Howie Mandel was afraid of only one thing after Heidi Klum jumped on his lap in wild ‘AGT’ moment
The judges of 'America's Got Talent' are known for their warm on-screen camaraderie, but it can also invite some personal misunderstanding. Renowned for his candid and empathic judging style on the reality show, Howie Mandel was once left stunned when fellow judge Heidi Klum jumped onto his lap during an off-putting act. However, Mandel turned the awkward moment into comedic gold when he jokingly declared that his marriage was over.
During 'America's Got Talent,' Season 19, Jelly Boy the Clown shocked the judges by swallowing a sword right after eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The artist made things more uncomfortable as he showed them the sword with peanut butter still on it. Heidi Klum was so grossed out she "moved away and sat on Mandel's lap," wagging her finger and leaning into him. Mandel, meanwhile, kept his hands to himself, raised his eyebrows, and looked back into the audience.
Later, in an exclusive interview with The US Sun, Mandel jokingly addressed the moment, saying, "Let's just say I was a happily married man." He further added, "I hope I'm still a happily married man because it was done on national TV." Mandel then said, "I have some explaining to do to my wife, but I was at work, right? And I didn't initiate it." As for the glitter on him, he explained it came from the golden buzzer that Klum pressed as a "beautiful woman was on his lap." Laughing, he concluded, "What a great job. I loved this job."
For those living under a rock, Mandel and his wife, Terry Mandel, have been married since March 16, 1980, after first meeting as kids in Toronto and attending William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute together. They met at a concession stand and began dating in their late teens. As per People, their first date was at a movie theater, which nearly ended badly due to bad weather. Now married for over 40 years, they share three children, Jackie, Alex, and Riley. Terry is also in the entertainment industry, working as a talent agent and television producer. Notably, Terry was an associate producer on "Howie Mandel: Live from Carnegie Mall." The couple co-owns The Abstract Talent Agency in Los Angeles.
Talking about Kulm, the supermodel exited 'America’s Got Talent' after appearing for 11 of the past 12 seasons, as per Deadline. Mel B, who previously served as a judge on the show from Seasons 8 through 13, replaced Klum. She rejoins the panel with returning judges Simon Cowell, Mandel, and Sofía Vergara. Terry Crews also returns as host. Klum's exit follows her announced return to 'Project Runway,' the series she originally hosted from 2004 to 2017. She'll be back for a new 10-episode season set to air in 2025 on Disney's Freeform, with streaming available on Disney+ and Hulu. Klum had previously juggled between both 'America's Got Talent' and Project Runway but this time she chose to focus solely on fashion.