Little Monsters Star Howie Mandel Details How the Experience “Almost Killed” Him

In 1989, actor and comedian Howie Mandel appeared in the comedy film Little Monsters, a movie that saw him take on the part of a “monster under the bed” and wearing a ton of prosthetic make-up while onset. The notorious obsessive compulsive, mysophobic personality has opened up about this experience in a new bonus feature interview for a fresh blu-ray release of the film courtesy of Lionsgate (H/T Gamespot). To put it mildly, he didn’t mince words, noting that while he had a fine time on the set of the film personally that the extensive make-up effects he was forced to wear “almost killed” him.

“When Little Monsters was presented to me, I went, ‘Okay,’ without any thought of what it would mean,” Mandel said in the interview. “You know it’s a nice experience. I met nice people. I had a nice time personally. Physically, it almost killed me. And I wouldn’t have done that. It’s not good to spend a summer in the Carolinas wrapped in latex.”

He continued: “Don’t wrap yourself. I mean it’s a wonderful–Maurice is a wonderful character. It was a fun time; everybody was great. And there were funny scenes, but I was wrapped in latex. Do you know what humidity and latex does? After I did that movie. I wouldn’t even put a condom on. I was so anti-latex. I know that doesn’t sound safe, but I was married and happy but I would not, I don’t even want to say the word latex anymore. But now I feel like I wouldn’t do that again.”

He concluded, “I don’t have a GED because I can’t sit in class. But you have to sit. Not only was it four hours of sitting, but four hours of–I don’t want to be touched. And four hours of (being touched), I thought I was going to snap. And once I was finished, I had to be this happy and joyful Maurice. I really wasn’t that happy and joyful. I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into. They cut like, ‘Oh my god. I’m gonna die.’ At night, it’s an hour to get it off; it was glued on me and my skin.”

Though the film has become a bit of a cult classic, sadly for Mandel his hours of sitting in the chair and being miserable weren’t exactly rewarded with a box office hit. Little Monsters was first produced by Vestron Pictures and went bankrupt before the movie could be released. Distribution rights to the film were sold off to MGM/United Artists, who elected not to give the film a wide release. As a result the movie failed to nab even one million at the box office. Luckily for Howie though, it’s since found its fandom, who greatly appreciate his make-up work.