Howie Mandel's Hazmat Suit for 'America's Got Talent' Arrival Has Fans Standing up for Him

Christian Long

03/11/2020 12:13 am EDT

On Tuesday, Howie Mandel showed up to his job at America's Got Talent wearing a hazmat suit, complete with gas mask. While the comedian offered no comment, he's been open about discussing his fear of germs, which stems from his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Given the ongoing concerns about the coronavirus, which has led to festival cancelations, postponements and major film delays, it's likely that was the concern for Mandel's choice of wardrobe.

Once the story started making the rounds, however, instead of making light of the situation, a number of Mandel's fans came to his defense. Given his condition, many were quick to point out that despite Mandel's sense of humor, his concerns right now are likely very real.

'The Understatement of the Year'

Mandel has opened up about his condition in the past, including to 20/20 back in 2009, when he said that he felt like he "always on the verge of death in my head."

'It's Probably Not a Joke'

Given Mandel's frankness about his germ anxiety, seeing the real-life repercussions was a sobering moment for some.

'A Super Trigger'

In that same 2009 interview, Mandel admitted, "The biggest fear I have is being triggered. And if I'm triggered and I get some sort of weird thought in my head that can't go, then my day is, is stopped. My life stops."

'No Joke to Him at All'

While it's unclear exactly how prepared Mandel is for a potential pandemic, he was spotted at the DMV on Monday. At the time, his biggest concern seemed to be where he needed to get in line.

'A Germaphobe for Several Years'

Others pointed out that given the severity of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 110,000 people worldwide at this point, meant that it wasn't a joking matter at all.

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