Howie Mandel
Encyclopedia
Howard Michael "Howie" Mandel (born November 29, 1955) is a Canadian
stand-up comedian, television host, and actor
. He is well known as host of the NBC
game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime
and Canadian-English
counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on the NBC medical drama
St. Elsewhere
. He is also well-known for being the creator and star of the children's cartoon Bobby's World
. On June 6, 2009, he hosted the 2009 Game Show Awards
on GSN
. Mandel became a judge on NBC
's America's Got Talent
, replacing David Hasselhoff
, in the fifth season of the reality talent contest. He was a supporting character in the 2000 film Tribulation
, from Cloud Ten Pictures
.
area of Toronto
, Ontario
. His family is of Jewish ancestry and he is a distant cousin to Itzhak Perlman
. His father was a realtor. After getting expelled from his high school for impersonating a member of the school board and signing a construction contract to make an addition to his school, Mandel became a carpet salesman who would later open a carpet sales business of his own. He was a stand-up comedian at Yuk Yuk's
in Toronto and by September 1978 had a week-long booking as featured act, billed as "a wild and crazy borderline psychotic
." His repertoire included placing a latex glove over his head and inflating it by blowing through his nose, the fingers of the glove extending above his head like a cockscomb. When the audience reacted uproariously to that and similar antics, his trademark response was to extend his arms palms up, look incredulous, and ask, "What? What?" On a trip to Los Angeles
, Mandel performed a set at The Comedy Store
, which resulted in him becoming a regular performer there. A producer for the comedic game show Make Me Laugh
saw him and booked Mandel for several appearances during the show's run in 1979. He was booked to open for David Letterman
at shows in the summer of 1979. CBC-TV's head of variety programming saw a Mandel performance in October 1979 and immediately signed him for a TV special. In 1980, he won the lead role in the Canadian movie Gas
, co-starring Susan Anspach
and Donald Sutherland
.
Mandel was one of the first "VeeJays" to appear on Nickelodeon's
music video series, Pop Clips
.
during a six-year run on St. Elsewhere
, starting in 1982 and playing the role of Dr. Wayne Fiscus. While working as Dr. Fiscus, and continuing to work as a comedian, he also did movies, including his role as the voice of Gizmo in the 1984 hit Gremlins
and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch
. In 1985 Mandel made a cameo in the Michael J. Fox
directed short "The Iceman Hummeth" which was subsequently broadcast on Late Night with David Letterman
in November 1985. In 1986, he starred in A Fine Mess
alongside Ted Danson
. For the first two seasons of Muppet Babies
, he voiced Bunsen Honeydew, Animal
and Skeeter. He starred on the 1987 comedy film Walk Like a Man
. He was also "Maurice" in the 1989 movie Little Monsters
. In 1990, he starred in the short-lived sitcom Good Grief
on Fox
. He was also the creator and executive producer
of the Emmy-nominated children's animated series Bobby's World
, to which he supplied the voices of the title character and his father (using Howie's "normal" voice for Bobby's dad). Bobby's World ran for eight seasons on Fox and was later syndicated
. Mandel also plays his alter-ego, Phil Skorjanc, in most of his comedy shows and these are a fan favorite. Bobby also made a cameo appearance in a February 2007 episode of Deal or No Deal. On a special 2-hour Christmas
episode, first aired on December 25, 2007, Mandel delivered one line with Bobby's voice, as per request of the contestant. In 2002 Howie Mandel played the Sand Man in the movie Hansel and Gretel.
Mandel had a long run on Showtime with a series titled Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies in 1995. Mandel appeared in the 1995 Clint Black
country music
video
"Summer's Comin'
". He played the lead role of the professor in the short-lived TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
, and guest-starred on a 1996 episode of the ABC
TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
as DC Comics
supervillain
Mister Mxyzptlk
. In 1998 he hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show
, which was canceled after one season. In 1999/2000, Mandel played "Jason" in the film Apocalypse III: Tribulation
. In 2006, he appeared as himself as a guest host in a parody
of Deal or No Deal in the show-within-a-show of the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
. In 2007, he guest-starred as himself in an episode of NBC's Medium
, making a dream cameo of himself on Deal or No Deal. In that episode, he booted off the nighttime drama's protagonist for "cheating", since in the show he is a psychic
medium and appeared to "know" the contents of the cases. In 1994 Mandel voiced the lead character, Little Howie, of the video game Tuneland
.
