Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown — Re-Air: Howie Mandel: Never Too Late to Make A Change

Original Air Date: October 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special re-airing for OCD Awareness Week, Mayim Bialik sits down with legendary comedian and TV personality Howie Mandel for a vulnerable, insightful, and often hilarious deep dive into mental health, resilience, and the power of distraction. With candor and wit, Howie opens up about his lifelong struggles with OCD, ADHD, anxiety, and depression, exploring how these challenges shaped his life, relationships, and wildly successful career in comedy and television.

Major Discussion Themes

Early Life, Family, and Quirks

• Canadian Roots & Family Background:

  • Howie shares anecdotes about his childhood in Toronto, his parents' hard work, and growing up with ADHD and undiagnosed OCD.
  • Quote: “Being me is a nightmare.” (05:30)

• Childhood Eccentricities:

  • Howie recalls being a self-identified pariah in school, not a class clown, often acting impulsively without awareness of consequences.
  • Memorable Story: Pranking a school with a false contracting call and watching the chaos unfold through a classroom window, a longing to recreate the feeling of inclusion he saw on ‘Candid Camera’. (07:40-11:00)

• Humor as a Coping Mechanism:

  • Comedy was initially a way to connect to his parents and others. Rather than seeking attention, Howie was just wired differently.
  • Quote: “All my writing is basically done on stage, in the moment.” (25:19)

Comedy, Career, and the Power of Distraction

• Accidental Start in Stand-Up:

  • Howie’s first time on stage at Toronto’s Yuk Yuk’s was on a dare. Both his jitters and OCD quirks inadvertently became the foundation of his act.
  • Quote (on stage terror): “My life is so fucked up, I mean my head, that I’m always worried about what might happen... My resting state is terror.” (21:24)
  • Rubber Glove Routine: Howie's iconic glove bit was born from his mysophobia; it became his comedy closer. (23:30)

• Philosophy on Comedy:

  • Howie prefers unscripted, in-the-moment jokes and relishes awkwardness. For him, comedy is most powerful when it emerges from discomfort and reality, not contrived setups.
  • Notable Story: Calling out an unresponsive audience member, then turning the moment around when realizing the man is blind—salvaging a comedy disaster with sharp improv. (26:41-29:00)

• Distraction as a Lifeline:

  • Stand-up gives Howie “the biggest safety net,” as it forces him to be completely present and keeps dark thoughts at bay.
  • Quote: “The only place I’m comfortable, I’m in the moment.” (24:29)

Relationships, Family, and Late-Life Diagnosis

• Marriage and Family Dynamics:

  • Howie’s long marriage is a testament to his wife’s patience; his undiagnosed OCD/ADHD put strain on those closest to him. Eventually, his wife gave an ultimatum to seek help.
  • Quote: “Living with me is the skill. Being me is a nightmare.” (05:30)
  • On Therapy: His wife finally said, “I can’t do this anymore,” prompting Howie to start therapy in his 40s. (35:43)

• Therapy and Control:

  • Learning that happiness comes from within and you can only control yourself—not others.
  • Quote (on control): “You spend a good part of your energy trying to control everything around you... The only person you really have control over is yourself.” (35:53)

Mental Health Insights & Coping Strategies

• Misery as a Resting State:

  • Howie normalizes misery, emphasizing that success, fame, or wealth don’t equate to happiness.
  • Quote: “My resting mood is misery. It really is.” (35:53)

• Adaptive Coping (Medication & Therapy):

  • Howie emphasizes being open and adaptable with mental health treatments—no “silver bullet,” and what works may change over time.
  • Quote: “It’s just about being open and malleable to recognizing that this is an issue and being willing to be open to whatever coping mechanism.” (51:16)

• Debunking OCD Stereotypes:

  • Both Howie and Mayim discuss the frustration of OCD being minimized or misunderstood by the public.
  • Mayim (on OCD): “Stacking your shoes is not evidence.” (53:36)
  • Howie: “OCD for me... totally stops my life. When I am suffering... I can't deal with life. I've missed appointments... productions. It stops my fucking life.” (54:09-54:28)

Cultural Identity & Spirituality

• Judaism and Comedy:

