Howie Mandel's life has been one happy accident after another.

"Everything I have done has been a huge surprise," Mandel said in a recent phone interview from Los Angeles. "I turned to my wife a few days ago and said, 'How did this happen?' "

What happened to Mandel over the past 30 years made him one of the most successful television personalities of his generation. The impetuous comedian will bring his signature wit to American Music Theatre for a stand-up performance at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10.

Mandel said his routine for the evening will be completely off the top of his head, which is how he works best.

"Throughout the years, I have been most comfortable with discomfort," Mandel said. "Having no plan seems to work for me."

Mandel said he grew up in an extremely sterile environment, which may have led to his lifelong struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His tell-all memoir, "Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me," chronicles Mandel's numerous fears and phobias and explains how he made them work for him.

"What happened to me as a kid now comes naturally to me," Mandel said. "I still don't think I have entered my comfort zone."

Mandel's first serendipitous moment came in 1979, when his friends dared him to go up on stage during amateur night at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. A producer who was in the audience asked Mandel to appear on the comedy game show "Make Me Laugh."

The rest, as they say, is history, as Mandel went on to star in some of television's most popular shows, including the pioneering medical drama "St. Elsewhere." Mandel's other credits include "Deal or No Deal," "America's Got Talent" and his most recent venture, "Mobbed."

"It is a crazy show," Mandel said. "[A reality show] has never been done on so many levels."

"Mobbed" is based on the recent flash mob phenomenon, in which large groups of people congregate in a certain area to perform a random act. Mandel said he came up with the concept for the show while watching viral videos.

"When I'm at home, I watch a lot of YouTube," Mandel said. "I saw these flash mobs happening in public places, and people really loved it."

Mandel decided to pitch the idea to the Fox network, which agreed to give it a whirl. "I thought, oh my God, what have I done," Mandel said.

Each hourlong episode involves a highly choreographed moment in which a surprise is revealed to an unsuspecting individual. Shows are staged around everything from marriage proposals to landing a dream job.

"We have one shot, and it's done without a net," Mandel said. "We don't even know if the person is going to show up."

One of Mandel's lesser-known achievements is his role in the hit cartoon series "Bobby's World," which now runs in syndication in more than 65 countries.

"I did this character in my stand-up named Bobby," Mandel said. "When Fox was planning to offer its own lineup of Saturday morning cartoons, they asked me if I wanted to do the voice of Bobby."

Mandel remembers telling Fox that Bobby was not a family-friendly character, but he was drawn to the concept of the show.

"It had funny stories about things we did as kids. Every episode is based on the truth about a kid's experience."

Looking back on his career, Mandel said he is still amazed by the direction his life has taken. Despite all his fears and anxieties, he knows without them he wouldn't be where he is today.

"I had no plans of being a comedian, actor or movie star," Mandel said. "But I love what I am doing, and who I am."

Howie Mandel will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East. For ticket information, call 397-7700 or visit amtshows.com.