It happened in an instant. One click, a few seconds of footage that should have stayed private, and suddenly the internet was on fire. If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or Twitter over the last couple of years, you've definitely seen the phrase is this covid related howie plastered across comment sections. It’s one of those memes that feels like a fever dream. You probably remember the confusion. You probably remember Howie Mandel’s face. But do you actually remember why it became a thing in the first place?
It wasn't a PR stunt. It wasn't a leaked clip from America's Got Talent. Honestly, it was just a massive, terrifying lapse in judgment from a man who is usually one of the most cautious people in Hollywood.
The whole "is this covid related" phenomenon started because Howie Mandel—a known germaphobe who literally wrote a book about his struggle with OCD—decided to post something so graphic, so bizarrely medical, that it broke the collective brain of the internet. It’s a story about the bridge between "boomer humor" and modern cringe culture. It's about how a TikTok algorithm can take a mistake and turn it into a permanent digital scar.
The TikTok Post That Started the Chaos
Let’s go back to July 2022. TikTok was already the wild west, but Howie Mandel was mostly known for doing silly dances and behind-the-scenes clips. Then, he uploaded it.
The video featured a graphic image of a person’s prolapsed rectum. No warning. No context. Just a camera pointed at a screen showing a medical condition that most people go their entire lives without seeing. Howie looked into the camera, dead serious, and asked his followers, "Is this COVID related? And if it is, what do we do about it?"
He was being serious. Or maybe he was trying to be funny? It was impossible to tell. The tone was somewhere between a panicked medical consultation and a surrealist comedy sketch. TikTok took it down fast. Like, lightning-fast. But in the world of the internet, three minutes is an eternity. Screen recordings were made. The damage was done.
The phrase is this covid related howie wasn't just a question anymore. It became a shorthand for "I have seen something I can never unsee." It became a way to mock the absurdity of blaming every single health ailment on the pandemic. We were all living through a time where every cough or headache prompted a "is it COVID?" check, but Howie took that collective anxiety and applied it to… well, that.
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Why Did Howie Mandel Do It?
Howie eventually addressed the elephant in the room. He didn't hide. He went on various podcasts, including his own, Howie Mandel Does Stuff, and spoke with Logan Paul on Impaulsive. His explanation was basically that he saw something gross and thought it was funny or shocking enough to share. He didn't realize the sheer scale of the reaction he would get.
"I thought it was just a weird medical thing," he basically said. But for a man who famously won't shake hands because of his fear of germs, the irony was too rich for the internet to ignore.
The sheer disconnect is what fueled the fire. Howie Mandel is a household name. He’s the Deal or No Deal guy. He’s a judge on a family-friendly talent show. Seeing him post body horror on a mainstream social media platform felt like a glitch in the simulation.
The Anatomy of a Modern Meme
Memes usually die in two weeks. This one didn't. Why? Because it’s modular.
You can use the phrase is this covid related howie in almost any context where someone is oversharing or posting something slightly "off." It’s the ultimate "sir, this is a Wendy's" for the 2020s.
- The Audio Hook: TikTok creators started using the original audio—Howie’s voice asking the question—and layering it over increasingly absurd videos. People used it for burned toast. They used it for weird-looking clouds. They used it for their pets looking slightly confused.
- The Reaction Images: Howie’s face in that video—concerned, slightly tilted, staring into the lens—became the de facto reaction image for when a friend sends a "TMI" text in the group chat.
- The Irony Factor: Because Howie is a germaphobe, the meme has a layer of psychological depth. It’s a "he's just like us" moment but turned up to eleven. We all have that one uncle who posts weird things on Facebook; Howie just happened to do it for 10 million people.
The Cultural Impact of the Howie Incident
We need to talk about what this says about celebrity culture now. Ten years ago, if a celebrity did this, it would be a career-ender. It would be a "publicist-resigning-in-disgrace" moment. In 2026, looking back, we see it as just another Tuesday on the internet. Howie didn't get canceled. If anything, he leaned into it.
