TORONTO — Emmy nominee Martin Short is skipping this weekend's awards bash in the wake of his wife's death.

A publicist for the Canadian comic says Short is not attending the annual TV party, where he's nominated for a rare dramatic performance on the legal thriller "Damages."

Short's partner of 30 years, retired actress Nancy Dolman, died earlier this week at age 58. The spokeswoman said there would be no funeral service.

The funnyman had been expected to appear at the televised Emmy show, where he's up for a best supporting actor trophy for his turn as a duplicitous lawyer on the Glenn Close drama, which aired in Canada on Showcase.

Earlier this year, Short expressed delight at being recognized for his foray into new territory.

"This is a first," Short said last month while vacationing in Ontario's cottage country.

"It's fun, to be in a category that's completely unique to what you traditionally do."

Short faces competition from John Slattery of "Mad Men", Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad," Andre Braugher of "Men of a Certain Age" and "Lost" stars Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson.

Other Canadians up for trophies include fellow SCTV alum Catherine O'Hara, who is nominated for a best supporting actress trophy for her turn as a kindly aunt in the TV movie, "Temple Grandin," which aired on HBO Canada.

She's up against "Temple Grandin" co-star Julia Ormond, Kathy Bates for "Alice," and Brenda Vaccaro and Susan Sarandon from "You Don't Know Jack."

Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa, along with co-director David Nutter, is up for helming one of the final episodes of Steven Spielberg's 10-part miniseries, "The Pacific." The sprawling Second World War epic is up for a leading 24 trophies.

Podeswa and Nutter face competition from fellow "Pacific" director Tim Van Patten, Mick Jackson for "Temple Grandin," Barry Levinson for "You Don't Know Jack," and Bob Balaban for "Georgia O'Keeffe."

Last weekend, Canadian musician Dave Pierce won the Emmy for outstanding music direction for his work on the Winter Games opening ceremony on NBC.

The Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday on CTV.