Martha Stewart has apologized after her Halloween costume, which depicted a person experiencing homelessness, drew widespread criticism. She called the choice “stupid” and said her grandson had cautioned her about it before the backlash began.
“My grandson said I was tone-deaf,” Stewart said during an appearance on the “Today” show. She acknowledged that she should have paid closer attention to social issues and considered how the costume might affect people.
The outfit included ripped jeans, a worn-looking shirt and a cardboard sign that read, “I AM HUNGRY. HELP ME!!” Stewart said she cares about the difficulties many Americans face, but admitted she had made a serious misjudgment.
“I made a mistake. I was stupid,” she said, adding that she was sorry. She also asked her fans and the public to forgive her, saying she had never intended to cause offense.
Stewart said the costume came together at the last minute. She had initially decided not to dress up, but a chocolate stain on her white sweater gave her the idea. She briefly joked that “Today” co-anchor Craig Melvin had caused the stain, then clarified that she was kidding.
In an earlier statement, Stewart said she had hoped the costume would draw attention to homelessness, an issue she described as a major and ongoing crisis. She said she had supported charities addressing the problem and intended to keep doing so.
A photo of the costume had appeared in an Instagram post promoting Stewart’s candles before being removed after negative reactions. Stewart later wrote that it was difficult to admit when she had “really screwed up,” adding that the costume was insensitive and not funny. She apologized again.
