Kathie Lee Gifford apologizes for mistakenly asking Martin Short about late wife

From left, Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee Gifford and Martin Short appear on NBC News' "Today" show on May 29, 2012.

/ NBC

(CBS News) Kathie Lee Gifford made a major on-air blunder Wednesday morning during Martin Short's appearance on the "Today" show.

The actor was there promoting his film "Madagascar 3" when Gifford asked about his marriage to wife Nancy Dolman - apparently not aware that Dolman died in August 2010 after battling cancer.

Pictures: Martin Short

"You and Nancy have one of the greatest marriages of anybody in show business," Gifford said. "How many years now for you guys now?"

Short, 62, didn't call Gifford out on the mistake, calmly answering, "Thirty-six years."

"But you're still in love!" Gifford went on.

"Madly in love," he replied. "Madly in love."

Gifford asked, "Why?" Short shrugged shoulders and said, "Cute. I'm cute."

Short and Dolman were married 30 years, and had three children together.

Later that afternoon, Gifford sent an apology to the actor 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.

-- Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) May 30, 2012

Watch the interview below:

[pamoouru]

This just shows how self-absorbed Kathie Lee is! How could she not have known that Martin Short's wife passed away two years ago?! First, she acts as if she's his friend, so one would think she must have known, and secondly, as a "journalist" (and I use that term beyond loosely), didn't she research her guest? Martin Short is a class act, and Kathie Lee is a complete moron! She and her buddy Hoda - Tweedle "Dumb" and Tweedle "Dumber."

[elcaballero1966]

Hey Kathie

How's your hubby Frank doing? Oops! Forgot about the divorce...

[montanatrace]

This is probably the first time Short has gotten a smile regarding the loss of his life. He's a comic genius and now we know more about him, beyond his humor. He is of the highest class. His wife would have been very proud of him. I bet she was one terrific lady too.

Griffin is the typical self absorbed media egotist. I'm pleased everyone could see what I've thought for years. Hopefully, this will end her TV baffoonery. She apologized on Twitter? How rude. But then, isn't that pretty much expected?

[parisdakar]

Will she ever go away?

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Gifford is an idiot.

[Lyric55]

If she's not talking about herself, Cody, Cassidy or booze she doesn't have a clue. Unfortunately, she's not the only reason The Today Show is losing credibility. Ann has horrible interview skills, and both her and Natalie are painfully awkward without the safety of a written script. I stopped watching when they announced Sarah Palin would be a guest host. Now I see Amy Robach has defected to Good Morning America.

[lasvegasteacher]

Kathy Lee always shows her insensitivity toward others, especially toward her co host, Hoda. Now she has put her foot in her mouth again while trying to interview Martin Short. I do not understand why NBC continues to put up with this person. I cannot watch any part of that show as long as she is on the air.

[Key-Bored]

Well, leave it to the idiot United Statesian media to screw up like this. Poor Martin Short. Kathy Lee is an idiot of the highest order, always talking about herself and her son. But she got that from the biggest ass on US TV Reject Philbin. That guy has no shame - talking about himself in the third person all the time. Poor Kelly Ripa is falling into the same trap - always talking about herself on the opening of her show. Everybody's lives are so sad in the US that they have to live vicariously through these egotistical nobodies? Seriously what have they done to make them so important? And the fact that they can't even learn about someone they are going to interview shows how unprofessional they are. Huge Shame on Kathy Lee. Stop worshiping these fools, and pay attention to scientists and other bright people, or your country will continue to atrophy as the media feeds you this pablum to placate you.

[anneable]

Right on!

[TomJohnn]

Gleefully reported by CBS.

[goffredo29]

And ABC. And, while I'm on the subject of a certain gender, let me ask why, as reported on ABC, they are again pushing for the inclusion of gays in the Boy Scouts? What part of "I was molested by an Explorer Scout in the Boy Scouts" don't they get. He was the son of the Scout Master. Boy Scouts are not trying to exclude a certain class of people here. It's rather like if boys were demanding to be allowed into the Girl Scouts. Eradicate rape and molestation and then we can talk.

[TomJohnn]

@goffredo29: Way to go off topic. Have some more Ritalin.

[goffredo29]

And, what was Hoda doing all this time. Damn! She's as much a dimwit as Kathie Lee is. This whole idea of turning the Today Show over to them after a couple of hours reflects badly on the audience as well as it takes dimwits to watch dimwits. This is the same audience that needs to be told every few minutes on the Lifetime Channel: "Lifetime...Television for women." As if they possibly couldn't know that! All of this is reflected of course in the profession and academic subject of journalism. The whole School of Communication at the university is damaged goods. That's why so many people major in it. Whew!