Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me

A quick, easy read, Mandel deals lightly with heavy matters. This is particularly his OCD and ADHD which express themselves in compulsive hand-washing and other "germophobic" symptoms. As interesting is his unlikely entry into comedy on a lark during an open mic night and his non-humor humor, something like early Steve Martin. Mandel covers his fame on TV (St. Elsewhere, Deal or No Deal, etc.) and failures there as well as balancing his family life.

About: Biography of comedian Howie Mandel, Adult ADHD and OCD sufferer, germophobe and host of Deal Or No Deal

Pros: Easy read. Funny, I laughed out loud a few times. Learned some tidbits about Howie that I didn't know: He was the voice of Gizmo in Gremlins as well as the voice of Animal, Skeeter and Bunsen Honeydew in the Muppet Babies cartoon. He also never finished high school.

Cons: I would've liked more discussion of his mental health issues as the book is mostly the story of Howie the comedian and not Howie the germophobe.

Grade: B

Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me by Howie Mandel

★ ★ ★ ★

I've been a fan of Howie Mandel for quite sometime. His humor has always made me laugh and I've enjoyed him in everything I've seen him in thus far. So I was excited to read his memoir and was not disappointed. Besides delving into his long comedic career (spanning well over 30 years now) he delves into his personal life and his life-long struggle with OCD, ADHD, along with other mental illnesses. He leaves no rock unturned in this quick-to-read memoir. He shows the good and the bad. The tricks gone to far, the embarrassing stories, the success and the failures. He leaves impression that you may not like him as much once you read some of his stories, but that's him, take it show more or leave it. I will say that the book was sort of all over the place with thoughts. In many cases that would drive me crazy while reading a book, but given who it is, I think it fitted his personality perfectly. Overall, a very well done memoir. If you like Howie Mandel, this is a must read to find out about the man, inside and out. show less

A frank, funny, no-holds-barred memoir, "Here's the Deal" reveals Mandel's ongoing struggle with OCD and ADHD--and tells how it has shaped his life and career. As heartfelt as it is hilarious, this is the story of one man's effort to draw comic inspiration out of his most vulnerable places

This book covers how he got started as a comedian and what things he did throughout his career. It does talk a lot about his OCD and ADHD. It’s a big problem for him but he didn’t stop him from jumping into new opportunities, which was admirable considering his difficulties. He’s always liked pranking people since childhood but it was often embarrassing or demeaning. Some parts are very funny. I mostly like Howie but not the pranking parts.

Comedian, Howie Mandel has written a hilarious and revealing autobiography, which details his childhood, rise as a standup comic, and most importantly his struggles with OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mandel tells of the horrific vacation to Miami Beach, when he was a young boy, which most likely re-enforced his compulsive behaviors. If you have a weak stomach, just know that you’ve been warned! Supported by a loving wife of over thirty years and three children, Howie let’s us into his “germaphobe” mentality and the antics he’s mastered to be able to cope in the “regular world.” Howie’s knuckle-bumping, surgical masks, and faking injuries in order to keep germs at a distance are a sad way of life, but also very show more funny in the conversational-style of writing Mandel reveals these secrets. The most surprising story isn’t Mandel’s OCD, but rather he wasn’t the first choice of producers for “Deal or No Deal” and didn’t even want to do the pilot when approached! As it turns out, this game show is what has made the comic a household name, and is one of his biggest successes to date! show less

Hubby and I listened to this book on the way to and from vacation. It was a good car listen, although it made my hubby laugh so hard that was worried about his driving abilities being compromised. hubby loved the book and while I enjoyed it a lot some of the stories he told were a little offputting to me. Still I love biographical books because they give me an insight into the celebrities' lives and usually end up with me liking the celebrity much more than before. This book didn't disappoint in that aspect.

Definitely not boring. Funny, the laugh out loud kind in true Howie style. But I had no idea how severe his disorders were until I read this book. It is amazing that he has such a successful career despite it all. I was always a fan, but now I have also come to admire his spirit and strength and also his wife's. Wow! that woman must love him very much to put up with him for this long :) Howie tells all in this book, a brutally honest account of his life and career. I don't normally read autobiographies, but I am happy I read this one. Howie is an inspiration to others who suffer from OCD and ADHD.