Martha Stewart says she ‘really screwed up’ with homeless Halloween costume

(CNN) — Martha Stewart has said she is “distressed” and “sorry,” after her choice of Halloween costume sparked a backlash. In a since-deleted image on Instagram, the TV personality, entrepreneur and author — who is America’s first self-made female billionaire — appeared dressed as a homeless person, wearing a black hat, distressed jeans and a cardigan, with black marks smeared across her face, as she held up a sign that read “I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!” In the post’s caption, Stewart promoted her candle collection. Critics soon weighed in on social media, with one saying, “I think that Martha Stewart wins this year for the most tone-deaf Halloween costume.” Another described the move as “grotesque, disgusting, morally bankrupt, incredibly wrong,” adding, “What in the ‘let them eat cake’ is this costume?” More than 700,000 people in the US are homeless, according to official data. Addressing the uproar the following day, Stewart said her look was meant to raise awareness. “