Sofia Vergara Shut Down Howie Mandel After He Joked About Her Divorce On America's Got Talent (2024)

Sofia Vergara’s life after divorcing Joe Manganiello involved her returning to the dating world and being the target of Howie Mandel’s jokes. While Mandel constantly teased her for her single status, she proved to be able to handle the jokes. However, it appeared Mandel went too far, to the point that fans noticed on social media.

At some point, Sofía Vergara had to shut him down during an episode of “America’s Got Talent.” Howie Mandel’s joke appeared to be out of place, and she wasted no time showing that she’d had enough. This article will look back at that exchange between the talent show judges, Vergara’s life since her marriage to Joe Manganiello ended and why their union ended.

How Sofia Vergara Handled Howie Mandel’s Jokes About Her Divorce

Two months after Hollywood stars Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their split, Howie Mandel made headlines for poking fun at her new status as a single lady. During a September 2023 episode of the talent competition show, Mandel made one of his jokes about Vergara, leading her to walk off the stage.

The exchange started off with the judges playing the lie detector game. Sofía Vergara had been on the hot seat, a throne made out of tater tot props. After going through a few questions, it was Howie Mandel’s turn to quiz her, so he said to her: “Do you see anybody in the audience tonight that you’re interested in?” The audience erupted into loud cheers as some people showed their interest in the “Modern Family” actress. Vergara proved to be a good sport as she replied, “That’s it,” signaling that she was done with the test. It is pertinent to note that Vergara knows how to call out uncomfortable situations, but in Mandel's case, she waved it off with a smile.

The "Despicable Me 4" actress took off the lie detector test cuff before walking off the stage. Sofía Vergara handled the situation well, but her fans reacted differently on social media. Prior to the polygraph test episode, Howie Mandel threw another jovial jab at her single status during an audition session. Brynn Cummings, a 12-year-old contestant, had auditioned with her ventriloquist skills.

During her performance, she enlisted Heidi Klum to help her puppet find a partner. Howie Mandel spoke at this point, stating that Brynn Cummings could have asked Sofía Vergara because she was “in the market.” “If I have one word of advice, if you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofía because she’s in the market right now.” The show’s anchor, Terry Crews did not agree with Mandel as he relayed, “No, no. We are not doing that here.”

Many fans frowned at the TV star’s joke, labeling it a “low blow.”One person commented on X, “I can’t be the only one who thinks this episode of #AGT is weird as f*ck right??? Howie throwing that low blow at Sofia, Simon buzzing the guitar act when there were far worse. The vibes are all off…” “That was so messed up @howiemandel making fun of Sofia. And it wasn’t even funny!!!” another fan commented.

The "Deal or No Deal star," who has had unpleasant experiences with extreme jokes, would later address the backlash. In an interview with Extra, he stated, “People were online saying, 'Too soon.' I think as soon as you're available, it's never too soon. She's fresh, people.” He acknowledged how people thought his words were “mean and insensitive” as he added that Sofía Vergara had a great sense of humor, and he would not hurt her.

Sofia Vergara's career profile and net worth according to Celebrity Net Worth:

Inside Sofia Vergara’s Life After Her Joe Manganiello Divorce

One month after finalizing her divorce, Sofía Vergara opened up about returning to the dating world again. Speaking to Parade, the star revealed the challenges of dating. When asked about the “most challenging” part of the dating scene, the “Griselda” star replied, “Everything.” The richest Modern Family cast member gave her reason for this answer, noting that “everything gets so exaggerated… not interpreted in the right way.” She explained further:

Despite stating the difficulties of returning to the dating pool, Sofia Vergara’s love life seemed to be going well for her. After her split with Joe Manganiello, the “Hot Pursuit” actress was romantically linked to Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon. Vergara was first linked to him in October 2023 after she underwent major knee surgery. Joe Manganiello and the “Machete Kills” actress ended their marriage after seven years, with the “Magic Mike” actor citing “irreconcilable differences” in divorce documents. The former couple shared a joint statement to announce the “difficult decision.”

When the "One Tree Hill" actor filed for divorce, he requested that spousal support should be terminated for both parties. He listed that he and Sofía Vergara signed a prenup during their wedding, and in a separate filing, the actress asked the court to uphold the terms of their prenup.

In January 2024, Vergara sat in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, revealing why she and Manganiello ended their marriage. The “Chasing Papi'' actress stated that they got to a stage where they wanted different things regarding having children. Vergara explained:

The star relayed that she had her only son, Manolo Gonzalez, at 19, and as he had turned 32, she looked forward to becoming a grandmother and not a new mother. She added. “I’m almost in menopause; it’s the natural way of things," she added. "When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while, and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life…”

Over time, both parties moved on with their romantic lives. Manganiello started dating actress Caitlyn Connor, while Vergara posted a snap subtly confirming her relationship with Justin Saliman. Before the “True Blood” actor, Vergara was married to Joe Gonzalez, who was her school sweetheart.