Show notes
In this energetic and wide-ranging episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with comedy and television icon Howie Mandel (America’s Got Talent, Deal or No Deal, Gremlins, St. Elsewhere) for a conversation that moves effortlessly between laughter and reflection. From his early days as a stand-up comic to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in television, Howie reflects on a career that has spanned more than four decades, and the values that have grounded him throughout it.With trademark honesty and humor, Howie opens up about his Jewish upbringing, family life, and how Jewish values have shaped his worldview both onstage and off. The conversation also takes a more serious turn as Howie speaks candidly about the resurgence of antisemitism, the aftermath of October 7th, and what it has felt like to navigate Jewish identity in an increasingly hostile global climate. Thoughtful, funny, and unexpectedly moving, this episode offers a rare glimpse into how one of comedy’s most familiar figures navigates faith, fear, and responsibility to show up when it matters most.Topics Discussed Include:Howie’s Jewish upbringing in TorontoHow comedy became a creative outlet and coping mechanism for anxiety and OCDThe influence of Howie’s father on his Jewish values and identityHowie’s early years doing stand-upHowie’s opinion on tzedakah Why Israel struggles with public perceptionJewish identity and visibility in a time of rising antisemitismHowie speaks out about injustice and intolerancePro-Palestinian vs. Anti-Israel movements: understanding the differenceHowie on NBC, Hollywood, and Jewish representationJews being targets for their appearance outside of NY and LA Howie’s goal, “I just wanna do the right thing.”Thank you to this episode's sponsors The Dream Raffle and SAPIR.Mentioned In The Episode:Ultimate Nite Out Featuring Debra Messing and Jonah PlattWatch America’s Got Talent (NBC)Howie Mandel InstagramHowie Mandel WebsiteHowie Mandel Does Stuff (YouTube)What You Need to Know About Israel's The Iron DomeQatar’s Investments in the US Education SystemRussia’s Interference in US Elections Continues to Get More BrazenChina’s Potential Use of TikTok Is A National Security ThreatYuri Bezmenov and his Stages of Ideological SubversionIsrael Recognizes Somaliland as an Independent Country“I Have a Tough Time Being with Myself.” Howie Mandel on living with OCD, ADHD, and anxietyB’rit Mialh: The Circumcision RitualHowie Mandel discusses saying the Kaddish for his fatherEverything You Need to Know About the Jewish Custom of ShivaMinyan: The Congregational QuorumTzedakah 101Are the Jews the Chosen People?Meet Howie Mandel's 3 talented kids with his wife of 45 years—2 options with regard to his in-laws being holocaust survivors—A survivors’ love story, and a game-changing secretHowie Mandel to Appear at Malibu Film SocietyThe Role of Doctors and NursesMyth: Jews Have Too Much PowerWhy Israel is losing the PR warDid Israel Bomb a Hospital? No. What to Know About Hamas’ Lie About a Rocket Strike on a Gaza HospitalCollecting German Air-dropped Leaflets on BritainIsraeli film on Oct. 7 premieres at Toronto film festival after initially being droppedMasadaHaifaWatch Inspector Gadget (Xumo)Haim Saban (IMDB)Shuki LeviBondi Beach terrorists ‘acted alone’ in attack on Hanukkah eventHowie Mandel Ari Shaffir clip on antisemitism.Ari Shaffir InstagramWhy Do We Wear a Kippah?What Is Tzitzit?Former SNL comedian Jay Pharoah says he was racially profiled by police, detained with knee on his neckSt. Elsewhere (Apple TV)Demonstrators rally across the U.S. in response to violent conflict between Israel and HamasWatch Little Monsters (Pluto TV)DayenuProto HologramHowie Mandel Become ESports Team OwnerWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:[email protected] contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Nayman, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt