Martha Stewart Blames Craig Melvin for Controversial 'Homeless' Halloween Costume After She Received Intense Backlash

Martha Stewart revealed that an accidental chocolate spill involving Today host Craig Melvin contributed to her controversial Halloween costume, which sparked widespread online criticism.

The lifestyle mogul said the mishap ruined the sweater she had planned to wear to a Halloween party, leaving her with just 10 minutes to put together another outfit.

Stewart shared the explanation while speaking at the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, November 3.

Her comments came days after she faced backlash for dressing up as a person experiencing homelessness and issued two public statements, including an apology for the costume.

Stewart traced the problem back to an October 30 appearance on Today, where she joined Melvin for a Halloween-themed cake-decorating segment.

Melvin, who was dressed as rapper Snoop Dogg, accidentally spilled chocolate ganache on her clothing during the broadcast.

Recalling the incident at the Florida event, Stewart explained that she had intended to wear the sweater to a party that evening.

"He spilled chocolate all over my sweater, which I was gonna wear on Halloween night," she told the audience, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Stewart said she did not notice the extent of the damage until she picked up the garment before heading out.

"Oh God, it's so dirty, I only have 10 minutes to get dressed for this Halloween party," she recalled thinking.

With little time to spare, she decided to put together a costume using clothes she already had.

"The easiest costume was to get dressed up as, you know, a bum," Stewart said. She added that after looking at herself, she thought she resembled someone who was hungry and homeless. She then made a sign reading "I'm hungry."

Stewart shared a photograph of the outfit on Instagram on October 31 in a carousel promoting her QVC candle collection.

She wore ripped jeans, a distressed cardigan, a flannel shirt and a beanie, with dark makeup smeared across her face to resemble dirt. She also held a sign that read, "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!"

The image quickly attracted criticism from social media users who felt the costume made light of people experiencing homelessness and financial hardship. Stewart later removed the post, but screenshots kept circulating online.

Actor Indya Moore also criticized Stewart's initial response, arguing that dressing up as a group experiencing a crisis was not an appropriate way to raise awareness.

The controversy also caught the attention of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who addressed the costume during his monologue, according to Page Six.

Following the criticism, Stewart initially defended her decision in a statement to Page Six on November 1.

She said the outfit was "intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness" and explained that offending people had never been her intention.

The businesswoman also described homelessness as one of America's "greatest challenges and ongoing crises." She added that she cared deeply about the issue and had spent considerable time and effort supporting charities working to combat it.

However, her explanation did not put an end to the criticism, with some people feeling that she had not adequately acknowledged why the costume was offensive.

Stewart subsequently shared a second statement on Instagram, taking a more direct approach to addressing the backlash.

"It's hard to admit when you've really screwed up," she wrote. "My earlier statement didn't go far enough."

She continued, "I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry."