Martha Stewart sensationally blames ‘Today’ host Craig Melvin for homeless Halloween costume fiasco

See more of our coverage in your search results. Martha Stewart is pointing the finger at “Today” show co-host Craig Melvin amid uproar over her homeless Halloween costume. The lifestyle guru indirectly blamed Melvin while onstage at the CrossCountry Mortgage Sales Rally in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, claiming he “spilled chocolate all over the sweater” she had planned to wear during her “Today” show segment. Stewart, notably, appeared on the show Friday in a white American flag sweater and Olympic cap to make a spiderweb cake and other treats. Martha Stewart and Craig Melvin attend NBC’s “TODAY” Halloween Extravaganza in New York on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Martha Stewart scolds Craig Melvin during a segment of the “Today” show. NBC The 82-year-old, per footage obtained by TMZ, believed her top was “too dirty” after the segment to wear to the Halloween party she was attending. With “only 10 minutes” to get ready for the holiday bash, she decided the “easiest costume” option was “a bum.” Stewart recalled, “I looked at myself. I said, ‘You really look hungry and homeless. So I wrote a sign that said ‘I’m hungry.'” Martha Stewart and Craig Melvin attend NBC’s “TODAY” Halloween Extravaganza in New York on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock marthastewart48/instagram Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Laughing, she quipped, “Boy, did that go off [on social media].” Reps for Stewart and Melvin did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment. Stewart was ripped via Instagram over the weekend for wearing a flannel shirt, a cardigan, ripped jeans and a beanie in a since-deleted photo of her costume, complete with dirt on her face and a sign reading, “I am hungry. Help me!!” Craig Melvin appears on the Today Show during Halloween festivities at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Roger Wong/INSTARimages Martha Stewart scolds Craig Melvin during a segment of the “Today” show. NBC In her initial statement on the scandal to Page Six, Stewart insisted she meant to “bring more awareness” to the homelessness crisis. “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,” she told us. The statement was widely blasted, with “Pose” star Indya Moore labeling it a “manipulative counterattack” and Jimmy Kimmel giving Stewart “a general rule of thumb.” He advised, “Don’t use your Halloween costume to raise awareness of anything other than Halloween, especially when you complete the look with a boyfriend sweater from The Row.” Martha Stewart speaks on stage during the Fast Company Innovation Festival on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. Andrew Schwartz/SIPA / Shutterstock Martha Stewart and Craig Melvin stand together. Today/Instagram Stewart followed this up with an Instagram apology on Sunday. “It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement 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.” Stewart has continued to spark backlash with her social media activity since — even posting a picture of pastry freebies she received from a Brooklyn bakery. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!