Mandel's signature stunt as a stand-up comedian (besides his Bobby alter-ego) was stretching a latex glove over his head and inflating it with his nostrils, filling it until it suddenly propelled itself off his head. This trick also lent itself to the title and cover photo of his comedy album, Fits Like a Glove (1986). He eventually gave up the routine under doctor's orders after being diagnosed with a perforated sinus. However, in a cameo role as himself on My Name is Earl
, he did the routine. He guest starred in two episodes of Monk
("Mr. Monk Joins a Cult" and "Mr. Monk's 100th Case
").
and for his hidden camera
segments on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has appeared in many television commercials for Boston Pizza
as their hired spokesperson. In April 2004, he was selected as number 82 on Comedy Central
's list of the 100 greatest stand up comedians of all time. In October 2005, he was named to be the host of the U.S. version of Deal or No Deal, which debuted on December 19, 2005, on NBC
and became a popular program in early 2006. Mandel also hosts Deal or No Deal Canada
; originating from Toronto, Deal or No Deal Canada debuted in January 2007 on Global
, which made him one of the few game show
hosts (Weakest Link
' s Anne Robinson
, The Chair
' s John McEnroe
, Pyramid
' s Donny Osmond
, The Singing Bee
' s Joey Fatone
, and Minute to Win It
's Darren McMullen
being others) to host both a domestic and an international version of the same game show. Mandel joins Alex Trebek
, Jim Perry
and Geoff Edwards
on the list of game show hosts who emceed one game show simultaneously on both sides of the U.S./Canadian border.
In 2007, Mandel made an appearance in an episode of Sesame Street
’s 38th season. That same year, he was parodied on the show as Howie Eatswell, the Muppet host of Sesame’s game show segment "Meal or No Meal." Mandel has hosted the DVD game version of Deal or No Deal, "Fact Or Crap Beat da Bomb" and "Would You Rather" for Imagination Games
.
Mandel had a cameo appearance as himself on the NBC show My Name is Earl
, in the episode Earl's roommates robbed an Indian casino at which Howie Mandel was performing. While stealing money, they also kidnapped Howie Mandel. In the episode, Mandel performed his old routine of inflating a rubber glove over his head with his nostrils.
Mandel is a notable alumnus of Beth David B'nai Israel Beth Am's Hebrew School located in Toronto, as well as three other Toronto high school
s. Mandel is currently performing a variety/comedy act at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino
in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
Starting in 2007, Howie Mandel became a spokesperson for Internet retailer buy.com. He is sometimes featured in a section called "What's Shakin'?" with Howie Mandel.
On May 13, 2008, he was the guest host for the Tradition May Fund Raiser for the Owen Hart Foundation.
On September 8, 2008, Mandel began hosting a five-day-a-week syndicated
daytime version of Deal or No Deal
, with a top prize of $500,000.
On January 8, 2009, Mandel appeared on Howard Stern's satellite radio show on Sirius XM's Howard 100.
On January 9, 2009, Mandel's reality show Howie Do It
premiered on NBC.
In January 2010, it was announced that Mandel would replace David Hasselhoff
as one of the judges on NBC's America's Got Talent
, after Hasselhoff announced that he was leaving to work on a new television series.
On May 13, 2010, Mandel appeared on an episode of The Marriage Ref
.
On March 31, 2011, Mandel premiered a flash-mob
show on Fox
called Mobbed
. Originally a presentation pilot, the ratings after American Idol
prompted Fox to pick up the show for eight to ten episodes.
Mandel made a Live Action/Animated Interveiw on Take Two with Phineas and Ferb
.
was originally supposed to be. In a January 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell
, Mandel expressed mild, jovial frustration about how some of his contestants hold out during the game show, despite the fact that the current offered amount is many times what they would make in a year.
