

35 years.

[Howie Mandel]

Okay. So when we started out, there were places like the Tonight Show. Johnny Carson and things like that. Where. And for me, it was, you know, HBO's young comedian special, right. Where you did it, and then the next day you had a career. The. The ability for people to get anything is so siloed now in as far as what you download, what your algorithm is, what you're watching on YouTube. YouTube, what stations you're watching out of 600 stations, what you're streaming. Somebody can be playing a stadium in your city and you don't even know their name.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right. I know. It's amazing.

[Howie Mandel]

So. So. So my point is, any comedian that has come on to our show, whether they believe it was a good experience or not, is. Has benefited by it. Because. And I always say this to them, you know, comedy is probably one of the hardest. And I'm not saying this because I'm a comedian and you're a comedian. Comedy is one of the hardest acts to appreciate and, you know, the easiest thing. And I'm. I hope I don't get killed for this, but singing kind of bores me.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And it bored me because you can walk into, you know, a Ramada Inn, or you can go camping with friends, and they could pull out a guitar and a lot of people can sing. Sing.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, and nine out of 10 times, they're singing somebody else's song. So there's. I don't know what, the creativity. And you can go take guitar lessons, and you can even take singing lessons and learn how to sing. So unless you're great and you stand out, I'm not bowled over by that, but I don't think people appreciate somebody who comes out there virtually naked, you know, and just spews their sensibility, their sense, you know, and if it's not hitting it, it hurts worse than.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Anyway. Yeah. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

You need more. You know, if somebody comes out and sings a song, even a mediocre song, everybody's going to sit quietly for the duration of the song. And then when the song ends, we just know it, because that's what you do. You applaud and you go, yay. And they don't know. They think it went well. If a comedian comes out here and does that at that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

And yeah, it would be like the singer having to stop every 15 seconds and go, is it good? And everybody goes, yeah, it's good.

[Howie Mandel]

Right.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

And then continue playing the song.

[Howie Mandel]

So. So. So the point is. And I always say that. I say, you know, especially on agt, people in the room, when somebody's been hanging themselves upside down and lighting themselves on Fire. And they've got music and 10 dancers. And then bring on little Joey, who tells you a little story about how his mom used to force him to do his homework. People are going, wow, this isn't as good as lighting yourself up, but there's actually more involved. And it's also scarier. So what I say to people who are, Who. Who enter it, and I think every comic should do it, and I think every comic should do it at every level. You know, we're not an amateur show. Think of it as the US Open. You know, any people just compete and you could win it. Where are you going to get an audience? We get 1 billion hits on YouTube a year.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Wow.

[Howie Mandel]

Everybody who's on it, whether you believe they've done well or not, will get more bookings. We'll be able to sell their tickets for a higher price. We'll be exposed. If three people at our desk aren't responding, if 1, 1500 people in the room aren't responding, don't play it for that. Play it for. Look into that cab and talk to millions and millions and millions of people internationally, and I promise you, you are going to end up in a better place. If you make it all about Heidi Klum or Sofia or Simon Cowell laughing or deciding whether that is a great joke, then that's on you.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right? Right. No. I had a friend. Do you remember a guy named Tom Cotter who came on.

[Howie Mandel]

I think did well, he came in second place.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

He lost to a dog act. But Tom's one of my dearest friends, and he absolutely. His career went up three or four notches from that. And guess what?

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

And it stayed there.

[Howie Mandel]

And it should. You know, you just need to have constant exposure. And people. I talk to comics all the time. They go, I don't want to go in that way. I go, so where are you going to go? Where Live in same day and same time. Six million people are going to see you. Yeah, but on anybody's podcast.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And 6 million people are going to see you, and it's going to live forever on YouTube and, and, and TikTok. And you're going to be seen by 10 million people. Just put your shit together, put it out there. It's not about winning the contest. It's about being exposed and raising your career and competing and everybody from Taylor Williamson to Preacher Lawson to all these comics. Tate Face is. He's a mime, a comedic mime. And so is Piff the Magic Dragon.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Sure.

[Howie Mandel]

Who is a, you know, a comedic. He's Got both those guys have their own room in Vegas now because of agt.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, you know, crazy now. And it's been going for so long. If I feel. What has it been, like seven or eight years?

[Howie Mandel]

20. What 20th year is starting. Yes.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Someday you're going to be the longest run. I wonder what the longest running game show is in the history of Wheel.

[Howie Mandel]

Of Fortune or Jeopardy or any of those.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Way before us. But, you know, the thing about it is. And comics were sensitive people. You know, one of my friends, Dan Natterman, did the show and he hated his experience on it.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Hated it.

[Howie Mandel]

And I thought he did amazing. Simon didn't love him. And Simon said something about one of his jokes. Dan Natterman is one of the funniest guys. Do you know, Dan, one of my.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Favorite jokes of all time is one of his. He says the gym teacher comes into health class one day and he says, kids, today we're going to, we're going to learn sex ed and I'm going to teach you how to put on a condom. And if you're wondering why I'm holding a banana in my hand, I can't get an erection on an empty stomach.

