Howie Mandel wasn’t taking any chances as he returned to work amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The television personality was spotted sporting a very unique headpiece as he arrived for a taping of season sixteen of America’s Got Talent in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The infamous germaphobe, 65, wore a massive astronaut helmet to shoot the upcoming season of the talent contest series, which will be the second to air under modified protocols.
Helmet: Howie Mandel was spotted sporting a very unique headpiece as he arrived for the first taping of season sixteen of America’s Got Talent in Los Angeles on Sunday
COVID protection: The infamous germaphobe, 65, wore a massive astronaut helmet to shoot the upcoming season of the talent contest series, which will be the second to air under modified protocols
The comedian took the coronavirus precautions to another level with the plastic piece, clearly feeling like a facemask would not suffice as protection.
Other than the helmet, the funnyman looked perfectly normal in a pair of navy overalls and black and yellow t-shirt.
He completed the look with white sneakers and his signature glasses.
Howie grinned and gave cameras two enthusiastic thumbs up as he made his way to the set to join fellow judged Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara.
Overalls: The comedian took the coronavirus precautions to another level with the plastic piece, clearly feeling like a facemask would not suffice as protection. Other than the helmet, the funnyman looked perfectly normal in a pair of navy overalls and black and yellow t-shirt
Germaphobe: Mendel is a self-described germaphobe, who also battles OCD, and has being taking safety protocols during the pandemic extremely seriously
Klum posted a boomerang of herself having fun with Mandel backstage on her Instagram account, tapping his mask as he continued to smile.
‘@howiemandel can you hear me in there?,’ the masked 47-year-old supermodel captioned the funny clip.
Mendel is a self-described germaphobe, who also battles OCD, and has being taking safety protocols during the pandemic extremely seriously.
Having fun: Klum posted a boomerang of herself having fun with Mandel backstage on her Instagram account, tapping his mask as he continued to smile. ‘@howiemandel can you hear me in there?,’ the masked 47-year-old supermodel captioned the funny clip
He made headlines for showing up to a taping of the show in a full hazmat suit in March 2020, shortly before the United States went into lockdown to combat the virus.
The star told Page Six in May that he has been getting by during the pandemic with the help of therapy and medication.
‘Some people call it a pandemic, I call it “told ya!”‘ Mandel told the outlet. ‘I’m on medication… I’m moving my therapist into a whole new tax bracket on the phone.’
He commented on how society is now valuing the hygienic accessories he’s utilized for years to stave off the germs.
Hazmat: Mandel made headlines for showing up to a taping of the show in a full hazmat suit in March 2020, shortly before the United States went into lockdown to combat the virus
Getting by: The star told Page Six in May that he has been getting by during the pandemic with the help of therapy and medication: ‘Some people call it a pandemic, I call it “told ya!” I’m on medication… I’m moving my therapist into a whole new tax bracket on the phone.’
‘I felt responsible in the beginning for the shortage of PPE because I’d been hoarding gloves and masks and hazmat suits for the last 50 years but I’ve given them all away,’ he said.
‘This is my nightmare, this is how I live and now the world has joined me in my nightmare,’ he added. ‘I hope we wake up and it’s just mine and not everyone’s. I take no solace in the fact that I was ahead of the curve.’
Mandel’s aversion to germs has made its way into his America’s Got Talent stint on multiple occasions.
Nightmare: ‘This is my nightmare, this is how I live and now the world has joined me in my nightmare,’ he added. ‘I hope we wake up and it’s just mine and not everyone’s. I take no solace in the fact that I was ahead of the curve’
Mandel said he lives ‘freaked out’ and ‘can’t wait for this to be over’ as people have spent the last year donning gloves and facemasks and keep a distance of six feet while out in public places with others
During the fifth season, he ran away amid an act that included sneezing; in the show’s 10th season, he was put under hypnosis and told that his fellow judges on the panel were wearing gloves, so he shook their hands and gave them high fives. He subsequently said he ‘felt betrayed’ with the prank.
Mandel said he lives ‘freaked out’ and ‘can’t wait for this to be over’ as people have spent the last year donning gloves and facemasks and keep a distance of six feet while out in public places with others.
The sixteenth season of America’s Got Talent was confirmed last month after the fifteenth set of episodes underwent a troubled production process.
Next season: The sixteenth season of America’s Got Talent was confirmed last month after the fifteenth set of episodes underwent a troubled production process; the judging panel is seen in 2020