Just a few months in 2022, the comedy world has suffered multiple tremendous losses. America’s Funniest Home Videos host and veteran comedian Bob Saget passed away in January, and just weeks later, famous funnyman Louie Anderson was also gone. In April, comedy was dealt another major blow when the incomparable Gilbert Gottfried had died.
As someone who’s spent decades in comedy, Howie Mandel had gotten to know all three of these performers very well. Losing one after the other so quickly has been pretty hard on Mandel, as the comedian explained in a new interview with People. For Mandel, he observed feeling a “deafening silence” that came with the losses of the comedy legends, perhaps with each of them having such unique voices and were still consistently working.
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Still coming to terms with recently saying goodbye to Gottfried, Mandel realizes just how fragile life really can be. There’s no guarantee that any of us will be seeing the next day, so Mandel’s advice is to take in as much time as possible with the people you really care about. For him, that means spending more time with his grandchildren and only choosing projects that will bring him enjoyment.
Howie Mandel Says the Message is to Enjoy Life
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Howie Mandel spoke with Gilbert Gottfried shortly before the latter’s passing, and thinks he may even be the last one to speak with him. Mandel separately told Entertainment Tonight that he had actually talked with Gottfried on the phone on the way to the hospital. While Gottfried was known for his biting humor, Mandel says he was the “sweetest” person you could imagine off-stage.
Mandel similarly opened up about how he was friends with Gottfried, Bob Saget, and Louie Anderson, recalling how they call came up in comedy together, making it seem more silent than ever with all three voices no longer here.