[Howie Mandel]

That's hysterical. Go. So that's Dan Adam. Dan Adam is one of the funniest guys. And, and I don't blame anybody for not. Simon didn't love it. Okay. And Simon didn't get what, what Dan was doing and, and told him honestly about. He didn't, he goes, you didn't make, you didn't make me laugh. Which is true. There's always many more people in the world that aren't going to laugh than whatever we could capture on, on our shows or whatever. Right.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, British people don't get American comedy anyway.

[Howie Mandel]

I don't know that that's true. You really think so? Yeah, I don't, I don't think that's true. But, but, but, but anyway, he told him that. And Dan Natterman just, he, he, he said, you know, Simon, you may knus really well, but I don't think you know the difference between good comedy and your. Or something like that. Said he said something like that in the moment and the whole audience went, whoa. Left. They left that in the show. It's one of the best moments.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

That's great.

[Howie Mandel]

Of agt. And I remember going backstage after and Dan was like beside himself, and I said, dan, you created a great moment. You know, all these moments. And that's what another thing I'll say to comics. You need to be funny. And be yourself from the moment you walked out there. Don't.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Be like a magician. Don't come out there all morose and. And unless that's your act, and then go, hey, how is everybody?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

Be funny from the beginning. Be witty and also respond to what's happening in the room.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Like. And that happened, I think, was Taylor Williamson was having a little bit of a rough time, and he noticed the fact that Heidi Klum was not. Was not responding, so he started directing it to Heidi Klum and created this romance.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Launched him into making it into the finals, and they brought him back even every year, because they had this faux Heidi Klum, Taylor Williamson thing, which also. Oh, really raised him from where he was doing comedy. So.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Anybody. The R. And. And even today, for me, we all need to continually be exposed.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

I'm on this podcast, so I had the opportunity, even at the level I'm on, to be on AGT at this time. I would do it. Michael Winslow was just on a couple of years ago because we haven't seen him in a long time. Remember the guy?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Of course, the sound. Sound effect guy used to play Purple Haze with his mouth. Yeah. Are you inviting me on agt? I mean, is that what you're trying to get to here?

[Howie Mandel]

I know you would do really well.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, I'm a little dark.

[Howie Mandel]

That's why it would do really well.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

To me. And I keep saying this to people. Even if something spectacularly doesn't work.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

There's something. You know what I mean? You grab your.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Howie Mandel]

And then calling it out for what it is. This is. Oh, this isn't my audience. This is not my. You know, there's. There was this duo. This comedy duo. Do you know who Chop and Steel are? No, I think I've got the wrong names, but I think it's Chop and Steel. So they got known a few years back for. They would go on morning shows like Good Morning Cleveland.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And Good Morning Cleveland. Had no idea they were comedians. And they would do, like, a strength act or they'd go on as experts in something that they weren't. But they would book the shows, but knew these things went viral online. And you go, oh, my God. This, like. I think their strength act was like they were breaking twigs. You can do, like, horrible. You know, he could step on a basket and crush.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But they were the. The hosts of Good Morning Cleveland or Good Morning Wyoming. They took these bookings really seriously. They didn't have a Research department. And these were funny little things I think they got themselves. We didn't know, booked on AGT and their bit, I don't know that it made it to the air. I don't think it made it to the air, but it did make it to the. They did a documentary. He just pissed himself on stage.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No. And what was the stated intention of the act? What did they say?

[Howie Mandel]

I think that's what they went on. I think they were gonna do some sort of display of strength or acrobatics or whatever. And the guy just stood there. And I didn't know that they. Nobody knew they were comedians.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And one of them actually urinated, which I don't think ab, NBC, or AGT liked it. But then I saw. I was in a theater and I saw the documentary, and they had. I guess they had a friend in the audience that, that recorded them.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

That's great. Let me ask you this, because you've been doing it longer than me. You've been doing it, what, 40 years?

[Howie Mandel]

More. 45.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

45 years. What, what is the. I'm sure you never pissed yourself, but what. Did you ever have a moment on stage where you lost your voice or you. Yourself or you. What, what happened?

[Howie Mandel]

So I was in Puerto Rico, and I, I was playing one of the. I was going to do a concert at a casino.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And, and the. I was in the restaurant, and the chef came over and said he was so delighted to have Howie Mandel in his hotel. Did you order the, did you order the, the, the seafood that I, I made tonight? And I said, no, I actually ordered the steak, and the steak was there. He goes, please, you got to try the seafood. So he brings me the seafood, and I eat some of the seafood, and then he brings me something else that he tried, and I couldn't. I can't say no. And he was just being the sweetest guy, and he was giving me all this stuff that he had cooked, and then, like, within an hour. Have you ever. Have you ever gotten food poisoning?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes. It's the worst thing in the world.

