Martha Stewart is pointing the finger at Today host Craig Melvin after her Halloween costume sparked outrage, revealing how an unexpected mishap on live television led to an outfit she later admitted was “insensitive.”
On the Oct. 30 Halloween episode of Today, Stewart joined Melvin for a cooking demonstration dressed in a re-creation of her 2026 Winter Olympics look, while the host wore a costume inspired by her longtime friend Snoop Dogg.
As Melvin reached for chocolate ganache, he accidentally spilled it on Stewart’s white costume, prompting an immediate reaction from the 85-year-old lifestyle guru.
“Real Snoop would never do that,” Stewart joked, while Melvin apologized, saying, “So sorry, Martha.”
The messy accident seemed like an amusing television moment, but People reports that Stewart later revealed it had unexpected consequences for her Halloween plans.
‘I’m hungry’
In a photo shared on Instagram, Stewart appeared wearing a beanie, ragged jeans, a plaid shirt and torn cardigan, with dirt smeared across her face. She also held a cardboard sign reading “I am hungry, help me,” portraying someone experiencing homelessness.
The image sparked immediate backlash, prompting Stewart to delete the photograph and respond to the criticism in a Nov. 1 statement shared with media,
“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,” she said, “which was never my intention.”
‘The easiest costume’
Days later, Stewart offered a fuller explanation, connecting the controversial outfit directly to Melvin’s accident.
“He spilled chocolate all over my white sweater, which I was going to wear on Halloween night,” Stewart said, according to footage obtained by TMZ. “When I picked up the sweater, I said, ‘Oh god, it’s so dirty. I only have 10 minutes to get dressed for this Halloween party.’”
Pressed for time, Stewart said she made a spontaneous decision.
“So, the easiest costume was to get dressed up as a bum,” she explained. “I looked at myself and I said, ‘You really look hungry and homeless,’ so I wrote a sign that said, ‘I’m hungry.’ And boy, did that go off,” she added.
‘I am very sorry’
Her explanation raised questions because Stewart had initially claimed the costume was intended to raise awareness about homelessness, rather than being an improvised outfit.
And while her first statement expressed regret, Stewart subsequently acknowledged that she had made a serious mistake.
“It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up,” she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram apology, reported by E! News.
“My earlier statement didn’t go far enough. I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry.”
What do you think of Martha Stewart’s controversial Halloween costume? Was it an innocent mistake or did she cross a line? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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