Martin Short and Kathie Lee Gifford’s incident
Martin Short is taking the high, high road.
While chattering continued today about Kathie Lee Gifford’s mistake on Wednesday’s Today show. She asked Short at length about his wife, unaware Nancie had died in 2010 of ovarian cancer. He clearly isn’t dwelling on it.
“On live television, people make mistakes. There’s no ill will intended” – Short told E! News while doing press for his new film, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. “It’s nice to aspire to be kind of elegant.”
Martin Short and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Martin Short has commented on Kathie Lee Gifford’s awkward questions about his deceased wife. While media ran headline stories about her on-air blunder which happened during a recent chat on “Today” show, the Canadian actor thought it was not a big deal.
“On live television, people make mistakes. There’s no ill will intended” – Martin told E! News while doing a promo for his upcoming movie “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”. He additionally stated: “It’s nice to aspire to be kind of elegant.”
In the same tone, his representative previously said: “Marty never even addressed it with us, he just moved right along.” The publicist added: “We appreciate if everyone else might do the same so as not to make a huge deal about it either.”
Martin appeared on the NBC morning show also to promote the latest “Madagascar” movie series. Things got awkward when she said: “He and Nancy have one of the greatest marriages of anybody in show business. How many years now for you guys?”
He kept his cool and gave short answers when she kept pestering him with questions about his wife Nancy Dolman who died two years ago.
Kathie herself apologized for her error twice; in front of audience after commercial break and on Twitter. “I send my sincerest apologies to @MartinShort and his family. He handled situation w/enormous grace and kindness and I’m so grateful” – she tweeted. The Twitter handle she tagged in the apologetic message, however, didn’t belong to the actor.
Gifford apologised twice yesterday after realising.
Following a commercial break, Gifford came back on air and said: “My apologies to [Martin] and his family for not realising.”
She explained how Short had told her of his wife’s passing off-air after the interview.
The host also took to Twitter to say sorry again.
“I send my sincerest apologies to @MartinShort and his family” – she wrote. “He handled situation w/enormous grace and kindness and I’m so grateful.”
Short, 62, who was on the morning show to promote his new film Madagascar 3, earlier attempted to answer the questions put to him – but was clearly perplexed.
Fellow host Hoda Kotb failed to throw a lifeline, giggling along at Gifford’s well-intended questions, and also seemed unaware of Nancy’s death in August 2010.
Gifford asked Short: “You and Nancy have one of the greatest marriages of anybody in showbusiness. How many years now for you guys?”
Confused, Short replied: “We… have… married … 36 years.”
“But you are still like, in love” – Gifford went on, prompting Martin to proffer: “Madly in love, madly in love.”
“Why?” a smiling Gifford said, continuing the exchange.
“Cute, I’m cute” – Martin replied, before Kotb jovially interjected: “That is true.”
The clip – which is on YouTube – ends with Gifford saying: “And you make each other laugh…” before Kotb changes the subject.
Kathie Lee began co-hosting NBC’s Today Show alongside Kotb in 2008.