Entertainment TV Howie Mandel on Losing Friends Bob Saget and Gilbert Gottfried: 'The Silence Is Deafening' "There aren't words to describe the losses," says Howie Mandel of losing his close friends this year By Aili Nahas Aili Nahas Aili Nahas is the West Coast Deputy News Editor at PEOPLE. She is also the TV deputy in Los Angeles as well as the Weddings Editor. Aili has spent nearly two decades in the entertainment industry and 12 years at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 27, 2022 09:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Howie Mandel with Bob Saget (left) and Gilbert Godfried (right). Photo: getty (3) Howie Mandel is as busy as ever, hosting a new Netflix competition series, Bullsh*t The Game Show, in addition to his gig as a judge on America's Got Talent and working on his podcast, Howie Mandel Does Stuff. But the prolific comedian is also reflecting on an exceedingly difficult few months as he's weathered the losses of three close friends: comedians Bob Saget, Louie Anderson and Gilbert Gottfried. "I never dreamed there would be a moment where I could list people who are just gone," says Mandel, 66, in this week's issue of PEOPLE. "I remember being in a room with every one of those people and there was such a sense of invincibility." "Now, the silence is deafening," he adds. "There aren't words to describe the losses." Saget and Anderson both died in January (Saget, 65, from head trauma and Anderson, 68, from cancer) while Gottfried, 67, died in April after a prolonged illness. "I absolutely loved Gilbert," recalls Mandel. "He was the sweetest. This just compounds the feeling of fragility. This can all end tomorrow so it's so important to absorb each moment and each second with the people you love and care about." Howie Mandel. Scott Kirkland/Shutterstock Howie Mandel Opens Up About His 'Painful' Struggle with Anxiety and OCD For Mandel, that means relishing time with his grandchildren, Abby, 7, and Axel, 6 ("they're my life," he says) and choosing professional projects that bring him personal joy. "Ever since Deal or No Deal, there is a nonstop flow of game show offers that come my way," he says. "At this point in my life, I'm looking to show up for a crazy, fun gratifying experience. And Bullsh*t checked every box." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Howie Mandel's New Netflix Game Show Lets Contestants Win Big with Wrong Answers — First Look In the game show, contestants try to guess whether their fellow players are correctly answering trivia questions or making up answers in the moment. "Bullsh*t is the lifeblood of our world, whether we're trying to discern it from a salesperson, a partner or a child," says Mandel. "I hate trivia. I absolutely do. But I love bullsh*t!" Bullsh*t The Game Show premieres on April 27 on Netflix.