{"id":332515,"date":"2026-05-10T20:50:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T15:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=332515"},"modified":"2026-05-10T20:50:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T15:20:46","slug":"billy-bob-thornton-shares-gross-ocd-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/10\/billy-bob-thornton-shares-gross-ocd-moment\/","title":{"rendered":"Billy Bob Thornton Shares \u2018Gross\u2019 OCD Moment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Actor and musician <strong>Billy Bob Thornton<\/strong> has been open about his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder diagnosis, and recently, he candidly shared how the condition intensely affected him prior to now by sharing an amusingly gross anecdote. The actor also discussed his overall mental health journey and restrictive food plan, sharing his newfound love for grapes, oddly paired with a condiment.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ZUMAPRESS.com \/ MEGA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In an episode of the podcast \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aupKrNsLDc4\">Howie Mandel Does Stuff<\/a>,\u201d 70-year-old Billy Bob Thornton opened up about his mental health, particularly his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which host Howie Mandel can also be diagnosed with.<\/p>\n<p>While speaking with Mandel and his co-host, daughter Jackelyn Shultz, Thornton remembered a moment from the late \u201980s that highlighted his obsessive-compulsive thoughts. \u201cYou wanna hear a funny, but creepy, gross funny one?\u201d he asked, before telling his story.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<!-- TargetVideo video matching --><\/p>\n<p>Thornton shared that he was available in the market pavilions in West Hollywood, waiting in line behind an older gentleman, who had a \u201cleathery, wrinkly neck\u201d with \u201c200 blackheads.\u201d There was a very large one which Thornton in comparison with a pin head. \u201cYou popped it?\u201d Shultz asked, to which the actor replied, \u201cNo. It wasn\u2019t that bad, but it surely\u2019s close.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-billy-bob-thornton-boinked-a-stranger-s-blackhead\">Billy Bob Thornton Boinked A Stranger\u2019s Blackhead<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Billy Bob Thornton HAD To Touch A Stranger\u2019s Blackhead | Howie Mandel Does Stuff\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LB8i_tc6Exk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Thornton said that upon seeing that big blackhead, he had an obsessive thought that just wouldn\u2019t go away, and he had to the touch it. \u201cYou\u2019re saying you would like to touch it?\u201d Mandel asked. Thornton explained that he didn\u2019t need to touch it, but his obsessive-compulsive thoughts made him think he needed to do it.<\/p>\n<p>He decided to make use of a magazine rack near him and the person as a ruse. Thornton said, \u201cI went \u2018boink\u2019 after which reached to People magazine and got it.\u201d When the person turned around, he apologized, saying that he was just reaching for a magazine. \u201cSo anyway, I got to the touch the blackhead and get out of it, you recognize.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mandel and Schultz roared with laughter, seemingly grossed out and amused at the identical time. \u201cDid you say boink?\u201d Schultz asked. \u201cThat\u2019s hysterical,\u201d Mandel added. \u201cI got over that an extended time ago. I went to blackhead therapy,\u201d Thornton joked.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-actor-shares-how-exhausting-ocd-is\">The Actor Shares How \u2018Exhausting\u2019 OCD Is<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How Billy Bob Thornton\u2019s OCD Mentally Exhausts Him | Howie Mandel Does Stuff\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7Aakncd-4Rs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Thornton shared his OCD diagnosis publicly in 2004 during an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/id\/wbna4654882\">interview with Ann Curry<\/a>. The actor talked about his physically and emotionally abusive father and said his upbringing might need triggered his OCD. \u201cIt exhausts you\u2026 You\u2019re consistently doing mathematics in your head,\u201d he told Curry. Thornton shared the identical sentiment within the podcast with Mandel, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s so emotionally and mentally exhausting that that\u2019s one among the things that individuals don\u2019t really say much.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>His symptoms manifested at a young age, and he remembers counting down with the clock while waiting for his father to come back home. \u201cI&#8217;d hear the automobile pull within the driveway around 4 o\u2019clock normally, and I&#8217;d, in my head, I&#8217;d say if I can count to 100 five times before I hear the automobile are available in the driveway, the whole lot\u2019s going to be okay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Thornton shared that he does things just like that despite knowing that it\u2019s \u201csilly,\u201d but he isn\u2019t in a position to control the compulsion.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-howie-mandel-expressed-gratitute-to-the-actor\">Howie Mandel Expressed Gratitute To The Actor<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1093\" src=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-768x1093.jpg\" alt=\"Howie Mandel\" class=\"wp-image-657659\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-1080x1536.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-768x1093.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-720x1024.jpg 720w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-211x300.jpg 211w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Howie-Mandel-2-scaled.jpg 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100px, 100vw\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">MEGA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mandel has been open about his own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/celebrity\/articles\/howie-mandel-accidental-ocd-overshare-080000900.html\">OCD diagnosis<\/a>, but it surely wasn\u2019t at all times that way. During an appearance on \u201cThe Howard Stern Show\u201d in 1998, his diagnosis was unintentionally revealed. Mandel, who&#8217;s a germophobe and is widely known for not shaking hands, had an anxiety attack when he couldn\u2019t get out of the studio, as he didn\u2019t need to touch the doorknob.<\/p>\n<p>Pondering it was a bit, the crew jokingly prevented him from leaving, which heightened his anxiety. He then told Stern that he sees a psychiatrist for OCD, and his panic attack was real, not knowing the show was still broadcasting live.<\/p>\n<p>Through the podcast, Mandel revealed that Thornton reached out to him, telling him that that they had loads in common, referring to their OCD. \u201cIt was beautiful to be open with anyone about humanity and about struggling,\u201d Mandel said. In a while within the interview, Thornton circled back, saying it was so rare to seek out someone within the business who didn\u2019t speak about work or projects, they usually agreed it was therapeutic to speak about their shared condition.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-billy-bob-thornton-s-restrictive-diet-and-odd-food-combinations\">Billy Bob Thornton\u2019s Restrictive Weight-reduction plan And Odd Food Combos<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><\/figure>\n<p>Elsewhere within the interview, Thornton shared his aversion to certain foods on account of his allergies and rare blood type, which makes it difficult for him to digest. Mandel then shared how his son, Alex, who&#8217;s friends with Thornton\u2019s son, William, once said Thornton served him bagels with cream cheese and ketchup when he was at their home. \u201cThat\u2019s a hillbilly bagel,\u201d Thornton said.<\/p>\n<p>The actor also shared the brand new obsession that he discovered while in a dressing room waiting for an event to start. The food spread didn\u2019t have anything he could eat, apart from grapes. He got a white grape, dipped it into spicy Dijon mustard, and ate it. \u201cIt was the most effective things I ever had in my lifetime,\u201d Thornton said, adding that it\u2019s change into his recent \u201cthing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton has been open about his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder diagnosis, and recently, he candidly shared how the condition intensely affected him prior to now by sharing an amusingly gross anecdote. The actor also discussed his overall mental health journey and restrictive food plan, sharing his newfound love for grapes, oddly paired [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":332516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[337],"tags":[7473,4596,5709,7291,42661,1388,3174],"class_list":["post-332515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-billy","tag-bob","tag-gross","tag-moment","tag-ocd","tag-shares","tag-thornton"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332515"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":332518,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332515\/revisions\/332518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/332516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}