A Conversation with Howie Mandel -- in audio

When you see him on television, Howie Mandel is about as friendly as can be -- and many of us have seen him giving a contestant on "Deal or No Deal" his trademark fist bump. 

Turns out that that fist bump is Mandel's way of coping with a serious case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He doesn't shake hands, and he'd prefer never to make physical contact with strangers if he could help it. In his memoir "Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me," Mandel tells the story of growing up with OCD and coming to terms with the illness as an adult.

However, since this memoir is written by Mandel, it's also extremely funny. So I wasn't quite prepared for the straightforward, serious tone he takes in interviews. However, listen in and you'll hear the voice of a very smart man who has managed, with lots of humor and grace, to keep moving forward with a frustrating and still little-understood mental challenge.