Martha Stewart faced Craig Melvin on Today on Friday after blaming the broadcaster for the Halloween costume that sparked widespread criticism.
The 85-year-old lifestyle personality drew backlash over the weekend after appearing as a “hungry” homeless person, wearing a sign that read, “I am hungry. Help me.”
Stewart later said Melvin’s accidental chocolate spill during a television appearance had disrupted her original costume plans, leaving her with only about 10 minutes to come up with another idea.
She had appeared alongside Melvin on television the previous week when the anchor accidentally sprayed chocolate ganache onto her white pants. The stained outfit was reportedly part of Stewart’s planned costume, forcing her to change course.
Speaking at the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando on Tuesday, Stewart said: “I looked at myself. I said, ‘You really look hungry and homeless.’ So I wrote a sign that said, ‘I’m hungry,’ and boy, did that go off.”
During Friday’s Today segment, however, Melvin appeared unconvinced by the explanation and asked Stewart directly: “Why was I dragged into it?”
Martha Stewart was challenged by Craig Melvin on Today over her decision to link him to the Halloween costume controversy
Stewart had previously said Melvin’s accidental chocolate spill left her with only 10 minutes to rethink her costume
“I was making a joke,” Stewart replied. “I was giving a talk that you had spilled chocolate on me and I couldn’t wear the costume I had planned to wear Halloween night to this party.”
“And that became part of the story. But I did apologize for spilling the chocolate and we moved on,” Melvin reminded her.
“I move on now,” Stewart answered.
“There was no connection between that and the costume later,” Melvin continued. Stewart agreed, saying, “Oh, no, no. It wasn’t your fault.”
“It was Saturday, it was Halloween, and I had been invited to a party,” the multimillionaire explained. “I was very busy all day, doing a lot of gardening and replanting trees at the farm. I really hadn’t planned a costume this year. Usually, I’m a very elaborate Halloween costumer. I’ve had some of the most beautiful costumes over the years.”
“I didn’t have a costume because you had spilled chocolate on my white sweater, and I don’t blame you at all.”
Footage from the pre-Halloween cooking segment showed chocolate on Stewart’s $3,000 designer white pants and shoes, while only a small mark appeared to be visible on her sweater.
“It was a joke that I said I blamed you. It was stupid. And then tone-deaf, or whatever I was, according to my grandson. I was tone-deaf,” Stewart acknowledged.
“I was making a joke,” Stewart said as she explained the remark to Melvin
The media personality faced backlash after posting, then quickly deleting, a photo of herself dressed as a “hungry” beggar
Stewart described the costume controversy at the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando on Tuesday
“Not just your grandson,” Melvin interjected.
“No, but he saw the picture first because I sent it to him. I said, ‘What do you think?’ And he said, ‘Tone-deaf.’ It was just stupid, and I apologized.”
Stewart emphasized that she was not trying to mock anyone or make light of the serious problems affecting the country.
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She added that she hoped the “new administration” would take meaningful action to help people experiencing hunger and ensure that “everyone else is taken care of better.”
Asked by Melvin what she had learned from the episode, Stewart said she would “pay closer attention to social issues” and insisted that she cares “about all the problems facing us.”
“I made a mistake. I was stupid, what else can I say? I’m so sorry,” she said. She added, “I hope that my followers and my fans and the rest of America forgive me for doing something that was not meant in any way to be a bad thing.”
In a statement obtained by The Daily Mail, Stewart addressed the controversial Halloween image, saying she never meant to offend anyone and had hoped the costume would draw attention to the serious issue of homelessness.
Although Stewart said she was distressed by the pain the costume caused, her initial statement stopped short of offering a direct apology.
“I’ve spent decades teaching others how to celebrate Halloween — sharing fun, festive recipes, providing unique craft ideas, and offering tips on entertaining and hosting to make the most of one of my favorite holidays of the year,” she said.
“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. That was never my intention.”
During the earlier Today segment, Stewart reprimanded Melvin — dressed as her friend Snoop Dogg — after he spilled chocolate ganache on her $3,000 designer pants
Chocolate marks could be seen on Stewart’s white pants and shoes, along with a faint trace on her sweater
Stewart had already issued two apologies for the costume, which social media users described as “gross,” “out of touch” and “offensive.” She is pictured in 2007
“Homelessness remains one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises. It is an issue I care deeply about, and I have devoted significant time and effort to supporting charities that work to combat this social epidemic.”
“I am committed to continuing to make a difference.”
Stewart later posted another apology on Instagram, writing: “It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. 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. Martha.”
Users on social media quickly saved and circulated the image across Reddit and X, where it was labeled “gross,” “out of touch” and “offensive.”
The joke drew particular scrutiny because Stewart’s estimated fortune stands at $400 million.
In 1999, she became the first female self-made billionaire in the United States for a time after Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the New York Stock Exchange.
Her wealth declined sharply after insider-trading charges led to a five-month prison sentence in 2004, followed by further market volatility affecting her company.
According to Tasting Table, Stewart’s current fortune comes from real estate, book publishing, media ventures and brand partnerships.
The latest controversy followed Stewart’s on-air reprimand of Melvin after he spilled chocolate ganache on her $3,000 designer white pants during a Halloween cooking segment on Today.
Stewart wore an all-white ensemble similar to the outfit she wore at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Melvin appeared in costume as her close friend Snoop Dogg.
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