Martha Stewart has found herself in hot water this Halloween, and this time, it has nothing to do with burning a batch of festive cookies. The businesswoman and television personality recently sparked outrage after posting (and quickly deleting) a photo of her Halloween costume on Instagram.
The costume in question? Stewart dressed as a homeless person. In the deleted image, she appeared with dirtied makeup, wearing ripped jeans and a torn sweater. To complete the look, she held a cardboard sign that read, “I Am Hungry Help Me!!” while posing with two dogs outside a house.
Martha Stewart shared photo seemingly dressed up as a homeless person for Halloween. She has since deleted the post. https://t.co/PzTX1BoDhK
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 1, 2026
The internet did what the internet does best and immediately reacted. Following a swift wave of criticism across social media, the photo vanished from her feed.
Stewart has since stepped forward to explain her actions. In a statement she expressed that she was “distressed” by the public response. She clarified that her intention was never to mock the issue, but rather to bring awareness to it.
“Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises,” she stated, emphasising her dedication to charities that tackle the epidemic. She added that offending anyone was never her goal and that she remains committed to making a difference.
