Martha Stewart has gone back to the drawing board with her apology after her Halloween costume sparked a backlash — but insiders claim the drama behind the scenes has been just as messy.
The lifestyle mogul faced criticism after sharing a Halloween photo of herself dressed as a homeless person, complete with ripped, dirty clothing, grime on her face and a cardboard sign reading, “I am hungry. Help me!”
The image appeared in an Instagram carousel promoting QVC candles before it was deleted.
Read More: Martha Stewart addresses backlash over her homeless Halloween costume
Stewart initially said she was “distressed” that the costume had offended people, explaining that she wanted to raise awareness about homelessness.
But sources speaking to Rob Shutter claim she was privately more concerned about the public fallout.
“Martha is livid. She’s absolutely seething that this has turned into such a public embarrassment. She’s not sitting around wondering how she offended people. She’s asking why nobody on her team stopped it and why she’s being left to take all the heat,” a source told the outlet.
Another insider questioned the idea that her staff should take responsibility, claiming Stewart personally approves her photos and captions.
Now, however, Stewart has offered a more direct acknowledgment that her costume crossed a line.
“It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement didn’t go far enough,” she wrote on Instagram.
Read More: Martha Stewart makes rare comment about her ex-husband
“I know many people are suffering economically,” Stewart continued. “Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny.”
The second apology is a clearer admission than her initial response, which focused on people being offended.
