Martha Stewart apologized on November 1 for dressing as a homeless person for Halloween. Hours earlier, she had told reporters she hoped the costume would draw attention to homelessness. Her apology came in a note she signed and shared on Instagram.
The first two photos in Stewart’s October 31 Instagram post showed candles from her QVC line. In the third photo, Stewart, 85, wore ripped jeans and a black knit cap, with two of her dogs at her feet. She held a clipboard with a handwritten sign that read, “I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!”
The caption described the candles as “perfect for Halloween.” Stewart took down the post, but readers had already saved screenshots. TMZ published the photograph, which also circulated on Reddit.
By Sunday, the criticism had reached the comments on a video of Stewart making chicken and dumplings. One viewer suggested she serve the dish at a soup kitchen. Another asked what had happened to the costume photo, according to Entertainment Weekly.
What Changed Between Stewart’s First Statement and Her Apology
In her first statement, which she shared with PEOPLE, Stewart talked about the decades she had spent helping people celebrate one of her favorite holidays. She said she was distressed to learn that the outfit had offended people.
Stewart also said she had devoted time and effort to charities that address homelessness and intended to keep supporting them. She didn’t name the organizations in her statement.
“It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement didn’t go far enough,” Stewart wrote in the Instagram note, which was timestamped 7:04 p.m. and reproduced by Parade. She acknowledged that many people were struggling financially and called the costume “insensitive and not funny.” She signed off, “I am very sorry.”
Indya Moore Challenges Stewart’s Question About Charity
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Stewart also joined the discussion on Just Jared’s Instagram account. She told readers she regretted leaving her intentions out of the caption. After saying she supported organizations that help people facing hunger and homelessness, she asked the commenters, “Do all of you???”
Pose actor Indya Moore challenged the question. Moore pointed out that many of Stewart’s followers were closer to poverty than Stewart was. Asking them to account for their own charitable work, Moore wrote, put the people who had objected to the costume on the defensive.
Moore also questioned whether a different caption would have helped. If Stewart wanted to use her influence to help people who were hungry, Moore suggested putting food directly in front of them and advocating for access to health care.
Guy Felicella Draws on His Own Experience of Homelessness
Guy Felicella, a Canadian advocate who spent years without stable housing, saw the photograph on X. He had previously described to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness what he wanted most during those years in Vancouver. It was a place where he could lock the door, lie down and sleep without worrying.
“As someone who experienced homelessness for years, I can tell you there’s absolutely nothing funny about this,” Felicella wrote after seeing Stewart’s costume.