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He realized that in the attention economy, being the "COVID related" guy was better than being the "I haven't done anything relevant lately" guy. It gave him a weird kind of street cred with Gen Z. He became the "unhinged king" of TikTok.
There's a lesson here about how we consume trauma and gross-out humor. The original image was objectively disturbing. It was a medical emergency for whoever was in that photo. Yet, through the lens of Howie's phone, it became a punchline. We’ve become desensitized. The phrase is this covid related howie is a linguistic shield that helps us laugh at things that are actually quite horrifying.
The Science of "Cringe" Humor
Psychologists often talk about "benign violation theory." Basically, things are funny when they violate a social norm but are ultimately harmless (or "benign"). Howie's post was a massive violation. It broke the "don't post medical gore" rule. But because it was Howie—the goofy guy from Bobby’s World—it felt benign enough to laugh at.
If a random doctor posted that, they’d lose their license. When Howie does it, it’s a meme.
How the Meme Lives On Today
You’ll still see it. Go to any video of someone doing something slightly gross, like eating a weird food combination or showing off a bruise. The top comment will inevitably be: Is this COVID related? It has entered the lexicon of "internet-speak," joining the ranks of "What are those?" or "Is this a pigeon?" It’s a permanent part of Howie Mandel's legacy, whether he likes it or not. In interviews, he seems to take it in stride, though he’s clearly a bit baffled by the longevity of it.
The reality is that the internet never forgets. Every time Howie tries to post a serious update about his life or a clip from his show, there is a wall of people waiting to remind him of that fateful July afternoon.
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Navigating the Howie Mandel Rabbit Hole
If you’re looking to find the original video—don’t. It’s been scrubbed from most reputable sites for violating terms of service regarding graphic content. You’ll find plenty of "reaction" videos, which are honestly better anyway. Watching someone else’s soul leave their body as they watch the clip for the first time is the true "is this covid related howie" experience.
It’s also worth checking out Howie’s podcast appearances from that era. They provide a fascinating look at a celebrity trying to navigate a viral moment that they didn't quite understand. He was genuinely confused why people were so upset.
What We Can Actually Learn From This
There are real takeaways from the "is this covid related howie" saga that apply to anyone using the internet today. It’s not just about a funny phrase; it’s about digital literacy and the "post" button.
- The Three-Second Rule: Before you hit post on anything you think is "edgy" or "funny," wait three seconds. Ask yourself: "Would I want my grandma to see this?" Or in Howie's case, "Would I want the entire world to associate my face with a prolapsed rectum for the rest of eternity?"
- Context is King: Howie's mistake wasn't just the image; it was the lack of context. If he had been doing a documentary on medical anomalies, the reaction would have been different. Randomly dropping it into a TikTok feed is what made it legendary.
- Embrace the Cringe: If you do mess up online, the "Howie Method" works. Don't hide. Don't sue people. Don't issue a 4-page PR statement. Just acknowledge it was weird, laugh at yourself, and move on. The internet loses its power to hurt you when you're in on the joke.
- Privacy Matters: Remember that the people in viral photos are real people. The image Howie shared was of a real person dealing with a real (and painful) medical issue. In our rush to meme everything, we often forget the human element.
If you’re ever tempted to share something questionable, just remember Howie. The next time you're about to post a "is this covid related" style mystery, maybe just send it to a doctor instead of 10 million strangers.
Next Steps for the Truly Curious
- Check out the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast episodes from July and August 2022 to hear his immediate reaction to the viral storm.
- Look up the "Benign Violation Theory" if you want to understand the actual science behind why we find "cringe" content so addictive.
- Review your own social media "deleted" folders—you might find your own "Howie moment" lurking there, waiting to be rediscovered.
The internet is a weird place. Stay safe out there, and for the love of everything, keep your medical questions between you and your physician. No, it's probably not COVID related. And even if it is, Howie Mandel is definitely not the guy to ask.