Howie Mandel defends his shot at Sofía Vergara's single status: 'It's open season, people!'

Howie Mandel is doubling down on a recent quip about fellow "America's Got Talent" judge Sofía Vergara's new single status.

"I think everybody needs to take a shot at Sofía," Mandel told E! News.

The former "Modern Family" star and Joe Manganiello announced in July that they were ending their nearly eight-year marriage, and Mandel brought up the split on the Aug. 22 episode of NBC's "AGT." Mandel joked that child ventriloquist Brynn Cummings, who was in search of an eligible bachelor for her puppet, "should've talked to Sofía, 'cause she's in the market right now."

Vergara laughed off the remark, cheering "yes" as she threw her hands into the air. But host Terry Crews quickly shut down the comment. "No, we are not doing that here," he said.

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Mandel defended his joke to E! "I got killed for that last week to say she's on the market, but she is. And it isn't too soon. Last year was too soon. When Joe is in the house, it's too soon. Joe is out of the house, it's open season, people!"

Mandel says that his colleague "is doing great. She is a wonderful, beautiful, strong, funny lady."

Contributing: Edward Segarra

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Howie Mandel defends shot at Sofía Vergara divorce: 'It's open season'