Martha Stewart is shifting the blame after her 2026 Halloween costume garnered backlash for appearing to mock those experiencing homelessness, instead pointing fingers at Today host Craig Melvin.
“What’s his name on the Today show? Craig, who played Snoop [Dogg] on the Today show on Friday,” Stewart, 85, said during the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, November, 3, per footage obtained by TMZ. “He spilled chocolate all over my sweater, which I was gonna wear on Halloween night.”
Melvin, 47, and his fellow Today anchors honored NBC’s history during their Friday, October 30, Halloween broadcast. Melvin paid homage to Snoop’s duties as an official Olympics correspondent. Stewart, given her longtime friendship with the rapper, made a surprise cameo as herself. (Us has reached out to Today for comment.)
“When I picked up the sweater, I said, ‘Oh, God, it’s so dirty [and] I only have 10 minutes to get dressed for this Halloween party,’” she alleged on Tuesday. “The easiest costume was to get dressed up as, you know, a bum.”
Stewart continued, “I looked at myself. I said, ‘You look really hungry and homeless.’ So, I wrote a sign that said, ‘I’m hungry,’ and, boy, did that go off.”
Stewart shared a since-deleted picture of her costume to Instagram on Saturday, October 31, in which the lifestyle mogul wore ripped clothing and smudged “dirt” across her face. She also held up a sign that read, “I AM HUNGRY. HELP ME.”
After the Martha Stewart Living alum received swift backlash for appearing to mock unhoused individuals, she took down the upload and issued a public apology.
“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 told Page Six on Sunday, November 1. “[That] was never my intention.”
Stewart continued, “Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic. [I am] committed to continuing to make a difference.”
Stewart issued a second statement hours later, writing via Instagram, “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,” she added in her social media apology. “Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry.”