[Howie Mandel]

I think there's probably things worse. I, I mean, as a Jew, I've heard about the Holocaust. I don't know if it's. If food poisoning is the worst thing in the world. But, but, but the, the truth of the matter is I, I, it was percolating.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

My stomach. And this is like an hour before the show. And I go, I, I don't know what to do. I just don't feel well. I don't feel well, I'm nauseous and I think, like, I'm going to explode out of every orphan I'm gonna. Anyway, come to showtime. It's 9:00. Ladies and gentlemen, Howie Mandalaw. I walk. It's packed.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And at the time, I don't do this anymore. And this is why, if you go see a show now, like every other comic I know, I use a handheld mic.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But up until that night when I was on tour, because I'm so. I move a lot, and I like to use my hands and I like to pick up props and I use. I always had a lav on.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

A wireless mic attached to my shirt. And I'm on stage. And I'm on stage and I could feel my stomach grumbling and going. And I'm nauseous. And I think I'm gonna just empty out of every orifice. Right. And I could feel it. I could. I'm also concerned that the audiences and. But I just let me get through the show. I'm on for 15 minutes, 20 minutes most. And then I just go, good night. I was just so sick. I run off the stage, I run through the back halls. I run into my dressing room. Nobody knows where I'm going, and nobody knows what's going on. And I just rip down my pants, sit on the toilet, and I'm telling you, like, have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Like, the worst. The worst. But nobody knew what was happening or where.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I go, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Except my crew. Somebody runs and they start banging to go, howie, Howie. And I'm going, leave me the alone. They go, howie, leave me the alone. And somebody said, take your mic off. So the whole audience. The whole audience heard my sitting ovation to them. The most embarrassing. I never. And it's a hotel. It's a resort. I was staying there for another two days. Eye contact. I couldn't look at anybody. Worst moment I've ever had.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

It's the worst thing that's ever happened in Puerto Rico. I mean, my God.

[Howie Mandel]

Wow.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Did you go back on or that was it.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, no, no, no. I was sick. But then the next morning, I wouldn't go out to the pool. I didn't have that. I just wouldn't. I just. It was, like, horrible.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I wonder if that guy did it to you on purpose. I mean, you're the king of pranks. Maybe that was his prank on you.

[Howie Mandel]

I don't know. But from that day on, I've never worn that. Somebody goes, says, you want a wireless mic?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I go, no, yeah, yeah. What was the prank? Todd Barry is a good friend of mine, and when we were coming up, we were like, you know, kind of fledgling comedians. We hadn't really made it big or anything. And not that I have. Now I'm sitting in a room with a plant. But you brought him on.

[Howie Mandel]

I'm sitting in a room with a picture of myself.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I. You brought him on. Do you remember this prank you did that?

[Howie Mandel]

I'll tell you. So Todd Berry, who I love. And I actually, this makes me feel bad because I, I, I wanted. I videotaped it. I have a videotape of it.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And I asked years later, when I had a talk show I invited him on and I wanted to show the tape, and he wouldn't let me. So he feels bad about it. But it was in upstate New York. There was a. I sometimes play these theaters in the round. They have these theaters in the round. And if you've ever been to the Westbury is in New York.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Like, Westbury Music Center. Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But there's a lot of them. There's. This wasn't Westbury. That was in upstate New York. I'm trying to remember the name. It doesn't matter the name of the theater. But you perform on a disc, and I love them because the audience is 360 degrees, so you're never far from anybody. Be 3,000 people in there. But traditionally, these stages are made. They can have a music group on there. And the stage can swivel. It turns.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Like a lazy Susan.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

We don't use that as comedians because you could just pace and walk around and face wherever you want. But in order to do that, technically in the middle of the stage or just off to the side, you could take one of the floorboards out of the stage. And there's a place to plug in all your monitors. So there's not. If they're spinning, there's not chords being.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Okay. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Plug into the middle of the. For whatever reason that when we showed up, we were showing up for a sound check, they had that door open. And Todd says to me, so where do we enter from? And we're standing, like, way back, and there's an aisle that goes down the stage. I go, we just go down this aisle, go to the stage. He goes, well, then after the show, where do we go? And there's aisles, you know, 306, about six aisles. Sections secretly. And he goes, where do you leave from? He just. I think he was just making conversation. I go, you see the trap door open on the stage, that's where you leave from. He goes, what do you mean? I go, well, what'll happen is you go into that trapdoor and just bend down and then knock on the floor, because it's not. That thing was only like 2 1/2ft deep where you plugged in everything. Knock on that. They'll open it up and they take you down the stairs and you'll end up back in the dressing room. He goes, can we run it? I go, we have no time to run it anyway. So he goes back to his dressing room. So then I go to the, to. To the stage manager and I go, listen, here's what's going to happen. Todd Berry is going to get up on stage. He's going to do his act. When he says good night, have leave that door open to where you plug in all the speakers. Leave that off the stage. He'll see it. It won't fall into it. And then when he says good night, have all the spotlights focus on that hole and just leave them there, you know, and you'll see what will happen. He goes, really? I go, yes, just do that. Okay. So Todd goes out and Todd is one of the funniest guys I know.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, great.

[Howie Mandel]

Thousand people are screaming, they love him.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, it's hard.

