Part of my humor is the fact that I love coming out of left

When Howie Mandel declared, “Part of my humor is the fact that I love coming out of left field. I don’t want people to expect what is going to happen next,” he revealed more than a performer’s secret—he unveiled a philosophy of life itself. His words speak not only of laughter and surprise, but of the sacred power of unpredictability, that spark of creation which keeps the spirit alive. For the world grows dull when all things are known, and hearts grow weary when every path is already mapped. Mandel’s joy in “coming out of left field” is the joy of the creator, the one who disrupts expectation so that wonder may be born anew. His humor is not mere jest, but revelation—a reminder that life’s truest laughter springs from the unexpected.

The origin of these words lies in Mandel’s own journey through comedy, performance, and self-discovery. From his earliest days as a stand-up comedian, he defied convention. Where others followed scripts, he followed impulse. Where others sought structure, he sought spontaneity. His humor, strange and unpredictable, often bewildered before it delighted. But therein lay its power—it refused to conform. Mandel understood that to make people laugh deeply, one must first surprise them, for laughter is the child of shock and recognition combined. To “come out of left field” is to approach truth from an angle unseen, to awaken minds dulled by predictability, and to remind the world that creativity lives only where order dares to tremble.

But beneath the surface of this jest lies a deeper truth: the soul that fears surprise fears growth. The unpredictable is the source of all invention, the birthplace of art, of science, of wisdom. The ancients themselves revered this quality. The oracle of Delphi spoke in riddles, not to confuse, but to awaken the seeker’s inner vision. The great philosopher Socrates startled his listeners not with answers, but with questions that turned their certainties upside down. Like Mandel in his comedy, these sages understood that when the mind expects one thing and receives another, it opens—a window appears, and light floods in. In the unexpected, we rediscover the living mystery of existence.

Consider the story of Leonardo da Vinci, whose genius often seemed to “come out of left field.” When the world expected him to paint, he studied anatomy. When it expected a scholar, he built machines. His notebooks are filled with wonders no one anticipated, because Leonardo lived as Mandel laughs—beyond expectation. He moved not within the limits of what others foresaw, but in the infinite space of what might be. And though he was centuries apart from the comedian, both share the same creed: that to surprise is to awaken, and to awaken is to create.

Howie Mandel’s love of surprise also speaks to the art of living freely. To live without surprise is to live in chains—bound by habit, by fear, by the dull comfort of repetition. The creative spirit, like the comic spirit, thrives on risk. Every laugh requires vulnerability; every new path requires courage. Mandel’s craft mirrors the courage of every soul that dares to step into the unknown. When he refuses to let people “expect what’s next,” he embodies the truth that life’s beauty lies not in control, but in discovery. Each moment, if met with openness, can burst forth like a joke never heard before—sudden, bright, and full of life.

The ancients would have called this principle divine play—the dance of the cosmos itself, which moves through chaos to create harmony. The gods, they said, delighted in surprise, for even divinity would grow weary of a world too predictable. In every act of laughter, invention, or transformation, there is a spark of that sacred playfulness. Thus, Mandel’s humor becomes not mere entertainment, but a reflection of the universe’s own rhythm: the eternal unfolding of the unexpected. To “come out of left field” is, in truth, to speak with the voice of life itself, forever new, forever daring.

And so, let his words be a lesson to all who hear them: do not be afraid to surprise or be surprised. Step out of the predictable paths of thought and action. Let curiosity lead you where certainty cannot. When life seems too structured, loosen it with laughter. When the world expects you to conform, “come out of left field.” Say something no one expects; dream something no one imagines; live in a way that reminds others that the human spirit was born for wonder, not repetition.

Thus, remember the wisdom in Howie Mandel’s jest: “I love coming out of left field. I don’t want people to expect what is going to happen next.” This is not only the secret of humor—it is the secret of a vibrant soul. For the one who surprises the world also renews it; the one who defies expectation brings life to the stagnant and joy to the weary. Therefore, laugh boldly, live unexpectedly, and let your spirit forever delight in the art of the unforeseen—for that is where creation itself begins.