Martha Stewart responded Sunday to backlash over her Halloween costume, saying she was "distressed" to learn her outfit, which depicted a "hungry" homeless person, had offended people.

Stewart, who built a lifestyle empire around cooking and home entertainment, shared a photo of herself in tattered clothing, holding a clipboard that read, "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!" She posed with a tired expression and makeup meant to look like dirt on her face.

The photo was the third slide in an Instagram carousel promoting her candle collection on QVC.