Howie Mandel's Age Joke Backfires, Apology Ensues

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Howie Mandales stirred up some buzz after an awkward exchange on Live with Kelly and

Mark Back on March 23rd.

The comedian, Fresh Off Turning 70, got defensive when Kelly Rippa joked about his age

not making sense, and her husband Mark Consuelos said he.

Looked great.

Mondale fire back the compliments like that always come with a caveat, comparing it to

saying someone smart for a dummy.

A clip of the tense back and forth when viral fast, prompting Mandale to post an apology

on Instagram on March 28th.

He admitted debating it for 48 hours, but stood firm philosophically.

Comedians shouldn't apologize for jokes meant to land light, even if they flop.

Fans and folks online had mixed takes with some calling it cringey and others defending

Mandale's raw honesty.

As longtime executive producer Michael Gellman even trolled back in the comments, agreeing

Mandale looks great for his age during these divided times.

Mandale's no stranger to the show, with nearly 50 guest spots since 1995, including filling

in as guest host after Regis Filben.

Left in 2011, fast forward to March 31st on the hot mics with Billy Bush podcast, and

Mandale kind of walked it back.

If anyone's offended, he apologizes.

While he regrets the post and still believes jokes don't need sars, classic comedian code

in the spotlight.