Stewart Sets Record Straight on Halloween Costume

Martha Stewart returned to the Today show to clear the air about her Halloween outfit. She said the costume wasn’t Craig Melvin’s responsibility. The lifestyle guru appeared on the NBC program on Friday and insisted the blame was misplaced.

A picture she posted on Instagram showed her in ragged clothes holding a sign that read I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!! while her two dogs posed on a tidy porch. Fans reacted quickly, calling the look tone‑deaf. Her grandson had warned her before she posted that it would upset people. She said she didn’t intend to mock anyone or make light of homelessness.

She explained she put the outfit together at the last minute because she was too busy to plan a proper costume. Earlier she had apologized, saying the idea was meant to raise awareness about homelessness and that she was upset it offended people. She later added that the chocolate spill on the sweater she wore during the Today segment, which featured an American flag and Olympic rings, was the reason she couldn’t wear the planned costume. Melvin, who had dressed as Snoop Dogg for the Olympics, denied any link between the spill and the later costume.

Stewart admitted she was careless and promised to watch social issues more closely. She said she cares deeply about the problems facing the country and hopes fans will forgive her. The episode ended with her repeating that it wasn’t Melvin’s fault.