On September 4, 2008, Mandel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
In October 2008, Mandel revealed that he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the morning talk show Live with Regis and Kelly
, adding that he is currently working to raise adult ADHD awareness among the general public.
On January 12, 2009, Mandel was reportedly sent to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto
suffering from chest pains and what was reported as a minor heart attack. According to various news reports, he was experiencing an irregular heartbeat and reports of a heart attack; however, they were false. He was later released.
Mandel received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame
in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on September 12, 2009. He is the third game show host to be inducted (the first being Monty Hall
in 2002 and the second being Alex Trebek
in 2006).
Mandel has written and published an in-depth autobiography which details his life with OCD, ADHD, and comedy, called Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me
.
(an irrational fear of germs) to the point that he does not shake hands with anyone, including enthusiastic contestants on Deal or No Deal, unless he is wearing latex gloves. Instead of shaking contestants' hands when they offer them, Mandel often opts to exchange fist pound
s, put his hands on contestants' shoulders, or give an occasional hug. He once kissed a female contestant on the show for good luck despite his mysophobia. He now takes medicine to control his condition and even pokes fun at himself for it. He revealed on The Howard Stern Show on March 24, 2006, that his shaved head is not related to natural hair loss, but to his mysophobia. He stated that the lack of hair makes him feel cleaner. During his appearance on Mad TV
, Mandel and cast member Bobby Lee made fun of the former's condition. In September 2007, Mandel interviewed former NFL
running back Marshall Faulk
on NFL Network
. Faulk asked him to shake hands, but Mandel wouldn't allow it; instead, he noted he'd rather have the fist tap, as he does with Deal or No Deal contestants. Seconds later, Faulk subjected Mandel to a "sneak attack", and shook his right hand. Mandel screamed and walked away from Faulk. Mandel then washed his hands several times. On a guest appearance on Free Radio
, Mandel explained that not only is he afraid of public bathrooms, but he is unable to use any bathroom other than his own. In 2008, Mandel guest-starred on Monk
, a television series centering on a severe mysophobe. During the season 5 episode of America's Got Talent
in Chicago, Zach Carty attempted an act involving sneezing. Mandel ran off to the far end of the theater until the act was over. (Carty was unable to perform the act). In a backstage interview, he expressed to the television audience that he receives therapy to help him cope. In another America's Got Talent season 5 incident, Dan Sperry, a contestant on the YouTube quarterfinal episode, dropped some dental floss that he had run through his neck as part of a magic act. He dropped the floss in Mandel's vicinity, prompting him to get up and run to the other side of the judges' table. Just before Sperry's next performance in the semifinals, Mandel intimated that it was "the most horrified" he'd been on the show and that his therapist "loves him [Dan Sperry]", because there had been two extra sessions that week.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
stand-up comedian, television host, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is well known as host of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime
Deal or No Deal (U.S. syndicated game show)
Deal or No Deal is an American game show, a daytime version of the American series of the same name that is syndicated by NBCUniversal Television Distribution. It premiered on September 8, 2008 and is hosted by Howie Mandel. The format is similar to the UK version of the show...
and Canadian-English
Deal or No Deal Canada
Deal or No Deal Canada is the Canadian-English version of the show Deal or No Deal, which premiered on February 4, 2007. The show ran on the Global Television Network, and lasted 5 episodes....
counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on the NBC medical drama
Medical drama
A medical drama is a television program, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.In the United States, most medical episodes are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming go beyond the...
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
. He is also well-known for being the creator and star of the children's cartoon Bobby's World
Bobby's World
Bobby's World is an American animated television series, which ran from 1990 to 1998, on FOX Kids. It was about the daily life of Bobby Generic and his very overactive imagination on how he sees the world. The show was created by Canadian actor-comedian Howie Mandel...
