Howie Mandel Has Been Judging America's Got Talent While Legally Blind

-You started in stand-up. You still do stand-up.
I know you were just in Vegas doing stand-up.
-I was. I was with David Spade. -David Spade, a very funny guy.
-He's hysterical. Me and David were at the --
You know what, I got to tell what you happened in Vegas.
This is funny. Years ago, before I was doing "AGT,"
I hosted a game show called "Deal or No Deal."
-Yeah. -And "Deal or No Deal"...
[ Scattered cheers and applause ]
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I'm holding for applause.
Because you can fill in more later. Right?
-Yeah, we'll just put... -Oh, sit down. Sit down!
[ Laughter ] That's crazy.
I wasn't expecting this kind of response.
But -- so they have "Deal or No Deal" slot machines
in the casino. And we went there,
my wife was with me, and we went with another couple,
Louie and Kathy. And they were downstairs
in the casino, and before the show, I stay in the room.
My wife calls me in the room and said,
"Howie, you've got to see this.
Louie was playing the 'Deal or No Deal' machine,
he hit the jackpot and won $10,000."
-Fantastic. -"You've got to see that."
I said, "Well, that's great!" I put on my coat,
I ran out of my room, down the hall, into the elevator.
Across the whole casino,
I see the lights going off on the "Deal or No Deal" machine.
His wife is crying. They're peeling off hundreds.
They're giving her $100,000.
I go and give them a hug, and this is life-changing.
$10,000. And I notice there's lights
and a crowd around me and I look,
and people are taking pictures.
And then I realize they have no idea that this is my friend.
People think that if you hit the jackpot...
[ Laughter ]
...on the "Deal or No Deal" machine, I show up.
[ Cheers and applause ] Thank you, thank you.
So I looked at them, and I went, "Oh, somebody just hit in Reno!"
And I went and then -- [ Laughter ]
You can see in the distance the whole crowd moving over
to the "Wheel of Fortune" machine, awaiting Pat Sajak.
-Yeah, of course. [ Laughter ]
-Yes. -So this is very exciting.
This is the twelfth season of "America's got talent."
So your sixth season. -Eight.
-Oh, it's eight for you. -Eight.
Oh, you were doing the Canadian exchange.
I see what you were doing there. -Yeah, I was shifting it back.
-Our years. -And first year with glasses
though for you. -You know, you've noticed?
-Yeah. -You noticed.
You know what's weird?
I'm an old guy and apparently my wife said,
"When's the last time you went to the optometrist?"
I've never been to an optometrist.
-Yeah. -I went this year.
And I don't think my -- my vision is no different
than I've ever noticed it.
He said that I'm legally blind.
These are very strong. And I put them on --
[ Laughter ]
Why does my inability to see make you laugh?
[ Laughter ]
But now I have to wear glasses
and I'm wearing glasses full-time.
Not for reading, full time.
I was blind. I was legally blind.
[ Laughter ] Wait.
And I have been judging a talent show for eight years.
-Yeah. [ Laughter and applause ]
This...
This...
This is the first season I've seen it!
It is so good! -Yeah. Congratulations.
[ Laughter ] -It is so good.
And we're going live this Tuesday
and I'm going to be tweeting live.
Are you are you big on Twitter? -Yeah.
-@HowieMandel. I love to tweet live.
Follow me. Follow me.
-You're coming off a little desperate right now.
-No, no! [ Laughter ]
You're not -- you don't understand --
-The twitter thing was -- I was finished.
I'm looking at people there and I'm saying,
at the end of the show, I'm going to be in the lobby.
And I want all of you to follow me someplace, not on Twitter.
[ Laughter ] Just really, literally,
I want this -- -Yeah.
-Wouldn't it be great to show back up in my hotel
with all of these people? -Yeah.
Just wait until the rest of the show is over.
Don't follow him now. [ Cheers and applause ]
I can't wait. That's very exciting
that you're doing the live shows.
That's great. -It is very exciting.
At the Dolby Theatre live Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
This year is more exciting and better than any other year.
I mean, we got -- We have some superstars.
Last year my Golden buzzer won Grace VanderWaal,
this 12-year-old. -She was fantastic.
-A genius, songwriter, performer who is going to be --
I promise you still. You know, she's, like,
number-one selling in Japan now. -Oh, that's great.
-She had the number-one downloading iTunes last year,
a single, and she's just growing,
and this year, I have another Golden buzzer.
This young boy, Christian, is -- isn't that weird
that a Jew pressed a buzzer for a Christian?
-That's good. I feel like the worlds are coming together.
-That's what I do. -We need more of that.
-That's what I do. -We need more of that.
-Thank you so much for being here, Howie.
-Thank you for having me. -Howie Mandel, everybody!
"America's Got Talent," Tuesdays and Wednesday nights
at 8:00 here on NBC.

Howie Mandel Has Been Judging America's Got Talent While Legally Blind

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