Martha Stewart apologizes for homeless Halloween costume

Martha Stewart apologized after criticism of a Halloween costume depicting a person experiencing homelessness, saying in a follow-up statement that the outfit was insensitive and not funny. Stewart had posted a now-deleted Instagram photo showing herself in torn clothing with a dirtied face, holding a sign reading, “I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!” The image appeared alongside promotion for her QVC candle collection. The post drew criticism from social media users who objected to portraying homelessness as a costume. In an initial response, Stewart said she had intended to raise awareness of homelessness and that offending people was not her intention. She described the issue as one she cared deeply about and said she had spent time and effort supporting charities addressing it. She also said she was distressed that the costume had offended people. Stewart later said her earlier response did not go far enough. In a statement posted on Instagram, she acknowledged that many people were suffering economically, called the costume insensitive and not funny, and apologized. She also wrote that admitting she had made a serious mistake was difficult. The statements addressed different stages of...