Kathie Lee Gifford asks Martin Short how long he's been married (his wife died in 2010)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Video of the awkward moment at the URL below.

It might be the most cringeworthy few seconds in TV history -- Kathie Lee Gifford asked Martin Short how his wife is doing ... one small problem ... she died 2 years ago.

Martin appeared on "The Today Show" this morning to promote his new movie, "Madagascar 3" -- when Kathie asked, "And you and Nancy have one of the greatest marriages of anybody in show business. How many years now for you guys?"

Martin doesn't know how to respond, saying, "We ... have ... married ... 36 years."

Apparently Kathie didn't get the memo -- Martin's wife Nancy Dolman died in August 2010 from ovarian cancer.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/30/kathie-lee-martin-short-dead-wife-nancy-dolman-today-show/

[cliffordu]

1. Kathie Lee....

Always a class act.

[hlthe2b]

2. Cringe worthy doesn't begin to cover it...

Heavens... Not that I've never said something I've regretted as soon as the words left my mouth, but one might think before delving into personal discussions, interviewers might do a bit of homework first--they do have staffs after all.

Poor Martin Short. He's a really good guy and I'm sure he didn't want to embarrass KLG, even as much as caused him distress.

[HappyMe]

4. Yup.

When klg had been told of her error, she apologized, and kind of looked ready to cry herself.
Her staff should have done better research.

[grantcart]

6. I agree that the staff should have told something that significant.

But what a class act Martin Short is.

Very gracious guy.

[tabasco]

7. Totally agree.

He demonstrated enormous dignity and strength.

[monmouth]

8. I've been in the Martin Short position, an old classmate of my daughter ran up to me to say hello

and asked about my daughter and please, please tell her I was asking for her... I held her hand and gave her the news. In all honesty I felt so badly for her, she was visibly shaken, I didn't react at all. These things happen, you go with it..

[blueknight]

3. kathie lee

out of touch with reality, and has been that way for years

[MerryBlooms]

5. Awful for Martin Short. I doubt Gifford really gives a shit one way or another.

She never struck me as a particularly sympathetic nor empathetic person.