Howie Mandel made his fellow "America's Got Talent" judge Sofia Vergara cheer when he joked about her being a newly single woman.
Earlier this year, the former “Modern Family” star, 51, parted ways with husband Joe Manganiello, 46 — but apparently it wasn't too soon for her to laugh about the couple's split.
It all went down on the Aug. 23 live episode of "AGT" after the judges watch 12-year-old ventriloquist and magician Brynn Cummings perform a love match for her puppet Penelope.
During her act, adorable Cummings asked Heidi Klum for help in setting up Penelope with an eligible bachelor. Afterward, Mandel raved about Cummings' talent while offering her a tip.
“If I have one word of advice, if you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofia because she’s in the market right now.”
Though the studio audience responded to Mandel’s quip with groans, Vergara threw her hands into the air and screamed, “Yes!”
Mandel later defended the joke After some social media users took issue with Mandel's comment,
the actor and comedian defended himself by telling Entertainment Tonight he was "helping" his co-star find love again.
“I just thought, ‘Oh my god. Using Heidi to find an eligible bachelor? Hello! Who’s right here?
Sofia is on the market, ready and eager!’” said Mandel. “And then online people said it was too soon and it was tasteless.”
Mandel insisted it wasn't too soon to make the joke. "As soon as she’s free, as soon as they live in separate homes, the door is open, people!" he said.
He also assured ET that Vergara got a laugh out of his comment. “She came over and she thought it was funny," said Mandel.
“The only reason I’m doing press today is I’m just doubling down on it. I’m her Bumble," he said. "She approved of the joke. She thought it was funny. She posted afterwards. But the internet is mad.”
The "Walk Like a Man" star added that he knows it won't be long before Vergara, whom he called "a gift," finds love again. “She checks every box: beauty, brains, humor, everything," he said.