[Howie Mandel]

I, I'm. It's going to be hard for me to go out and follow him. He's brilliant. And he goes, enjoy. Howie Mandel. Good night. There's going to be a 50 minute between the opening act of me. They take 50 minutes, minutes so people can go get drinks and buy merch and whatever they have to do. So it's going to be short intermission. Then. Enjoy Howie Mandel. Thank you. And he goes, thank you. And all the spotlights go to that hole. And he goes, thank you. And then he walks over to the hole. He steps down into the hole. The hole. As he's standing in the hole, maybe comes up mid thigh. So. And, and then he. With the lights still on and the audience still applauding, he bends down and I could see he's. He's knocking on. It's not a door, but he's knocking on the floor there. And then the, the, the lights are still on him. And then the, the, the, the applause starts to. You know, they've been applauding for a while.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And, and you could see like the hunch of his back sticking out of the middle of the stage and he's knocking on the floor. And then the house lights come up because they're Going to take an intermission.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Everybody kind of stopped, and you could. And. And still in the center stage and, you know, every so often, because he's not getting an answer. You see his head? He. Look, he looks up and he's. He's looking around like they're not answering the door. And I'm stuck here in the middle of 3,000 people. He's there for what seems like an eternity. Finally, he goes it, and he gives up, and he stands up, crawls out of the hole and, you know, excuse me. Up and down the aisle, people are milling because they're going to get their drinks. And he's going, excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. And he was somewhat humiliating, and I feel bad because he's a sweet guy and he's a guy brilliant. But even to this day, I have that video.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Now, if people understood Todd's personality, he is the most. Does not want to be fucked with guy. He is the most, like, button down that. That is so perfect. Knowing him.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah. But I felt bad because.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

So you got it on videotape and you've never shown it?

[Howie Mandel]

No.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No. All right.

[Howie Mandel]

If you can get him to say yes, I'll give it to you.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Someday there'll be a roast of Todd Barry, and we'll have to get that tape and play it.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh. Because I used to be notorious for. With my opening acts.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, and I did it a lot, and. And nobody. I did it more to. I wrote a book. My. My biography. And there's a guy who appears on my podcast all the time, Lou Dinos. I mean, I. I feel horrible for the things that I did to Lou, but I did horrible things to Lou. Yeah, but it was funny.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

He did. He goes on the pod. He wasn't there the day I was there, right?

[Howie Mandel]

No. Oh, he's not there all the time, but he. When he. When he has a minute, he comes in and he sits there and he annoys some guests. He annoys some of the audience, and he's. He's. He's really funny, and he's a sweet guy, and I. I love.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I love your daughter. Jacqueline Schultz is so funny. She's really great on the show.

[Howie Mandel]

She is. I'm so proud of her. She's a mom of two, and she's getting old, so I get to work with my kids, and my. My son actually built this studio I'm in, and he. He produces. He's in the other room right now producing. He produces. I don't know what's called the Girls Next Door. There's the. He's got Jason Alexander from Seinfeld.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Wow.

[Howie Mandel]

He does a lot with Logan. Paul. He did. When. When Logan's not in Puerto Rico and does it here. He's produced that. And we have the. The place do.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Bill Maher.

[Howie Mandel]

Bill Mars does a lot. No, Club Random. He doesn't. But they bill the company in this building.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

It's Billy Corgan and Fred Durst and a whole bunch of others.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Amazing. Yeah. But I loved seeing you and your daughter was like. It was like Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra. What was that song she had?

[Howie Mandel]

Shoes Were Made for Walking.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love that.

[Howie Mandel]

Were Made for Walking.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And that's my daughter. When you think of these Boots Were Made for Walking. Howie's daughter. I love the reference to an old Nancy Sinatra song.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I. Well, my father was. My father was a. AM radio host my whole life growing. He was one of the biggest radio guys in New York growing up. Yeah. And he played a lot of Sinatra. And I remember Nancy Sinatra. I used to dance to it when I was a kid.

[Howie Mandel]

That's why you were happy with the dance challenge on my.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes, yes. Always happy to dance. Always.

[Howie Mandel]

So that's why you went into the business, was it? You following your father's footsteps?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. I mean, I think it's when you're a kid and you see. Because he did radio, but he also loved to put on a tuxedo and go to charity events and emcee the charity event. And he would get up there and I'd see him with his notes before he went. He was not a standup comic, but he had all his notes, he had his set stories. He had these great. He was a real New Yorker, grew up in the Bronx. I mean, you walk into any tavern in New York City and people are yelling at, hey, Fitz, come on out, let me buy you a drink. Like, he was just a real man of New York. And so he would tell these great New York stories and then he would bust people's balls. He was like real insult comic kind of guy, but people always took it the right way and. And I watched that and I became obsessed with stand up from a young age. And, you know, and you were definitely one of the guys that I watched when I was a kid that I was like, I think the breadth of what people did in comedy back in the 80s was so much more interesting. Today, it's become very linear. People come out, they take the mic out of the stand, they talk about themselves. They do a model. I'm not putting it down. I just think you go back to like Bobcat Goldthwait, Stephen Wright and Emo Phillips and you and Kinison and like people were doing, you know, re. They were going much harder at the.

