Noted Germaphobe Howie Mandel Has No Problem Touching Sofia Vergara’s Ankles
Howie Mandel has a lengthy list of ailments that he’s always been very candid about. He lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, of course, there’s his famous battle with germs. But the self-confessed germaphobe can add a new thing to his list: foot guy. While the comedian’s aversion to shaking hands existed well before the pandemic forced people to confront their woeful hygiene practices, those same principles apparently do not apply below the knee.
The America’s Got Talent judge poked fun at his self-diagnosis in a new Instagram post where he can be seen grabbing his fellow panelist, newly-single Sofia Vergara, by the ankles. The photo was shared with the caption, “I’ll do anything to not shake hands,” which is a thing that he hasn’t done in 20 years per an interview last year with the Desert Sun.
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This isn’t the first time the former Deal or No Deal host has made light of his complicated relationship with physical contact. Back in 2020, Mandel became MasterClass’ newest instructor with his course “Learn Hand Washing with Howie Mandel.” Granted, the video was just a Jimmy Kimmel Live! spoof of the subscription-based education platform, but it was packed with a lifetime of invaluable insights. The parody came at the tail end of Mandel’s interview with the late-night host in which Mandel detailed navigating life as a germaphobe.
This small act is a personal victory for Mandel and a huge step for foot-guy-kind.
