'Deal or No Deal' game show appears safe bet for Mandel

Comic Howie Mandel's first reaction when offered the chance to be host of a game show was to wonder whether it would be death for his career.

"If I'm a game show host, will someone buy a ticket to see me do standup?" he wondered. "If I'm a game show host, will I get an offer to do a dramatic role in a movie?"

His worries so far have proven unfounded, so Mandel was happily promoting NBC's "Deal or No Deal" on Sunday. The show, on which contestants can win a million dollars but also leave with one dollar if they make a bad bet, will return to NBC's schedule in March.

"Deal or No Deal" did well in the ratings during a one-week run in December, although rivals said it faced little competition against reruns shortly before Christmas.