Howie Mandell sparked controversy when he commented on Sofia Vergara's relationship status during an episode of AGT. Despite the backlash, Howie remains amused by the reaction to his sardonic statement about Sofia's recent return to the single life.
Given Sofia's recent split from her ex-husband Joe Manganiello, the comedian is standing by his jest regarding the Modern Family actress's potential pursuit of a new romantic partner, which he playfully shared on the August 22 airing of America's Got Talent.
"I believe everyone should take a chance with Sofía," Howie remarked, as reported by E! News.
"I received a lot of criticism last week for suggesting she's back on the market, but it's the truth. And the timing isn't inappropriate. Last year would have been too soon. When Joe was around, it was premature. Now that Joe is out of the picture, it's fair game, folks!"
The 67-year-old assured his fans that Sofia didn't take the jest to heart, having embraced it gracefully after it was made live on air the previous week.
"She's doing fantastic," Howie added. "Sofía is an incredible, stunning, resilient, and humorous lady."
During a performance by 12-year-old contestant Brynn Cummings, who combined magic and ventriloquism and even involved fellow judge Heidi Klum to help her puppet find an eligible bachelor, Howie made headlines by poking fun at the 51-year-old's recent breakup.
"If I could offer some advice," he quipped, "if you're in search of eligible bachelors, you should've consulted Sofía, as she's currently available."
Terry Crews tried to steer the conversation in a different direction, responding, "No," and emphatically stating, "No, we're not delving into that here." However, Sofia enthusiastically shouted "yes" and raised her hands in response to Howie's comment.
After a marriage spanning seven years, Sofia and Joe revealed their separation just last month.
