You know Martha Stewart doesn’t care for Gwyneth Paltrow, right? Martha knows that Gwyneth is trying to do a smug, elitist version of Martha’s empire, and Martha gave Goop fair warning in a past interview with Bloomberg, saying in part: “If she’s authentic, all the better. And I certainly hope she is. She really wants to be part of the lifestyle business.” Martha later claimed that she didn’t have a “feud” with Gwyneth (probably because Martha took care of Goop pretty efficiently, right?).
Well, now paparazzi and interviewers know what to ask Martha when they come upon her. A TMZ videographer (or whatever they’re called) came upon Martha last night and asked her, “So, these days who’s still the better lifestyle coach? Is it you or Gwyneth?” Martha was pleasantly peeved. She said, “Lifestyle coach? Oh, for heaven’s sake, you have to have lived to be a coach.” You can see the video here.
I want to root for Martha in this lifestyle diva fight. I’ve said before that “Martha will bury us all” but I do wonder if she’s starting to feel her age (she’s 72) and she really doesn’t see a lifestyle heir apparent amongst all of the Gwyneth Paltrows and Blake Livelys. Meanwhile, Gwyneth and Tracy Anderson have just launched their new AOL channel, “The Restart Project” – you can see it here. The goal is to restart the lives of women “through diet and exercise.” Basically, Gwyneth and Tracy go to overweight women and tell them that only the surface matters and that they need to lose weight, I think.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I haven’t heard the nicest things about Martha Stewart when it comes to her company, how she manages it, and treats her employees. She’s known to have a very cold and stern demeanor, not Anna Wintour cold-but-I’m-really-nice-person, but really cold.
That being said, she invented this whole category of “lifestyle” lifestyle. A visit to a website alone can overwhelm you because there are so many options and sub-brands. And even if I find Gwyneth to be a decent to good actress, she cannot touch Martha’s territory at all neither can Blake Lively. Martha has earned the right to critique the lifestyle category however she wants.
I had a friend who came to NY about 20 years ago to work for Martha. She said she was very difficult. While her magazine and “lifestyle” isn’t my thing, I respect how she created her company and brand from the ground up and had a modest upbringing. I used to be in marketing/advertising and a few years ago I went to a business-related event at her offices; I think it was after she got out of prison. She was very funny and did a waffle cook-off. I also went to a taping of her show about 2 years ago and she was not engaging or warm. My friend and I got laid off the same time and we decided to get tickets for the free tapings in the city – went to Wendy Williams too (much more fun) and she was way more into the audience and chatting and getting up into the seats than Martha. I remember a commercial break at Martha’s and she just stood at a table arranging amaryllis bulbs. Didn’t look at us, didn’t talk to anyone. She was also shockingly abrasive when recording/taping the announcements that go along with the show. Very critical and the audience was forbidden to make a sound while she read the cue cards. My friend and i were embarrassed. Martha looked good though – she is really tall too.
Interesting!
Martha has created an empire. If that means she was cold in her business life so be it. I’ve met her once during the MDI marathon years ago since she has a home nearby. She was perfectly sweet, but I can see how she’d be a tyrant in business.
Ha!
Getting dissed by the “creator” of the entire lifestyle industry must really get Goop’s goat! Martha doesn’t hold back, and I love her for that.
Bow down to the queen, Gwyneth. You can’t hold a candle to Ms. Stewart.
I love Martha. I love love love her, always.
martha may be a righteous b-tch, but she wins in this fight every time.
+1!!!!!
This is all just aspirational lifestyle stuff though. Not actual ‘lifestyle’ coaching. As far as I can see, both Martha and Gwyneth have ‘lived’ – like, as much as we might detest Gwyneth she still has lived. She’s had a career, gone through her father’s death, got married and had kids, had friends and then had arguments with them… It’s not like Goops life has been devoid of ‘life’.
But, they’re both aspirational as far as I can see. Not realistic; aspirational. Martha still comes from an affluent middle-class point of view. A quick check of Martha’s website shows a bunch of letterpress printed coasters for sale. (the christmas-tree deer look quite nice though…).