  • Howie explores how Jewish culture and generational trauma inform humor and anxiety. He shares personal experiences observing mourning rituals (Kaddish) while on tour.
  • Quote: “Culturally, we are probably to our own detriment, incredibly self-aware. That's why there's a lot of Jewish comedians.” (43:59)

• Spiritual Perspective:

  • Howie finds meaning in Talmudic teachings and the value system of tzedakah (charity and helping others quietly).
  • Quote: “As a human being, your presence on this earth—people should be better for knowing you... that's a good kind of path to follow.” (49:58)

Ongoing Struggles, Humor, and Hope

• Pranks and Playfulness:

  • Howie continues self-amusement with prank calls, finding joy in harmless mischief, such as keeping telemarketers on the phone for almost an hour. (58:08-58:48)

• Social Anxiety:

  • While comfortable on stage, Howie shares his ongoing struggles with social anxiety—even today.
  • Quote: “If I talk to somebody, I bored them to death. I'm coming off like an idiot... And then I go home or I make an excuse or I'm out. I have social anxiety. I have horrible, horrible depression. I have everything.” (60:09-60:06)

• Podcasting as Coping:

  • His podcast with his daughter serves as connection, distraction, and genetic continuity—helping both navigate pandemic isolation and ongoing mental health struggles.
  • Quote: “That became our podcast... I don't have sponsors–we’re just doing it out of the love of doing it.” (56:31-58:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On OCD and Comedy:
  “If they're gifts, I'd love to return them or re gift.” (05:57, Howie Mandel)

• On Jewish Humor:
  “If there's ten Jews at a table, you will be familiar with one of them’s bowel movements in the last two weeks.” (43:59, Howie Mandel)

• On Living with OCD:
  “When I am suffering... I can't deal with life. I've missed appointments, I've missed productions. It stops my fucking life.” (54:09, Howie Mandel)

• On Being in the Moment:
  “The only place I’m comfortable, I’m in the moment... it really makes me the most present.” (24:29, Howie Mandel)

• On Therapy and Family:
  “My wife finally said, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’” (35:43, Howie Mandel)

• On Mental Health Treatment:
  “It’s just about being open and malleable to recognizing that this is an issue and being willing to be open to whatever coping mechanism.” (51:16, Howie Mandel)

Key Timestamps

• 04:00-06:45 – Childhood in Canada, family, and comedic influences
• 07:40-11:00 – Candid Camera, pranks, and early signs of OCD & impulsivity
• 19:28-24:29 – First steps into stand-up, accidental career, the comfort of stage presence
• 30:04-33:10 – Dating, marriage, and the impact of quirky behaviors on relationships
• 35:43-37:41 – Therapy, control, and adapting to life with diagnosed OCD & ADHD
• 42:01-50:31 – Jewish culture, mourning rituals, spirituality, and core beliefs
• 51:16-55:01 – Therapy, medication, and the mechanics of living with mental illness
• 58:08-58:48 – Prank calls as self-care; ongoing habits
• 59:39-60:54 – Social anxiety, self-doubt, and vulnerability

Episode Takeaways

• Mental Health is Ongoing Work: Howie’s candidness drives home that living with mental illness is a lifelong process; improvement requires openness, experimentation, and support.
• Comedy Arises from Struggle: Many of Howie’s greatest comedic strengths are woven from, not in spite of, his anxieties and rituals.
• Support and Understanding Matter: Change often begins with honest conversations—within families, in therapy, and publicly, to fight stigma.
• Self-Acceptance and Service: Howie highlights the importance of striving to be a better person, to help others, and to find moments of contentment through passion.

Listener Q&A Highlight

• Can you meditate yourself out of mental illness?
  • Mayim's Answer: Meditation is effective as a supportive tool but not a stand-alone cure. It's most helpful as part of a broad mental health strategy including therapy, medication, and other coping mechanisms. (65:05-66:36)

Final Thoughts

This episode is a masterclass in vulnerability and levity, offering both practical advice and heartfelt encouragement for those navigating mental health challenges. Howie Mandel’s story imparts the radical message that “it’s worth the fight, it’s worth the struggle”—and sometimes, just being open to help is the bravest first step.

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