Martha Stewart says her Halloween costume began with an accidental chocolate spill by Today host Craig Melvin. Speaking at a CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando on Nov. 3, she said the incident left a stain on the white sweater she had planned to wear to a Halloween party.
According to footage obtained by TMZ, Stewart said she had only 10 minutes to get ready and chose what she described as an easy costume: dressing as a “bum.” She added that she thought she looked “hungry and homeless” and made a sign reading “I’m hungry.”
The spill happened during the Oct. 30 episode of Today, while Stewart led a cooking demonstration in an outfit recreating her 2026 Winter Olympics look. Melvin, dressed as Stewart’s longtime friend Snoop Dogg, accidentally spilled chocolate ganache on her as he reached for it. Stewart joked that the “real Snoop” would not have done that, and Melvin apologized.
Stewart’s costume, which included a beanie, ragged jeans, a plaid shirt and a torn cardigan, with dirt smeared on her face, drew criticism after she shared a photo of it. She deleted the image and said in a statement to People on Nov. 1 that she was distressed her outfit had offended people. Stewart said she had intended to draw attention to homelessness, not cause offense.
In a separate Instagram apology, later deleted, Stewart said her earlier statement had not gone far enough. She acknowledged that the costume was insensitive and not funny, and apologized.
Sources: E! News.