Martha Stewart faced a direct question from Craig Melvin when she returned to TODAY on November 6: “And why was I dragged into it?” After naming him in her explanation for a controversial Halloween costume, she told the anchor, “I don’t blame you at all,” according to PEOPLE.
The controversy began when Stewart, 85, posted an October 31 photograph of herself dressed as a person experiencing homelessness. She wore tattered clothes and dirt-like makeup and held a sign asking for food. The image, included in an Instagram carousel promoting her QVC candles, was subsequently removed, as NBC News reported.
She issued two statements on November 1. The first said she had intended to raise awareness of homelessness. In the second, documented by ABC News, she acknowledged that her initial response had fallen short and called the costume “insensitive and not funny.”
Melvin became part of her account during the November 3 CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando. Stewart told the audience that a chocolate accident during their earlier cooking segment had disrupted her plans for what to wear, according to Us Weekly.
Stewart Says Her Comment About Melvin Was a Joke
During Friday’s conversation, Stewart explained that her remarks at the business event were meant humorously. “It was a joke that I said I blamed you. It was stupid,” she said, as TV Insider documented.
Melvin reminded her that he had apologized for the accident and that they had moved on. He drew the line at her subsequent decision, telling her there was “no connection between that and the costume later.” Stewart agreed.
The Chocolate Spill Happened During a Cheesecake Demonstration
On October 30, Melvin had dressed as Snoop Dogg in an Olympics-themed outfit for TODAY‘s Halloween broadcast. Stewart made a surprise appearance as herself and stayed to demonstrate a spiderweb design on a cheesecake.
When Melvin picked up a piping bag of ganache, chocolate landed on her white pants. Later, he pointed out a mark on her shoe. Stewart told him the clothes could be washed, and the segment continued.
In Orlando, Stewart’s explanation focused on a white sweater she had planned to wear to a party on Halloween night. She said she found it stained with only 10 minutes to prepare and assembled a replacement outfit.
On Friday, she added that she had spent Halloween gardening and planting trees at her farm. Although she usually prepares elaborate costumes, she said she hadn’t planned another one for that evening.
Her Grandson Called the Costume ‘Tone Deaf’ Before She Posted It
Stewart said she had sent her grandson a photograph of the outfit and asked what he thought before sharing it publicly. His response was “tone deaf.” When she recalled his assessment during the interview, Melvin interjected, “Well, not just your grandson.”
She maintained that she had not intended to ridicule anyone facing hunger or homelessness and asked viewers to forgive her. Asked what she had learned, she answered, “Pay closer attention to social issues,” as Entertainment Weekly reported.
Melvin closed the interview by confirming that Stewart would return the following week for TODAY‘s Thanksgiving cooking segment. She said she would bring tips for preparing parts of the meal in advance.