. On June 6, 2009, he hosted the 2009 Game Show Awards
2009 Game Show Awards
The 2009 Game Show Awards were presented on Saturday, June 6, 2009, at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. Howie Mandel served as host for the 1st annual ceremony. The awards show was also a game show. Games were played with members of the audience, giving away cash and prizes worth...
on GSN
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
. Mandel became a judge on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
, replacing David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
, in the fifth season of the reality talent contest. He was a supporting character in the 2000 film Tribulation
Apocalypse III: Tribulation
Apocalypse III: Tribulation is a 2000 thriller film by Cloud Ten Pictures, starring Gary Busey, Howie Mandel, Nick Mancuso, and Margot Kidder...
, from Cloud Ten Pictures
Cloud Ten Pictures
Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production and distribution company located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, specializing in Christian-themed films.- Overview :Cloud Ten was formed by brothers Peter LaLonde and Paul LaLonde in 1994...
.
Early life
Mandel was born and raised in the Willowdale, TorontoWillowdale, Toronto
Willowdale is an established, affluent community in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the district of North York. It was originally called Lansing, which is now the name of a nearby neighbourhood....
area of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. His family is of Jewish ancestry and he is a distant cousin to Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
. His father was a realtor. After getting expelled from his high school for impersonating a member of the school board and signing a construction contract to make an addition to his school, Mandel became a carpet salesman who would later open a carpet sales business of his own. He was a stand-up comedian at Yuk Yuk's
Yuk Yuk's
Yuk Yuk's is a national comedy club chain in Canada, owned by former stand-up comedian Mark Breslin and established in 1977 by Breslin and Joel Axler...
in Toronto and by September 1978 had a week-long booking as featured act, billed as "a wild and crazy borderline psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
." His repertoire included placing a latex glove over his head and inflating it by blowing through his nose, the fingers of the glove extending above his head like a cockscomb. When the audience reacted uproariously to that and similar antics, his trademark response was to extend his arms palms up, look incredulous, and ask, "What? What?" On a trip to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Mandel performed a set at The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. It has a sister comedy club in La Jolla, San Diego, California.-History:...
, which resulted in him becoming a regular performer there. A producer for the comedic game show Make Me Laugh
Make Me Laugh
Make Me Laugh was an American game show in which contestants watched three stand-up comedians performing their acts, one at a time, earning one dollar for every second that they could make it through without laughing. Each comedian got sixty seconds to try to crack the contestant up...
saw him and booked Mandel for several appearances during the show's run in 1979. He was booked to open for David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
at shows in the summer of 1979. CBC-TV's head of variety programming saw a Mandel performance in October 1979 and immediately signed him for a TV special. In 1980, he won the lead role in the Canadian movie Gas
Gas (1981 film)
Gas was a 1981 Canadian comedy film released by Paramount Pictures, the plot of which was inspired by the 1979 energy crisis.-Cast:* Susan Anspach ... Jane Beardsley* Howie Mandel ... Matt Lloyd* Sterling Hayden ... Duke Stuyvesant...
, co-starring Susan Anspach
Susan Anspach
-Private life:Anspach was born in New York City and was raised in Queens, New York. She graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City in 1960. Paul Simon was a neighbor. She enrolled in the music department at the Catholic University of America...
and Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
.
Mandel was one of the first "VeeJays" to appear on Nickelodeon's
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
music video series, Pop Clips
Pop Clips
PopClips is a music video television program, the direct predecessor of MTV.Former Monkee Mike Nesmith conceived the first music-video program as a promotional device for Warner Communications' record division...
.
TV and film career
Mandel came to national attention in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during a six-year run on St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
, starting in 1982 and playing the role of Dr. Wayne Fiscus. While working as Dr. Fiscus, and continuing to work as a comedian, he also did movies, including his role as the voice of Gizmo in the 1984 hit Gremlins
Gremlins
Gremlins is a 1984 American horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante, released by Warner Bros. The film is about a young man who receives a strange creature—called a Mogwai—as a pet, which then spawns other creatures who transform into small, destructive, evil monsters. It was followed by a sequel,...
and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a 1990 American horror comedy film, and the sequel to Gremlins . It was directed by Joe Dante and written by Charles S. Haas, with creature designs by Rick Baker...
