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Howie Mandel's Committed follows less 'successful' friend

Seasoned entertainer Howie Mandel has a new film for all those who haven't quite "made it" as entertainers — but not for lack of talent, or trying.
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Howie Mandel, right, and Vic Cohen are shown in this undated handout photo from the documentary Committed. (The Canadian Press)
Q18:59Howie Mandel's Committed follows less 'successful' friend

What does it really mean to "make it" in show business?

Comedian, actor and TV personality Howie Mandel is clearly someone who's made it. The proof is that you know his name.

But what separates him from the talented entertainers who work in relative obscurity? Take Mandel's good friend Vic Cohen, for instance. 

Today the two of them join guest host Stephen Quinn to discuss Committed, Mandel's new documentary about Cohen's struggle to do succeed, and the tricky business of defining success. 

The film, which screens at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival next week, is built on more than a decade's worth of footage. Mandel first started shooting Cohen during a turbulent time in his life, using the camera as a buffer for his discomfort. 

But then he was never quite able to look away. 

"Vic certainly changed my perspective on what I'm doing, and how I'm doing," says Mandel. 

"Happiness and success really come from within. Success is not about money, it's not about notoriety. It's about getting up and being happy with what you're doing." 

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