I dunno why I have to make a point out of it. I guess in my mind, they’re all the same thing, it’s just pick the one you prefer! (I prefer my aspirational lifestyles more hipster-esk. ‘A Beautiful Mess’-kinda thing)
Seriously, what the heck is Martha talking about? What great “I’VE LIVED, EVERYBODY!” moment has she had herself other than winding up in the slammer as an example to other rich folk? Neither of these chicks has overcome serious trauma or turned around dysfunctional behavior in their lives. It’s more normal stuff in both cases. I mean, Martha is the most anal retentive, unhappy, and uptight celebrity I can think of. She has need of letting go and doing some living, as does Paltrow. And all either of them anyway do is sell material things to people under the guise of having that which will make other women look at you and think that you are “perfect” or “better than.” How much living does doing that really require?
They are both aspirational, and both the same. The fact that they can’t see that they’re about as different as two cliquey popular girls who go for two different, highly contrived superficial images to maintain their popularity is funny.
You damn well better believe that if I’m going to take advice, it’s going to be from Martha Stewart. That bitch has been to jail and back and is still signing books. That’s no small feat.
OK? I Cape for Martha HOARD! She is a G
*drank a 40 on Conan
*told Today show viewers she was looking for a fuckbuddy not a husband and preferably a younger dude at that
*Made fun of people clowning her bad food photography saying “Oh There be more coming up since everyone is a huge fan”
#Goals
Co-sign!
LOL, since you put it that way…
Well considering she pretty much started the “lifestyle brand” business, I think she has every right to critique the others. Also, if Gwyneth really wanted to be a lifestyle coach she’d realize that you have to be willing to coach all types of lifestyles and not just her rich friends.
Bingo! Excellent point. There’s only so much “aspirational” one can do but if the public can’t relate, you end up looking, well, like a goop.
It sounds like they think they’ve found a clever new way to shill Tracey’s products. If it was a good product, that would be one thing but I don’t approve of TA’s message at all, and I don’t understand this partnership. What does she do for Gwyneth’s brand?
I’m sure Martha is very competitive but I also think she’s right on this one, whether it was intended as shade on GOOP or not. That being said, we’ve all lived, just some not as long or with the same experiences.
Come on Martha! Just tell Gwyneth to STFU already, you know you want to.
For me, Martha has definitely earned her lofty opinion within this particular circle. Gwyneth should write a long, obeisant fawning article about how Martha inspires her every move. Then, Martha will have no choice but to keep some of her shade private, according to the laws of ‘good’ society. I mean, didn’t she read any Austen books?
LOL that’s it! Brilliant!
My God. That is sheer genius and so are you. YOU win the Lifestyles war today!
Hmmm… Not a fan of Paltrow but….idk, I think it’s best for Martha to just ignore anymore question about Paltrow in the future.
The media just trying to pin them both against each other at this point. If she keeps answering like that, in the long run she would sound bitchy and has a beef with Paltrow, while Paltrow probably would just keep quiet and look more better by doing so. JMO.
MARTHA IS 72??!
Wow, surgery and make-up done right! She looks much, much better than Goop.
Team Martha!
They do totally different things and it is doubtful that GP would give a rip what Martha thinks anyway.
Martha is the Queen of “lifestyle” however….I watched her interact on Bethany’s show and of course with Bethany’s humor…she took it well..but Martha was down right condescending to Bethany and didn’t give an inch when Bethany was trying to find out why she didn’t win Martha’s Celebrity Apprentice. I believe Martha probably is a total Nazi in her dealings with her employee’s. That said…she has reinvented herself and come back stronger than ever…so she deserves respect in that regard. Bethany did just fine…without Martha’s seal of approval!
Hootysgram
I would be condescending to Bethany too. Not to mention to hash up CA that was a while ago and rub it in that she didn’t win… Seemed like an attack, no? And BF needs to stir the pot. Her show is on borrowed time and Skinny Girl isn’t doing well.