. In 1985 Mandel made a cameo in the Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
directed short "The Iceman Hummeth" which was subsequently broadcast on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
in November 1985. In 1986, he starred in A Fine Mess
A Fine Mess
A Fine Mess is a 1986 comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards and starring Ted Danson and Howie Mandel.The film was intended as a remake of Laurel & Hardy's classic short "The Music Box" and was to be semi-improvised in the same style as the director's earlier comedy, The Party, but...
alongside Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
. For the first two seasons of Muppet Babies
Muppet Babies
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrayed childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a large nursery in the care of a human woman called Nanny...
, he voiced Bunsen Honeydew, Animal
Animal (Muppet)
Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K...
and Skeeter. He starred on the 1987 comedy film Walk Like a Man
Walk Like a Man (film)
Walk Like a Man is a 1987 comedy film about a young man who finally returns to his high-society family after having been raised by dogs. The film was directed by Melvin Frank, and stars Howie Mandel, Christopher Lloyd, and Cloris Leachman.-External links:...
. He was also "Maurice" in the 1989 movie Little Monsters
Little Monsters
Little Monsters is a 1989 comedy-drama film starring Fred Savage as Brian Stevenson, a sixth-grader who has recently moved to a new town, and Howie Mandel as Maurice, the monster under the bed....
. In 1990, he starred in the short-lived sitcom Good Grief
Good Grief (TV series)
Good Grief is a 1990 Fox television sitcom that aired for one season of 13 episodes.The show was about a funeral home called 'The Sincerity Mortuary' in Dacron, Ohio run by straight-laced Warren Pepper , his sister Debbie , and her flamboyant husband Ernie Lapidus , who was determined to "put the...
on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. He was also the creator and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of the Emmy-nominated children's animated series Bobby's World
Bobby's World
Bobby's World is an American animated television series, which ran from 1990 to 1998, on FOX Kids. It was about the daily life of Bobby Generic and his very overactive imagination on how he sees the world. The show was created by Canadian actor-comedian Howie Mandel...
, to which he supplied the voices of the title character and his father (using Howie's "normal" voice for Bobby's dad). Bobby's World ran for eight seasons on Fox and was later syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
. Mandel also plays his alter-ego, Phil Skorjanc, in most of his comedy shows and these are a fan favorite. Bobby also made a cameo appearance in a February 2007 episode of Deal or No Deal. On a special 2-hour Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
episode, first aired on December 25, 2007, Mandel delivered one line with Bobby's voice, as per request of the contestant. In 2002 Howie Mandel played the Sand Man in the movie Hansel and Gretel.
Mandel had a long run on Showtime with a series titled Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies in 1995. Mandel appeared in the 1995 Clint Black
Clint Black
Clint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
"Summer's Comin'
Summer's Comin'
"Summer's Comin'" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Clint Black. It was released in March 1995 as the third single from his album, One Emotion...
". He played the lead role of the professor in the short-lived TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys was a live-action television series that aired in 1992. The series aired 11 episodes before it was canceled. The show focuses on three Sea Monkeys—Dave , Bill and Aquarius —and their creator, The Professor...
, and guest-starred on a 1996 episode of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
as DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
Mister Mxyzptlk
Mister Mxyzptlk
Mr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...
. In 1998 he hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show
The Howie Mandel Show
The Howie Mandel Show was an American television variety show hosted by comedian Howie Mandel. The series was launched in daytime syndication in spring 1998 and ran for approximately a year before it was canceled in April 1999.-Background:...
, which was canceled after one season. In 1999/2000, Mandel played "Jason" in the film Apocalypse III: Tribulation
Apocalypse III: Tribulation
Apocalypse III: Tribulation is a 2000 thriller film by Cloud Ten Pictures, starring Gary Busey, Howie Mandel, Nick Mancuso, and Margot Kidder...
. In 2006, he appeared as himself as a guest host in a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Deal or No Deal in the show-within-a-show of the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
. In 2007, he guest-starred as himself in an episode of NBC's Medium
Medium (TV series)
Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
, making a dream cameo of himself on Deal or No Deal. In that episode, he booted off the nighttime drama's protagonist for "cheating", since in the show he is a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
medium and appeared to "know" the contents of the cases. In 1994 Mandel voiced the lead character, Little Howie, of the video game Tuneland
Tuneland
Tuneland is a musical children's computer game, produced in 1993 by a division of 7th Level, Kids' World Entertainment. The cartoon video game follows the character Little Howie, who is voiced by the television personality Howie Mandel on an adventure around Old McDonald's Farm.Tuneland was...
