The Truth About Howie Mandel's Wife

Howie Mandel has maintained a lengthy career in Hollywood both as a comedian and a (witty!) game show host. Even though he has experienced many changes throughout his career, one constant has been his long-time wife, Terry Mandel.

The "America's Got Talent" host has always craved stability, and in addition to being with his wife for many years, Howie has kept the same manager. "Everybody I work with has been with me for a long time," he told Ability Magazine in July 2011. "I've known my manager since I was 14, and my wife's known him since they were in preschool." Howie revealed to the publication that he first met his wife in the girls' bathroom in school where he used to brush his once-flowing hair. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he shared that they met at a YMCA when they were 12 years old, though they didn't start dating until high school.

Another constant in Mandel's life is his keenness to prank his wife. While stuck home during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Howie's wife would work on giant puzzles and he would hide pieces. "I just sit there waiting for the next couple days, just waiting ... then she screams," he said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in May 2020. Howie's history of pranking his wife dates back to their time in high school. "As a matter of fact, we once got in a car accident while he was driving," Terry told Ability. "I said, 'Very funny!' Because I thought he had done it as a joke." Humor definitely plays a big role in this relationship. 

Howie Mandel has been married to Terry Mandel (born Terry Soil) since March 1980. They share three children — Jackelyn, Alex, and Riley – per IMDb. Besides being his long-time partner, Terry had a monumental impact on her husband's career when he pivoted into hosting television shows. Originally, the comedian turned down "Deal or No Deal," but his wife convinced him otherwise. "In 2005, when I got asked to do a game show, there [were] no comics hosting game shows," he told The Gazette in 2018. "And I said no to it three times. My wife told me to take the deal, and I took the deal."

According to her IMDb profile, Terry has worked as a talent manager and producer. What was it about Terry that caught Howie's attention? "She made me laugh. It was wonderful to meet a witty woman," he told Good Housekeeping. "Spending your life with someone who doesn't have that wouldn't be palatable." Terry showcases her wit on Instagram, like when she juxtaposed a creepy doll next to a stuffed bumblebee with Howie's face on the bee's head. "Which is more disturbing?" she wrote.

Neither Howie nor Terry cares much for making meals in the kitchen. "My wife doesn't cook, so we eat out every night," he told Good Housekeeping. "But every night feels like a date." Now that's romantic!

Howie Mandel offers plenty of silly insights and stories when it comes to his wife, Terry Mandel. The comedian has revealed that Terry is fond of animals, which means he is quick to tease her about her interest in rescuing strays. While being interviewed by Conan O'Brien in 2018, Howie joked, "She doesn't rescue. My wife takes."

He explained that Terry once picked up a stray cat and it bit her finger, which led them to seek medical attention. In addition to stitches, his wife required weekly rabies shots — an absolute nightmare for the well-known germaphobe host. "I sleep with a woman that might have rabies!" he shouted to the audience. Terry isn't the only one who has brought home an animal as a surprise, however.

"My wife loves animals, any kind of animal," Mandel shared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." Hoping to "go big" for his wife's birthday, Howie went well beyond cute and cuddly and rented an elephant. Admittedly lacking skill and focus for party planning, Howie revealed that there were no guests, food, or celebration for the day — just the elephant. As the animal needed to stay on site for a minimum of 12 hours, Howie shared that the elephant ripped up their backyard palm trees, sunk into muddy holes, broke their sprinkler system, and left a pile of "elephant poo." The birthday surprise cost Howie $45,000 in damages, but the story is too good not to share!

Humor is clearly of huge importance when it comes to Howie Mandel's relationship with his wife, Terry Mandel. In 2020, Howie shared that it was his 40-year wedding anniversary with Faces Magazine. "People ask us what makes it work. She will tell you that what makes it last is the work-personal life mixture, that I am not with her a lot of the time," he joked with the outlet. He added, "I will be honest, I am annoying ... I think I'm fun on social media and TV, but to live with me is a totally different story."

Terry doesn't seem to mind her husband's teasing nature at all, and posts how proud she is of his work on Instagram alongside random moments at home. In addition to Howie's usual wacky social media posts, he'll occasionally share a throwback photo with Terry and silly videos of them pranking one another.

To celebrate 42 years together in 2022, Howie posted a video to Instagram that slid back and forth from a photo of the past to their present position. "Look how gorgeous I was then," Howie commented. When Terry said, "My eyes were so much more beautiful," Howie had to cut in. "No you're beautiful now," he stated, proving the host still has his charm. Who knows what kind of shenanigans the couple will cook up as their 50-year milestone gets closer.