America's Got Talent

No Joke, AGT Judge Howie Mandel Is Serious About His Heart Health and Wants You to Know Why

America's Got Talent judge and comedian Howie Mandel reveals his struggle to keep his heart healthy.

What to Know

  • Howie Mandel was diagnosed with high cholesterol in his 30s.
  • He is the spokesperson for TakeCholesteroltoHeart.com
  • The AGT season 13 finale airs Sept. 18th and 19th

America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel stopped by the NBC 4 studio to talk about his heart health.

The 62-year-old was diagnosed with high cholesterol 30 years ago but fell off the wagon with his meds, despite warnings from his doctors. Now he's partnering with TakeCholesteroltoHeart.com to encourage people of all ages to get their cholesterol checked.

"I recently learned that at least 50 percent or more people stop taking their statins (cholesterol medications) after a year of starting them," Mandel says.

He recalls how his medication didn't make him feel very good, so he stopped. And he says, once they were out of sight, it was out of mind as well.

Mandel tells me he's back on his meds and he's feeling great, which is a good thing because he's busier than ever. He's judging season 13 of America's Got Talent and regularly performs about 200 stand-up comedy shows a year.

He laments the shift in comedy these days and how much different it is than it was when he started stand-up in the 1970s.

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"In the clubs, you want to be able to try out things and maybe step over the line," he says. "But everybody's so politically correct and so sensitive now. And they have the ability to record you and take things out of context, that I have friends who because of a joke, have lost whole careers."

He also talks about his need to stay connected on social media less his FOMO get the best of him. And he has a special message for internet trolls that you'll want to hear.

The season 13 live finale of America's Got Talent airs Sept. 18 and 19 on NBC 4.

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