.
Mandel's signature stunt as a stand-up comedian (besides his Bobby alter-ego) was stretching a latex glove over his head and inflating it with his nostrils, filling it until it suddenly propelled itself off his head. This trick also lent itself to the title and cover photo of his comedy album, Fits Like a Glove (1986). He eventually gave up the routine under doctor's orders after being diagnosed with a perforated sinus. However, in a cameo role as himself on My Name is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, he did the routine. He guest starred in two episodes of Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
("Mr. Monk Joins a Cult" and "Mr. Monk's 100th Case
Mr. Monk's 100th Case
"Mr. Monk's 100th Case" is the seventh episode of the seventh season of the USA Network TV series Monk, and, true to its name, it is the 100th episode overall...
").
Later work
Mandel is known for his frequent appearances as a stand-up comedianStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
and for his hidden camera
Hidden camera
A hidden camera is a still or video camera used to film people without their knowledge. The camera is "hidden" because it is either not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object...
segments on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has appeared in many television commercials for Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza is a Canadian-based restaurant chain which owns and franchises locations in Canada, the United States and Mexico.-History:...
as their hired spokesperson. In April 2004, he was selected as number 82 on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's list of the 100 greatest stand up comedians of all time. In October 2005, he was named to be the host of the U.S. version of Deal or No Deal, which debuted on December 19, 2005, on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and became a popular program in early 2006. Mandel also hosts Deal or No Deal Canada
Deal or No Deal Canada
Deal or No Deal Canada is the Canadian-English version of the show Deal or No Deal, which premiered on February 4, 2007. The show ran on the Global Television Network, and lasted 5 episodes....
; originating from Toronto, Deal or No Deal Canada debuted in January 2007 on Global
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, which made him one of the few game show
hosts (Weakest Link
Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a British television quiz show, currently broadcast on BBC Two. It was devised by Mr Wilton and Euan Green and Cathy Dunning, and developed for television by the BBC Entertainment Department. It has since been replicated around the world. The UK version is hosted by Anne...
Anne Robinson
Anne Josephine Robinson is an English journalist and television presenter, known for her assertive views and acerbic style of presenting. She was one of the presenters on the long-running British consumer affairs series, Watchdog, from 1993 to 2001 before returning in 2009...
, The Chair
The Chair (game show)
The Chair is a game show television program that premiered on ABC in January 2002. It was hosted by former tennis champion John McEnroe and directed by Michael A. Simon...
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
, Pyramid
Pyramid (game show)
Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
Donny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
, The Singing Bee
The Singing Bee
The Singing Bee may refer to the game show franchise:* The Singing Bee , the original US version* The Singing Bee , the Australian version* The Singing Bee , Philippines version...
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Fatone, Jr. is an American singer, dancer, actor and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband, 'N Sync, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars...
, and Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It is an American prime time game show on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri. Contestants take part in a series of 60-second challenges that use objects that are commonly available around the house....
Darren McMullen
Darren McMullen UK, USA and Australian television presenter. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated to Australia at the age of 12. He now lives in Los Angeles...
being others) to host both a domestic and an international version of the same game show. Mandel joins Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek
George Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
, Jim Perry
Jim Perry (television)
Jim Perry is a former Canadian-American television game show host, singer, announcer, and performer in the 1970s and 1980s...
and Geoff Edwards
Geoff Edwards
Geoffrey Bruce Owen "Geoff" Edwards is an American television actor, game show host and radio personality. Over the past decade and a half, he has been a writer and broadcaster on travel. He was born in Westfield, New Jersey....
on the list of game show hosts who emceed one game show simultaneously on both sides of the U.S./Canadian border.