[Howie Mandel]

Well, you know what there is. And, and I think that's coming back. I'm, I'm, you know, I, I, I was trying to revive the Montreal Comedy Festival.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh yeah, that's right.

[Howie Mandel]

They fought me all the way. Because I think one of the problems with some of these comedy festivals, it, it's that, you know, and that's very 80s and in the 80s that was kind of new, you know, to see and, but there was a breadth of stand up comedy was kind of new. But like I'm a huge fan of what's going on now predominantly in Austin. But Kill Tony is, you know, we had a thing at the, at the Montreal Conference Festival called New Faces and that's where a lot of the SNL people got their starts that got seen or got asked to audition.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Last most famous one was Shane Gillis who, who ended up getting it and then losing it and.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Posting it and now bigger than ever. But if you, if you look at Kill Tony, did you watch Kill Tony?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I've been on it like 20 times. Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

I love Kill Tony and I once, I, I think that it's that you see that breadth of. Again.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Everything from, you know, Cam Patterson to some other great comics who are really different.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, and do different things and are pushing the envelope and it doesn't look like 80s comedy anymore.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

The Kill Tony itself doesn't look like 80s comedy anymore.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right, right. Yeah, there was a lot of guys. Kevin Meaney was a dear friend of mine. Did you, were you friends with Kevin at all?

[Howie Mandel]

I wasn't friends, but I was a fan.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But I was a fan of.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, he was always great. Who are your good friend? Obviously you have people you work with but like, who would you say is like your best male friend?

[Howie Mandel]

I wish I had good friends. I think you are my best friend.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I'd like to be friends with you. I'd like to be closer.

[Howie Mandel]

Well, you wouldn't. Yeah, I don't have, I don't have a lot of friends, but my best male friends is probably my manager. His name is Michael Rotenberg.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

And Michael, he used to be my manager. Yeah, I know Michael.

[Howie Mandel]

So he started one of the biggest companies. There are three arts and they're responsible for some of the biggest comedians you've ever seen. But Michael lived on My couch while he was going to law school.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, you guys are both from Toronto, right?

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah, we grew up. Since we were both 14, we've been best friends.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Wow, that's amazing.

[Howie Mandel]

That would be my best male friend.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, he's a good man. Let me ask you this. Like, do you ever find, like, nobody talks about male friendships? It's always about, like, in the movies, everything. It's always about romance, but nobody talks about, like, how intimate male friendships can be. And yet there can also be elements of, like, competitiveness. Do you think that we take male friendships for granted and don't really look at them the same way?

[Howie Mandel]

Well, I don't take friendship for granted. I grew up pretty lonely. I don't have a lot of friends, you know, and people didn't like me. And what I talk about in my career, everything I've ever been punished for, expelled for, alienated for, is what I get paid for, you know, as a. You know, I have ADHD and anxiety and depression. And this sensibility was making my. Trying to make myself laugh is what kind of got me through and is my survival technique. And there's a stigma attached to, you know, being open about mental health. So I didn't. I didn't have a lot of friends, but. But. And there isn't a lot about it. But one of the things that I found incredibly inspiring just recently was Wilfred, Will Ferrell's new movie with his friend. I don't remember her name now, but do you know what I'm talking about?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No, I don't know this.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, it's a movie. It's brilliant. It's a documentary about. I think she was a head writer on snl, and then originally he transitioned.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Okay.

[Howie Mandel]

He takes a road trip with her now.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, he.

[Howie Mandel]

And I think he was surprised by the fact that I don't think he saw this coming. And this. She was married with a child and then came to a time in his life where he felt he was not he. And you should go look it up. It's.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Wow, that sounds amazing.

[Howie Mandel]

Sad, funny documentary. I think it's on Netflix right now. But there's a real compassion in friendships, and I love the friendships that I do have. I cherish. I'm not a social person. I'm somebody who locks myself away. Even when I'm on the road, I don't go out during the day. This is weird, because that's what my business is. But I'm not a communicator. I would rather. And even if I am out in public, I don't like going to parties. I don't like events. And I. I love watching.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And I love being quiet.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

I don't like. I love my time on stage. My time on stage is my most comfortable time in my life because that's the only thing that keeps me in the moment. And on any given day, you know, couple times a week, I drop in on the clubs, even when I'm not touring.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Or the Improv or the Laugh Factory or the Comedy Store or the Ice House and do a set because it's fun and it keeps me current.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And I get to write, but I don't.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I think the adhd, because I have the ADHD as well. And I think. And I see one of my kids has it, and it affects her friendships. And it's difficult to stay connected to somebody when you have adhd. Like, friendships rely on listening, reacting, and staying in touch. And we have adhd. When you're not around the person, you kind of forget about them. And you're not the person that texts and checks in and all that stuff because you just get sort of sucked into whatever distraction you're in in your life. And that's not the expectation people have, including close friendships.

