Howie Mandel was born on November 29, 1955, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His birth name is Howard Michael Mandel. He was raised in a Jewish household. Mandel’s father worked as both a lighting manufacturer and a real estate agent, providing the family with a financially stable upbringing.

He attended William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute. However, his high school career came to an unexpected end when he was expelled for impersonating a school board official in order to obtain a construction contract. Following his expulsion, Mandel worked as a carpet salesman and eventually launched his own carpet sales business. It was during this time that he discovered his talent for comedy, which led him to perform stand-up at the famed Yuk Yuk’s comedy club in Toronto. His first stage persona was described as “a wild and crazy borderline psychotic,” a character that helped catapult him into the spotlight. This marked the beginning of his career in comedy, which soon took him to Los Angeles.