Meghan Markle's divisive Deal or No Deal 'bimbo' comments defended by former host Howie Mandel

Meghan Markle's divisive 'bimbo' comments about being a former employee for Deal or No Deal have been defended by a former host of the show, Howie Mandel.

• Meghan Markle has a new podcast called Archetypes.
• The Duchess of Sussex uses this platform to address issues that are affecting women in society.
• In other royal news, Queen Elizabeth to remain part of new King Charles coins with nostalgic nod.

Just over a week ago, Meghan Markle was joined by Paris Hilton to break down the 'Bimbo' trope on her Spotify podcast, Archetypes. During the show, Meghan revealed she felt 'objectified' as a briefcase model on Deal or No Deal and publicly shamed for her body. 

"I was thankful for the job, but not for how it made me feel, which was not smart," said Meghan. The Duchess of Sussex added that she would be left with a "pit in [her] stomach", knowing full well that she was, "so much more than what was being objectified on stage." 

Following the release of the podcast, Meghan Markle was criticized for her Deal or No Deal ‘bimbo’ remark for making the ‘other women feel bad’. Whoopi Goldberg commented on her show, "If you see it and that’s how you feel, just maybe, you don’t want to make the other women feel bad because maybe they’re trying to make a living, too." 

Despite some of the negative press, there have been some people who have leaped to the Duchess' defense - including a former host of Deal or No Deal, Howie Mandel.

"I get it. I felt like nothing," Howie Mandel told US Weekly. “And that’s why I’ve moved on and become a judge on America’s Got Talent. I just needed more than to be a Deal or No Deal host."

However, Howie did say that the set of Deal or No Deal "was a great workplace environment" and defended the Duchess by saying that she did not at any point in her podcast that the set was a difficult place to work. He added that in her podcast Meghan was only talking about "what was going on in her mind," and was not specifically berating the show itself.

"I don’t think she’s maligning Deal or No Deal," said Howie. "I don’t think there weren’t ever [any] complaints from any of the women. And unlike most shows up until that point, the ladies had more to do. They weren’t just pointing out gifts and opening [cases], a lot of times they were mic’d and they had their input."

“I’ve never really heard anybody complain and I don’t think Meghan is complaining. I think Meghan just said she wanted to do more. It wasn’t fulfilling for her." 

Howie concluded that he didn't understand the media circus surrounding the Duchess' comments. "So I don’t know why there is a big hoopla, except I have to say that me standing there with 26 women staring at me made me feel like a bimbo."