[Howie Mandel]

I also have this overlying discomfort with and. And. And concern that how I'm being. Of how I'm being perceived outside of show business. So if we're having a discussion, any discussion. I've never walked away from any discussion without off of a platform like here. I'm just answering questions, basically. And it's. It doesn't really feel like if you and I just went for lunch.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Promise you, for two or three hours after the lunch, I would think. Did I say something that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, really? Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Offended him? I think I might have said.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Or he. I know he laughed at something I said, but does he. He knows that I was kidding. Right.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

So concerned about everything. And it runs over in my head over and over and over again ad nauseam. So I'm just. If I. If I stay in. In a. In. In the fetal position alone, I'm just comfort. I'm more comfortable. I'm so. I'm just. I live in fear of offending, hurting a nuisance to anybody.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Is that ocd?

[Howie Mandel]

I don't know what it is. That's. My OCD manifests itself in very different ways. My sophomia and intrusive thoughts. But that might be. If they. If they keep going, that could be.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Always my mind is going places that really is not comfortable So I have to stay busy, and I have to stay doing. This is an easy conversation because this is, you know, a podcast. So I'm just reacting. I'm being more reactive than active, you know, and in life, in social situations where I have to be active, I'm very. I'm not confident with my actions or myself or how I'm being perceived and what effect I'm having on others.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right. Interesting. And then. So you've been married now, what, like 30 years or something?

[Howie Mandel]

No, also like four. I got 44.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Do you find that in your Mac, as I do with my marriage? Like, it is my. It's my place where I don't feel like that. It's. It's a place where I just feel safe. So unjudged and accepted that I think I spent a disordinate amount of time alone with my wife.

[Howie Mandel]

Well. And that's the only place that I'm really comfortable and the only person, like, you're saying, best male friends. But that's my. Oh, my God. There's another human being that knows me better than I know me.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Has absolutely no expectations, understands. I never. Well, I do apologize for things all the time, but.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

But you're right. And, you know, and I know most people can't find that. And I know how lucky I am to have found that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

And I feel that I'm so much luckier than she is, you know.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Because this is a. I'm a piece of work. And even though people might, you know, see me on something or spend a couple of hours with me at a show and think this might be fun, this is not. Don't judge a book by his cover. Yeah, I'm not fun.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I think when you find the right person, they. It's the right person because they don't cling to your shortcomings, and they. They love the things about you that maybe people. People don't see on tv.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, she makes me better. You know, I don't think I'd be sitting here today if it wasn't for her. I. I gotta tell you, like, for a guy, and we talked about this on my podcast, who says yes to everything and is. Tries to be as. And works really hard at trying to be positive. I mean, there are times where I just wanted to give up, just give up. And it was incredibly painful. And she's the one that said, no, no, no, no, no, you need this.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, this.

[Howie Mandel]

And I get. Listen, as somebody who's an entertainer and wants to Share whatever it is we have. Nobody gets more out of it than me. Yeah. Like, as much as an audience may enjoy a little show that I put on, if it goes well, that's for me. It's always for me.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think when. When I hear some people talk about, like, Ellen DeGeneres is always like, I'm just happy to spread joy to you. I'm happy to give to them. And that's not true. It's. It's. You know, I would love that to be the paradigm, but the truth is there's many levels where it feeds me, whether it's my ego, whether it's my itch to be creative, whether it's. To Last special. What's that?

[Howie Mandel]

Did you see her last special?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

I felt really bad. I. I thought it was wonderful, but that's where it wasn't that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, Right. Yes, it was very much. It felt like a spin. It felt like a justification. I didn't see anything in there that. That. That. That took on her being canceled from Hollywood other than justifying it. And I'm somebody. I was a producer on her show for the first two seasons, and I felt like she's one of the best. I took the job because I felt like she's one of the best comedians ever. She's amazing. And I felt like that special was an opportunity for her to go a little bit deeper and peel back some layers and explain, you know, why she, you know, interacted with people the way she did. And people would have accepted it. People would have said, you know, wow, you're a human, you know, and she didn't do that.

[Howie Mandel]

Where didn't she do that?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

When she said, I am demanding. I am tough. I'm a woman. And then they clapped for five minutes and it was like, well, no, but you also are somebody that made people cry at work every day, and you're somebody who fired people relentlessly. And you created an atmosphere of fear in the workplace. And there was. I think there should have been some accountability for that, because people know that.

