Need a few good laughs today? Check out the latest Howie Mandel segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show!

Mandel, who’s been dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) all his life, released his autobiography Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me last month and appeared on the show today to talk with Ellen about the book (including the stigma of mental illness, how he was afraid it would affect his career and embarrass his family, and how he had to come to terms with revealing such personal information to the public) as well as thank her for past “OCD-related” gifts she’s given him and receive a new one that Ellen hopes will help him with future book signings

Aside from the way Mandel candidly speaks about his mental health issues, I think my favorite part of the segment is what he says about the mixture of humor and mental illness:

“I talk about it, and it’s funny. There’s a lot of funny. It’s funny. But it’s tough. But it’s funny. But it’s tough, right?”

(Trust me, the message loses something in translation – you REALLY have to watch the clip to get the full effect )

Mental health issues are obviously serious issues – like any other illness – but I’m a fervent believer that humor works wonders in terms of coping and even healing.

You can watch the Ellen clip online, and be sure to visit Mandel’s website to learn more about Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me.

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Nicole (December 9, 2009)

Nicole (December 9, 2009)

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    Last reviewed: 9 Dec 2009