Kathie Lee Gifford helps Martin Short promote Madagascar 3 by asking about his late wife

Martin Short appeared on the bogged-down Fourth Circle of Today this morning, braving the wine-soaked winds of Kathie Lee Gifford to promote his role in Madagascar 3. The result was one of the more memorably awkward moments on a show comprised of almost nothing but: A typically auto-piloted Gifford downshifted into standard daytime talk show blather by asking about Short's marriage to wife Nancy Dolman, asking, "How many years now for you guys?"—a blandly standard, innocuous question, save for the sad fact that Dolman died of ovarian cancer in 2010.

The always-gracious Short kept up anyway, replying that they'd been married 36 years, and gamely responding to Gifford's further entreaties as to how they managed to still be in love and still "make each other laugh." Before the show ended, Gifford finally copped to her mistake, saying that Short had gently informed her of his wife's death after the segment was over. She then later sent out a tweet offering her "sincerest apologies" to "@MartinShort." (We must now similarly gently inform Gifford that "@MartinShort" is not, in fact, Martin Short.) Anyway: Madagascar 3! Bring the kids, provided they are still alive! [via TMZ]