[Howie Mandel]

But isn't that justified in the sense that when that camera is turned on and you're seeing the show, she does stand up comedy really well, she hosts really well, and she's really likable in the. The fact that we are all multi dimensional. And I'm not condoning, you know, I. I'll just say that, you know, I think we've all done things in our life and in our job and even in our own marriages where I've said something to My wife, that I had to apologize for that I had to. And. And I don't know that the place to apologize is on a Netflix special. But what I got out of the Netflix special. But you must have a. A much different take on it, because you were inside, and I wasn't inside the show. But my. My. My take on it is I'm not perfect. I'm not. I am flawed, but this is who I am. And the fact that my imperfections and my methodology became fodder for the world and attacked me. This is how I felt about it. And yes, I. I am. She ended up with a really good show. I'm not condoning that somebody should be brought to tears to make the show great, but I thought that she really humanized herself with that special.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, yeah, it's true. I mean, I think I'm too far inside of it, and I think my expectations of what needed to be said were. And I think I can. Like, I defend Louis CK He's a good friend. So maybe from the other side of that, I felt like his apology was. I don't want to say sufficient, because for different people, they had different expectations of what his apology should be. But I certainly have given him. I have accepted him back. If I. If I ever fully rejected him, even I accept that he is imperfect. And I felt like he did apologize. And maybe because I'm friends with him, I'm processing it different than how I was left with my experience with Alan working on the show.

[Howie Mandel]

Was your personal experience rough?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, sorry to hear that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Well, you know, look, I got a lot out of it, and I've worked for a lot of tough people in my life, so it did not. I was not traumatized by it, but I was. I always felt like the disparity between who she presents herself as and who she truly was. But I think maybe your point is she's putting out a show that brings a lot of joy to a lot of people, and in the end, maybe that's worth something.

[Howie Mandel]

Key word. It's a show. It's a show. You weren't in the show. You were in her life. You were in her work. You weren't in the sh. You didn't do the show. You know, I think even now, this discussion that you and I are having, just my Persona right now is so. Is so far from what people perceive me as.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, Right.

[Howie Mandel]

You know people. You know me more. You've seen me backstage. You're in the. In the business. I think the average person thinks of me as A very light, silly.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Little guy. You know, and that's okay. And I know that there's people that get joy from that. There's people that laugh at it, there's people that mock it, you know.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Every day on social media, are we responsible for making sure that whatever Persona we're putting out there is close to who we are? I think now there is more of a reaction to authenticity and that's why TV is going away. And.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

It's kind of growing.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

They're seeing this more than they see the, you know, those afternoon shows which are just light. And it wasn't a place for her to. If she was frustrated with somebody, to air that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And the camera was on.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But if she is frustrated, even wrongly frustrated with somebody, it's humanity. And you make the choice of whether to be her friend, whether to be her employee, whether to be your partner or to quit. Right, right. And I don't think there's anything wrong with quitting or not liking it or even speaking up against that. It.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Don't think we have a. An obligation to be, you know, if, if our, if our brand is the nicest person in the world. Did you see the new. And it's kind of in the, in the same vein, did you see the. The Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes.

[Howie Mandel]

To me, it's like kind of the same.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, well, yeah, I think it falls into a similar category because I know somebody that worked for her and she was very tough and she had a tough reputation. But the point is that I think that that documentary made was she got thrown in jail because she behaved the way a man would. I mean, she got torn down because she was the CEO of a multinational corporation that she started from scratch. And that as a woman, it was a very different experience to being called a bitch is so minimizing and marginalizing to somebody who's really just behaving like a highly successful executive.

[Howie Mandel]

But aren't you saying the exact same thing about Ellen where you're saying, yeah, her. Because she was this incredibly successful comedian who lived on the brand of being kind to each and every person. And that was the. Just because that's what she built and that's business and that was making a lot of people, men and women and companies millions of dollars.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Because that wasn't what was happening on a day to day basis 24, 7. That she should be demonized for that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Thrown in jail. Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

No, I'm talking about Ellen.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's. It's a good point. Now, you definitely. I have to separate my experience from what her overall effect has been, you know, as a public person. You know, has she had people raise money for charity? Has she bought empathy to certain causes? Absolutely.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, has that hour been an hour of escape?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

You know, in the background, Greg and a bunch of other people maybe are getting berated, maybe getting humiliated, maybe are set up in a. In a. In a weird way, you know?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

And I also think that she has a very. As somebody who is a proponent of mental health, and seeing how I came from an incredibly coddled background. I know her background. Her background. I don't know it well, but I know that, you know, her father was this religious zealot who would take medications, and the mother escaped with the children and.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

Doesn't have a great, healthy upbringing.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

Actually made something of herself. You know, I'm not arguing with you. I'm just.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

No, it's not. I think it's a. It's a very healthy discussion because I think I have to check my. My opinion of her a little bit. You know, I think it's very reactionary and maybe not fair. And part of it is I was in an NDA for a long time, but now that she left the country to go to England, I'm like, all right, I guess I can talk. But being under an NDA kind of makes it build up a little.

[Howie Mandel]

Not only being an NDA, the difference is that you're the first person that I've talked to personally that probably had firsthand issues.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Because you were face to face and had the wrath of whatever this is.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

Whatever those moments are.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And you, as a. As a. As a responsible adult, can make the decision, well, you know what? Life's too short. You. I'm. I'm gone. And that's okay.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And, you know, there are people that have dealt with me. I'm not just that silly guy that don't want to work with me anymore.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Uhhuh.

[Howie Mandel]

Saying you, you know, I. I'm not. As I said about my wife, I'm not the easiest guy in the world, and I'm not condoning it. I've had to. I've had to apologize for less than perfect behavior.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

I think we all have.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yes. But you do. You do. That's huge. A lot of people don't apologize. That takes humility. It takes accountability. You know where I learned that?

