Germaphobe Howie Mandel Walks Off N3on's Podcast After He Burps Without Excusing Himself: Watch

Howie Mandel had a strong reaction during a recent podcast appearance.

The America’s Got Talent judge, who has long been open about being a germaphobe, appeared on a podcast with YouTuber N3on, where the two were seated far apart.

At first, everything seemed totally normal.

But things quickly took a turn when the internet personality casually burped mid-conversation.

“I’m so sorry,” N3on said right away.

Still, Mandel — who has spoken for years about his struggles with germs and cleanliness — looked visibly uncomfortable as N3on laughed off the moment. He then stared blankly at him, clearly not amused.

Instead of brushing it off, Mandel took the situation seriously. The tension in the room built fast, and rather than pushing through the awkwardness, he chose to walk away from the studio entirely.

As expected, the internet had plenty to say.

“Howie Mandel, the legendary germaphobe, really stormed off the podcast because someone burped without saying excuse me. dude built his whole brand on not touching anything, and one natural human sound sends him packing. celebrity fragility hitting new levels,” one user wrote on X.

Another questioned, “Is being a germaphobe considered a mental health issue?”

“When is somebody gonna realize this all f------ staged?” a third added.

That last comment may not be far off.

Despite the viral moment, Mandel and N3on appeared to be on good terms shortly after. N3on even shared a video of the two, where the star attended Mandel’s Global Gaming League (GGL) SZN ZERO event in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 9.

The pair also kept things friendly as they were seen chatting on the red carpet.

For years, Mandel has been open about his mental health struggles, including severe anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“I feel like I’m broken,” he previously admitted in 2021.

He shared that his symptoms began in childhood, including intrusive ideas and repetitive behaviors.

“If you leave me alone with my own thoughts, it’s a dark place,” he said.

Mandel explained how his condition has impacted his daily life.

“OCD are these intrusive thoughts that keep coming in, so much that you have no control and you can’t stop,” he said. “And those thoughts are so strong that it stops your life.”

He also credited his wife, Terry Mandel, for pushing him to seek help.

"I'd have my children and my wife spray everything down and not touch things," he recalled. "I wouldn't take things that they were handed. I would remove some of their toys that I saw touch the ground. I was making their life miserable."

Eventually, Terry reached her breaking point.

"She gave me an ultimatum," he said. "She goes, 'I can't do this anymore, and I can't have the children do it anymore. And if you don't get help, that's it.'"

"So it was an ultimatum that made me ultimately go to therapy, and I got diagnosed," he shared. "I was embarrassed that I had this problem, and when you have a mental health problem, there is a stigma."