Martha Stewart says she 'really screwed up' with homeless Halloween costume
The veteran lifestyle guru has deleted a photo of herself wearing torn clothes and dirt on her face.
Martha Stewart says she 'really screwed up' with homeless Halloween costume
Lifestyle veteran Martha Stewart has admitted she "really screwed up" after dressing as a homeless person for Halloween.
The 85-year-old US entrepreneur and public figure removed a photo of herself in ripped clothing with dirt on her face, holding a sign that read: "I am hungry help me!!"
On Sunday, she posted a statement saying she was "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 then issued a longer apology. "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. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry."
Stewart had originally captioned the Instagram image: "My QVC candles are perfect for Halloween!!!"
The post quickly drew strong criticism.
"This sartorial take on a homeless person is a lot. Insulting? Demeaning? Confusing? All of the above,"
One social media user wrote: "Why in the hell would you even think about wearing that as a costume?"
Another said: "Why would she do that? Who did she think would find that funny? Billionaires?"
Often described as the original lifestyle influencer, Stewart launched a catering business in the 1970s and became famous in the 1990s after starting her own magazine, Martha Stewart Living.
She later became a billionaire, though only briefly, when her media company Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public in 1999.
However, in 2004 she was sentenced to five months in prison after being convicted on several charges tied to an insider trading scandal.
Since then, she has worked to restore her brand, appearing in her own reality TV show, growing her food product line and partnering with rapper and friend Snoop Dogg for a television series.
In 2015, she sold Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for more than $350m (£220m).