[Howie Mandel]

As a parent? You know, as a parent, I've done things as a parent that are probably wrong or said things that I shouldn't have said. You know, as a parent, what you'd learn in life is, oh, my God, your words and your actions really affect another human being.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right.

[Howie Mandel]

And until you have a child, you don't know how much you're affecting another human being.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

I thought that one day I was gonna grow up, have kids and teach them about the world, but what happened is I grew up and had kids, and they continually teach me about the world.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right, right. And I think that when you're. When your child sees you apologize to them, that gives them a life lesson, that teaches them about frailty and, you know, humanity. It shows them that this person who they look up to, you know, as a child, literally depending on you for food and shelter, they're everything. And when that person can flip the power structure and apologize to you, that's really powerful for a kid.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah, well, we talked about that, even on my podcast. My daughter, who I do it with, we had a really rocky relationship for, like, four years. Horrible.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Let me guess, 16 to 2014 to 18.

[Howie Mandel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I ended up in therapy for it with her.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Wow.

[Howie Mandel]

I've had to, you know, kind of face my shortcomings, and I. I promise you, in those moments, I thought I was so right. There's no other.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

And I'm getting it done. And I'm raising. This is how you raise a child. And I'm. I've made so many mistakes.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Right.

[Howie Mandel]

And I'm such a different person than I was.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

But. And. And I don't think that's any different than maybe somebody who hasn't had children and just has to deal with other people. You know, there's not.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, yeah. I think that when you. When you have children, you're forced to grow or leave. You know, you're forced to step up. And to go to therapy with a child is an opportunity. Like, if you go to therapy and everything's going great in your life, you're not going to get anything accomplished. But if you go in there with an agenda and some. Some issues that are raw and in the moment, that's when you can really make changes to yourself.

[Howie Mandel]

But I went into therapy thinking, I don't need this, she does. But I went in. She wasn't going to go in if I didn't go in, so. And I thought I was going to have somebody on my side.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, right.

[Howie Mandel]

Her tell. I was more me.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah.

[Howie Mandel]

It was more me than her.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. All right, listen. I don't want to keep you. You're the best. I love hanging out with you. You're such a good dude. You're so honest and funny. You got some dates coming up. People want to see you live. MGM grand in Vegas, January 17th and 18th. January 25th at the Buffalo Resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico. January 31st in Detroit. The 19th in Fargo. February 20th in Rapid City, South Dakota. February 21st in Ana Mia, Minnesota. Wow. The 22nd in New Albany, Ohio. 23rd in Northfield, Ohio. Also Morristown, New Jersey. Annapolis. Coming up, go to howiemandel.com get yourself some tickets. Check out the podcast Howie Mandel does stuff, which I was lucky enough to be on. It's a lot of fun. It's always silly. And I want to tell you, I started a new segment on this podcast that you didn't know about. There's a trivia contest that happens, and you kind of caught on to it. I just before the show, I do an intro to the show, and I announced that I was gonna ask you three trivia questions, and if you got two right, you win a Greg Fitzsimmons T shirt.

[Howie Mandel]

I didn't win a T shirt.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

You did. The questions were what was Nancy Sinatra's hit song? You said, boots are made for walking.

[Howie Mandel]

I got that.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

I said, what were the original six hockey teams? I said, if he gets five. I said, if he gets five. Right. I'll give it to him. You got five.

[Howie Mandel]

Wow.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

So that's two. And then you missed. I said, what's the longest running game show? It's actually Bryce is. Right.

[Howie Mandel]

So I got two, though, right?

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Did I get two out of three? So you want a T shirt.

[Howie Mandel]

I want a shirt. I want a shirt. I want a shirt. Shirt. I want to break. I want a shirt. I got two other. Oh, my God.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Oh, my God. You did it. You know.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, my God.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yep.

[Howie Mandel]

Thank you.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Yeah. A lot of people is the. And you're the inaugural episode of this. This has never been tried before.

[Howie Mandel]

Oh, wow. Well, catching on like wildfire. I feel it.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

You feel it. I think it's going to be a meme.

[Howie Mandel]

Okay. But I just think it's either catching on like wildfire or I have a urinary tract. Something.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

Something hurts a little bit. All right, Howe, thank you so much for your time.

[Howie Mandel]

Thank you, buddy.

[Greg Fitzsimmons]

All right, I'll see you soon.

[Howie Mandel]

Bye. Bye.

[Fred Meyer Ad]

New year, same great savings, all in the Fred meyer app. Get 10 for $10 on select varieties of Kroger pasta, Starkist tuna pouches, or Powerade. Then get tender Fresh Heritage Farm boneless chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound with your card. Shop these deals at your local Oregon Fred Meyer Today or click the screen now to download the Fred Meyer app to save Big Today. Fred Meyer Fresh for Everyone. Prices and product availability subject to change restrictions apply. See site for details.