In 2007, Mandel made an appearance in an episode of Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
’s 38th season. That same year, he was parodied on the show as Howie Eatswell, the Muppet host of Sesame’s game show segment "Meal or No Meal." Mandel has hosted the DVD game version of Deal or No Deal, "Fact Or Crap Beat da Bomb" and "Would You Rather" for Imagination Games
Imagination Games
Imagination Games is a multi-platform game company that creates, produces and distributes interactive entertainment. It has developed socially interactive games across a number of formats including traditional games and puzzles, DVD and mobile.-History:...
.
Mandel had a cameo appearance as himself on the NBC show My Name is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, in the episode Earl's roommates robbed an Indian casino at which Howie Mandel was performing. While stealing money, they also kidnapped Howie Mandel. In the episode, Mandel performed his old routine of inflating a rubber glove over his head with his nostrils.
Mandel is a notable alumnus of Beth David B'nai Israel Beth Am's Hebrew School located in Toronto, as well as three other Toronto high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s. Mandel is currently performing a variety/comedy act at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Starting in 2007, Howie Mandel became a spokesperson for Internet retailer buy.com. He is sometimes featured in a section called "What's Shakin'?" with Howie Mandel.
On May 13, 2008, he was the guest host for the Tradition May Fund Raiser for the Owen Hart Foundation.
On September 8, 2008, Mandel began hosting a five-day-a-week syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
daytime version of Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (U.S. syndicated game show)
Deal or No Deal is an American game show, a daytime version of the American series of the same name that is syndicated by NBCUniversal Television Distribution. It premiered on September 8, 2008 and is hosted by Howie Mandel. The format is similar to the UK version of the show...
, with a top prize of $500,000.
On January 8, 2009, Mandel appeared on Howard Stern's satellite radio show on Sirius XM's Howard 100.
On January 9, 2009, Mandel's reality show Howie Do It
Howie Do It
Howie Do It is a Canadian/American comedy television series, co-commissioned by Global and NBC, that stars Howie Mandel. The series features practical jokes in the vein of earlier shows like Just for Laughs, Punk'd or Candid Camera – the supposed twist being that the cameras are in the open,...
premiered on NBC.
In January 2010, it was announced that Mandel would replace David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
as one of the judges on NBC's America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
, after Hasselhoff announced that he was leaving to work on a new television series.
On May 13, 2010, Mandel appeared on an episode of The Marriage Ref
The Marriage Ref
The Marriage Ref is a TV reality show and panel game hosted by comedian Tom Papa and produced by Jerry Seinfeld, in which a rotating group of celebrities decides the winners of real-life marital disputes. The show premiered on NBC on Sunday, February 28, 2010 on the final night of the Olympics...
.
On March 31, 2011, Mandel premiered a flash-mob
Flash mob
A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, artistic expression...
show on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
called Mobbed
Mobbed (TV series)
Mobbed is an American reality television show which premiered on Fox on March 30, 2011. The show stars comedian Howie Mandel and is inspired by the flash mobs featured on many YouTube videos....
. Originally a presentation pilot, the ratings after American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
prompted Fox to pick up the show for eight to ten episodes.
Mandel made a Live Action/Animated Interveiw on Take Two with Phineas and Ferb
Take Two with Phineas and Ferb
Take Two with Phineas and Ferb is a spin-off series from Phineas and Ferb that premiered on Disney Channel on December 3, 2010. The series revolves around Phineas and Ferb interviewing celebrities...
.
Deal or No Deal
In 2004, Mandel was deciding whether or not to quit show business, the executive producers at NBC asked him to host but he declined many times. They then mailed him a tape of the overseas version and he finally decided to accept. In 2007, he hosted a five-episode run of the Canadian English version. The show then went to daytime with Mandel as host although Arsenio HallArsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall is an American actor, comedian, and former talk show host. He is best known for his talk show The Arsenio Hall Show, which ran between 1989 and 1994, and his roles in the films Coming to America and Harlem Nights.Hall is also known for his appearance as Alan Thicke's sidekick on the...
was originally supposed to be. In a January 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell
Anytime with Bob Kushell
Anytime with Bob Kushell is a five-minute talk show produced for Sony Pictures Television and their online portal "". Not to be confused with Anytime Talk Show with Christopher Logan Biggs an online broadcast which runs 40 minutes, or The Anytime Show Starring Trevor Widger which is also broadcast...
