Martha Stewart apologized for her controversial Halloween costume on Sunday, Nov. 1, in a second statement saying her first one “didn’t go far enough.” Two days later, the 85-year-old lifestyle icon offered a different account of how the costume came together, tying it to a chocolate spill on the “Today” show.
The controversy began when Stewart shared a photo on Instagram on Saturday, Oct. 31, showing her in tattered clothing with dirt-like makeup, holding a sign that read “I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!” The image, which appeared in a post promoting her QVC candles, drew backlash for depicting a homeless person, and Stewart later deleted it.
What Stewart said in her first statement
Stewart first responded in a statement to Page Six and other outlets on Nov. 1. She explained her intent behind the costume but stopped short of apologizing.
“I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention,” she said.
She continued by pointing to her history of charitable work. “Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic,” Stewart said.
What Stewart said in her apology
Hours later, after critics noted that she hadn’t actually apologized, Stewart posted a shorter and more direct statement on Instagram.
“It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement didn’t go far enough,” she wrote.
Stewart acknowledged that many people are struggling economically and added, “Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny.” She said she was “very sorry” and signed the message “Martha.”
The sequence shows Stewart moving from an explanation of her intentions to a plain admission of fault after the first statement drew further scrutiny. The Daily Beast later reported that she deleted the apology as well.
Newsweek also reported that Stewart addressed the criticism in the comments of a Just Jared Instagram post. “My costume was designed to bring the homeless and the hungry to everyone’s mind and boy it certainly did!!! But not in the correct way, because I did not explain it and I am so sorry I care and I support causes who care. Do all of you???” she wrote.
How followers reacted
Comments on Stewart’s Instagram apology reflected a divided reaction, according to EntertainmentNow, which cited Us Weekly.
Some fans defended her. One commenter wrote that “we’ve all had our moments,” while another said it was “just a costume.” Other commenters pushed back, with one questioning the salaries of people who approved the costume and another saying her PR team should have advised against it.
Stewart’s new explanation
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Stewart brought up the costume during the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando, Florida, and traced it to her Oct. 30 appearance on “Today.”
On that show, Stewart wore an Olympics-inspired outfit of white pants and a white top with an American flag on it. She appeared alongside co-anchor Craig Melvin, who dressed as Snoop Dogg at the Olympics, and chocolate ganache spilled on her during a cooking segment, People reported.
In footage obtained by TMZ, Stewart told the crowd that Melvin “spilled chocolate all over” the sweater she planned to wear on Halloween. She said she had “only 10 minutes” to get ready for a party, so the “easiest costume” was “a bum.”
“I looked at myself. I said, ‘You really look hungry and homeless.’ So I wrote a sign that said ‘I’m hungry,'” Stewart said, according to People. She laughed as she added, “Boy, did that go off.”
The televised spill landed on her white pants, according to People. TMZ noted that the rally account conflicts with Stewart’s earlier statement that the costume was meant to raise awareness of homelessness. She told the rally crowd the costume wasn’t meant as an insult, TMZ reported.
What’s next
Stewart’s Nov. 3 remarks are her latest reported comments on the costume, which has kept her in celebrity news for days. TMZ said it reached out to Stewart about the conflicting explanations and had not heard back, and a representative did not immediately respond to People’s request for comment.
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