I have a renewed respect for Sofia Vergara with the way she’s handling the Nick Loeb situation. Loeb is SO THIRSTY. Loeb is currently suing Sofia, his ex-fiancée, for “custody” of the embryos they created while they were together. Loeb has also been waging an uncomfortably stalkerish campaign against Sofia in the press, basically accusing her of being an awful person because she didn’t and doesn’t want to have babies with him and he’s come thisclose to accusing her of child abandonment because she simply wants to their mutually-agreed-upon contract to be honored.

Earlier this week, Sofia appeared on Howard Stern’s show and of course Stern asked her about the situation. I’m paraphrasing, but Sofia was basically like “We have a valid contract and why doesn’t he just make a baby with someone else?” Then today, Sofia appeared on a pre-taped Good Morning America interview. And she goes even harder.

Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb squared off on the morning talk shows Thursday in their battle over their frozen embryos – with the Modern Family actress labeling her ex-fiancé an opportunist and Loeb claiming he just wants protect two lives that “have already been created.”

Vergara, 42, told Good Morning America that the embryos are a non-story, legally speaking, and she criticized Loeb, 39 – and the press – for bringing a private matter into the public eye.

“I’ve been working very hard for 20 years to get to this point where I am,” she said. “I promote all my movies, all my work, but I don’t like promoting my private life. And I don’t want to allow this person to take more advantage of my career and try to promote himself and get press for this.”

She seemed dumbfounded about why Loeb is getting any press – much less a New York Times op-ed – about the matter. The two signed an agreement, after all, that both must consent in order to bring to term the embryos they created together when they were a couple in 2013.

“Why is the press allowing somebody to invent things and create press for himself?” she asked. “He’s not an actor. He’s not a celebrity. It’s like, why?” She added: “This shouldn’t be out there for people to give their opinion when there’s nothing to talk about. There’s papers signed … I don’t understand why the media is allowing a person to just try to put me down, and make it like something is happening when nothing is happening.”

On Today, meanwhile, Loeb said he never believed Vergara “was going to change her mind” about the embryos, and that he’d be happy to raise the kids as a single father.

“It has nothing to do with whether it’s her baby or a baby,” he said. “Lives were already created … I wouldn’t toss them aside.”

He’s not asking Vergara to take financial responsibility for the children, he added. “I’ve offered to her to waive all financial responsibilities,” he said. “I want these children to have the best lives possible … There’s nothing more that I want to do than bring these children to life.”

In closing, both of them claimed they’re not overly bitter about what’s happening.

“I think Sofia is a wonderful, wonderful woman,” Loeb said. “I don’t hate her at all.”

For her part, Vergara mentioned how happy she is with Joe Manganiello, and how blessed she is to have such a successful career. “I’m not sad. I’m grateful,” she said. “I have to enjoy what I’m living right now.”

[From People]

God, Loeb is such a manipulative, craven tool. And Sofia is – I feel – reading the situation correctly. There’s a valid contract. The end. Except the whole story has become a toxic blend of celebrity, politics, reproductive law, and media bias. Loeb wants it that way too, because this whole thing feels like he’s trying to “punish” Sofia for breaking up with him. It’s gross. And I’m glad she’s standing up for herself.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.