, Mandel expressed mild, jovial frustration about how some of his contestants hold out during the game show, despite the fact that the current offered amount is many times what they would make in a year.
Personal life
He met his wife Terry in high school, and married her in 1980. They have three children: daughters Jackie (born 1984) and Riley (born 1992), and son Alex (born 1989).On September 4, 2008, Mandel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
In October 2008, Mandel revealed that he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the morning talk show Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
, adding that he is currently working to raise adult ADHD awareness among the general public.
On January 12, 2009, Mandel was reportedly sent to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
suffering from chest pains and what was reported as a minor heart attack. According to various news reports, he was experiencing an irregular heartbeat and reports of a heart attack; however, they were false. He was later released.
Mandel received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame , located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians...
in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on September 12, 2009. He is the third game show host to be inducted (the first being Monty Hall
Monty Hall
Monte Halperin, OC, OM , better known by the stage name Monty Hall, is a Canadian-born MC, producer, actor, singer and sportscaster, best known as host of the television game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
in 2002 and the second being Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek
George Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
in 2006).
Mandel has written and published an in-depth autobiography which details his life with OCD, ADHD, and comedy, called Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me
Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me
Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me is the humorous autobiography of Howie Mandel, in which he discusses his obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder...
.
Mysophobia
Mandel has mysophobiaMysophobia
Mysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder exhibited in repeatedly washing...
(an irrational fear of germs) to the point that he does not shake hands with anyone, including enthusiastic contestants on Deal or No Deal, unless he is wearing latex gloves. Instead of shaking contestants' hands when they offer them, Mandel often opts to exchange fist pound
Fist pound
The fist bump is a gesture similar in meaning to a handshake or high five. A fist bump can also be a symbol of giving respect. It can be followed by various other hand and body gestures and may be part of a dap greeting...
s, put his hands on contestants' shoulders, or give an occasional hug. He once kissed a female contestant on the show for good luck despite his mysophobia. He now takes medicine to control his condition and even pokes fun at himself for it. He revealed on The Howard Stern Show on March 24, 2006, that his shaved head is not related to natural hair loss, but to his mysophobia. He stated that the lack of hair makes him feel cleaner. During his appearance on Mad TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
, Mandel and cast member Bobby Lee made fun of the former's condition. In September 2007, Mandel interviewed former NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
running back Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
on NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
. Faulk asked him to shake hands, but Mandel wouldn't allow it; instead, he noted he'd rather have the fist tap, as he does with Deal or No Deal contestants. Seconds later, Faulk subjected Mandel to a "sneak attack", and shook his right hand. Mandel screamed and walked away from Faulk. Mandel then washed his hands several times. On a guest appearance on Free Radio
Free Radio
Free Radio is a television show, created by Lance Krall and Rory Rosegarten. The show originated on VH1, but has also played on Comedy Central, and Super Channel . It stars Lance Krall, prominent for his role on The Joe Schmo Show, and Anna Vocino, who also starred with Krall on The Lance Krall...
, Mandel explained that not only is he afraid of public bathrooms, but he is unable to use any bathroom other than his own. In 2008, Mandel guest-starred on Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, a television series centering on a severe mysophobe. During the season 5 episode of America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
in Chicago, Zach Carty attempted an act involving sneezing. Mandel ran off to the far end of the theater until the act was over. (Carty was unable to perform the act). In a backstage interview, he expressed to the television audience that he receives therapy to help him cope. In another America's Got Talent season 5 incident, Dan Sperry, a contestant on the YouTube quarterfinal episode, dropped some dental floss that he had run through his neck as part of a magic act. He dropped the floss in Mandel's vicinity, prompting him to get up and run to the other side of the judges' table. Just before Sperry's next performance in the semifinals, Mandel intimated that it was "the most horrified" he'd been on the show and that his therapist "loves him [Dan Sperry]", because there had been two extra sessions that week.
External links
- Mandel's official website
- Biography NBC.com
- Quintessential business 'Deal' USA Today, September 17, 2006