Martha Stewart Blames ‘Today’s Craig Melvin for Halloween Costume Controversy

Martha Stewart claims a Today show host played a role in her recent Halloween costume controversy.

The TV personality faced backlash after posing, then deleting, a photo of herself dressed as a “hungry” person in need for Halloween. While speaking at the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando, Florida, this week, Stewart claimed she had to change her costume at the last minute after a Today cooking segment mishap with Craig Melvin.

“What’s his name on the Today show? Craig, who played Snoop on the Today show on Friday, he spilled chocolate all over my sweater, which I was gonna wear on Halloween night,” she said in event footage obtained by TMZ. “And so, when I picked up the sweater, I said, ‘Oh, God. It’s so dirty. I only have 10 minutes to get dressed for this Halloween party.’ So, the easiest costume was to get dressed up as, you know, a bum.”

She added, “I looked at myself, [and] I said, ‘You really look hungry and homeless.’ So, I wrote a sign that said, ‘I’m hungry,’ and boy did that go off.”

During Today‘s annual Halloween episode on Friday, October 30, the hosts dressed as notable NBC characters and figures to celebrate the network’s 100th anniversary. Melvin paid tribute to Stewart and Snoop Dogg‘s memorable roles as Olympic commentators by dressing as the rapper and was joined on stage by Stewart.

 

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Stewart also participated in a Halloween-themed cooking segment, during which Melvin accidentally spilled chocolate ganache on her white sweater and pants. “So sorry, Martha!” Melvin said remorsefully. In response, Stewart joked, “Real Snoop would never do that!”

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After backlash over her Halloween outfit, Stewart issued a statement to Page Six. “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, which was never my intention,” she said. “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.”

Stewart noted that she was “committed to continuing to make a difference.”

She later issued another statement in a since-deleted Instagram post, noting that her initial apology “didn’t go far enough.” She wrote, “I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry,” according to Entertainment Weekly.

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