Celebrities Face Backlash Over Controversial Halloween Costumes
Several high-profile figures, including Jessica Alba and Martha Stewart, removed Instagram posts after criticism of costumes that referenced sensitive historical events.
Several celebrities have deleted Instagram posts after receiving criticism for Halloween costumes that referenced controversial subjects. Actress Jessica Alba posted a costume portraying figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, complete with a white lace dress and a fake bandage, alongside a friend dressed as Tonya Harding with a baseball bat. The portrayal of the 1994 attack on Kerrigan prompted immediate negative reactions from users.
"Immature," one commenter wrote. "Explain what's funny about a woman being beaten up. I'll wait," another added.
Television personality Martha Stewart shared a costume depicting an unhoused person, wearing tattered clothing and makeup meant to resemble dirt, while holding a clipboard that read, "I am hungry. Help me!!" Stewart later issued a statement saying the outfit was intended to raise awareness about homelessness and expressed distress that it offended people.
"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. I am committed to continuing to make a difference," she wrote.
Reality star McCall DaPron posted a family photo dressed as the Kennedy family on the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, which was later removed after commenters described the choice as distasteful. Actress Julia Fox also faced criticism for a costume that referenced Jacqueline Kennedy on the same historic date, defending it as a statement rather than a simple costume.