During his guest appearance on the March 31 episode of Billy Bush’s Hot Mics podcast, Howie Mandel expressed “regret” over his decision to post an apology video.
When asked by the host, “Who was offended?” Mandel replied, “I don’t know. I’ve been reading articles on the internet, and if somebody is offended, if somebody feels that I did wrong, then I apologize. I don’t believe in apologizing, as I said in that post.”
Mandel acknowledged, “I kind of regret making the post. Because I don’t think that you should apologize for a joke.”
Reflecting on his on-air dispute with Kelly Ripa, he admitted he did not appreciate her comment.
“I do agree, and people are saying it wherever I go now. I do think I look good. And I don’t think the caveat is for 70. I just think I look good,” he stated.
This incident reportedly led him to focus more on his appearance and self-presentation.
“Up until a couple of weeks ago, I [didn’t] really focus on my looks. I focus on staying healthy and vibrant,” he explained.
Mandel expressed uncertainty about the situation’s impact, saying, “I don’t know if that’s healthy. I feel bad. I don’t know what’s going on, and I don’t know when this will end. I hope it ends soon, because I didn’t mean to cause any disruption. I didn’t mean to embarrass anybody.”
The comedian also noted that he now has a better understanding of the scrutiny image-focused celebrities face in the spotlight.
