SOCIAL MEDIA MAKES STANDUP COMEDY ‘SCARIER’

Canadian comedian Howie Mandel says social media has made the standup world “a little scarier and little tougher now to create.” With audience members recording standup comedy bits on their phones and uploading them online out of context, it changes the whole industry, says the Torontoborn America’s Got Talent judge, who will host a multi-comic gala at Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival on Friday. Friday’s “Howie Mandel Gala” at the Salle Wilfrid- Pelletier at Place Des Arts will be filmed for the CW Network with special guest Russell Peters. Mandel, pictured, will also be at the fest on Thursday for a Q& A and screening of his documentary Committed. Meanwhile, over at America’s Got Talent, headlines have been swirling that Mandel and co- creator/ judge Simon Cowell are feuding — which he steadfastly denies. “I love Simon” says Mandel. “I’ve never been more comfortable. He’s so surprising, because he’s really funny and ironic and smart and he’s legitimately a star- maker. I’m thrilled to be working with him.”