Martha Stewart Admits Halloween Costume Mistake Was 'Stupid'
The 85-year-old lifestyle icon apologized on TODAY and cleared co-host Craig Melvin of blame for the outfit that depicted a homeless person.
By Harper Collins ·
Martha Stewart appeared on the TODAY show on November 6 to address the backlash surrounding her Halloween attire. The 85-year-old apologized for the outfit, which depicted a disheveled person holding a sign that read, "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!" She stated that the look was not intended to be offensive.
"I made a mistake," Stewart told the audience. "I was stupid, what else can I say? I am so sorry, and I hope that my followers and my fans and the rest of America forgives me for doing something that was not meant in any way to be a bad thing." The original Instagram post, which also promoted her candle collection on QVC, has been deleted.
Stewart addressed the specific claim that co-host Craig Melvin caused the last-minute wardrobe change. Reports suggested she blamed him for spilling chocolate on her white sweater during their October 30 segment, where Melvin dressed as Snoop Dogg. Stewart clarified that the blame was a joke she made while giving a talk.
"I didn’t have a costume because you had spilled some chocolate on my white sweater, and I don’t blame you at all," she said. "It was a joke that I said I blamed you. It was stupid." Melvin responded by noting that he had already apologized for the chocolate spill and that the two had moved past the incident.
Stewart shared feedback from her family regarding the photo. Her grandson, who saw the image first, described the costume as tone-deaf. "According to my grandson, I was tone-deaf," Stewart said. "He saw the picture first because I sent it to him and I said, 'What do you think?' 'Tone-deaf,' he said. It was just stupid, and I apologize because I was not making fun of anybody or making light of the great problems that face our country."
Before appearing on the show, Stewart issued two statements on November 1. The first, sent to NBC News, said she was distressed that the costume offended people and emphasized her support for charities combating homelessness. The second, posted on Instagram, admitted that her earlier response did not go far enough. "Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny," she wrote.
Stewart will return to the TODAY show next week for the annual All-Star Thanksgiving segment. She said she learned from the controversy to pay closer attention to social issues and remain aware of the problems facing the country.