Martha is a pretty terrible person and I know this from people who have worked with her. Yeah, she invented a way to have people want to emulate her “lifestyle,” but so what? She’s greedy, which is why she landed in jail AND her company is in the toilet. I’ve been to her show, and I have never seen such cold disdain of the people who made you. Gracious is not a word that is ever associated with Martha Stewart. Why is she more “valid” than Gwyneth? Because she’s older? They seem cut from the same cloth. Two snobs who think way more of themselves than they should!
I agree with most of what you say… I think G.P. is an elitist snob though. Martha created a business but I think she got shafted with the jail sentence. There are far more awful people who have done much worse with trading/banking and they’re walking the streets. See what I posted at the top re her show taping. Cold disdain is a perfect description!
well it must run in the family because i once went to a rehearsal dinner/ wedding where Martha’s sister was a guest and she was total diva. Very much “move that cone, I’m Martha Stewarts sister”.
Congrats to Goopy & Tracey, for bringing their 500-calorie per day baby food diet to the masses.
I ordered TA’s Metamorphosis kit years ago, and the diet plan was literally that: 500 calories a day, mostly baby food. Ho, please. That’s anorexia, not a diet.
Are you kidding? That’s terrible! Baby food? How unhealthy and gross.
“Martha will bury us all”
“When burying your competition, or just general annoyances, during Christmas time, it’s fun to wrap them mummy style in some lovely hand-stamped muslin. I have fashioned some tree-shaped stamps out of discarded, spent sponges because their are some corpses not worth of my Black Sea buffing sponges. There – isn’t that great? And I am going to use this wonderful Blackwatch plaid bow to finish off the cocoon just for the irony.
Now, if you want a really easy way to get the dirt off your shovel when you have finished patting the earth back into place… “
ha, I missed you J.!
And I you, blue!
Love it!
😀
Martha sounds petty. To a certain degree I like Martha Ste, but come on…. it is not like she is healing cancer or something. It is just another lifestyle product no more and no less. Different strokes for different folk. Sometimes I really don’t get why everything has to be a competition.
I don’t like anyone who tries to avoid paying tax. Martha can go and suck it. I loathed her ever since she was busted dodging tax. Ever since that day, I lumbered her in the same category as that NY socialite witch, Leona Helmsley. Martha is greedy and that is the reason she does what she does. I’m not sure if the same can be said for Gwyneth.
As for Gwyneth. There is a market for her type of ‘thing’. Whatever it is. The idle rich that have nothing better to do but shop. So what? Retail industries keep people in jobs.
Martha can shade Gwyneth all she likes, the fact is that she is getting old and women in Gwyneth’s age range aren’t interested in hobbies and other such things – if they can afford to pay someone to do it [organise, cater, etc].
I don’t believe Martha was busted for tax evasion; it was insider trading. And while she was guilty of it, she was such small potatoes that the whole thing reeked of trying to scapegoat someone.
The architects of the whole financial meltdown walk among us, better compensated and living free as they try to transform our democracy into a kleptocracy for once and for all. Instead of worrying about small time hoods like Martha and Leona, I’d worry more about our stolen democracy.
If she was a scapegoat her vanity made her beg to become one.
All she needed to do was say….”Oops, you’re right. I made a mistake. Here’s the couple hundred grand that I owe. Sorry.” It would have just gone away. Instead she tried to condecend her way out of it. Mistakes happen to us all, but she doesn’t seem to have learned from it.
She and Gwyneth deserve each other.
Whoa!!!! You should read the entire story of Martha’s trial (The New Yorker published one), and you will see that the reason Martha went to jail was . . . Martha! She was arrogant, stupid and greedy. She lied and then continued to lie, publicly and often, about what she did. And the legal system wouldn’t give her a pass! Should others be in jail? Yes. But the idea that Martha didn’t deserve it doesn’t fly!
I always use Martha’s website when I am crafting. Her examples and how to’s.
I’m one of the few who can still tolerate Gwyneth. I have residual positive feelings for her due to Emma, Sliding Doors, and Shakespeare in Love being my preteen version of the Twilight saga… But – I just CANNOT with that troll Tracey Anderson. Who is she to give any type of advice to anyone? She’s just finished another failed, pitifully brief marriage. Maybe because she’s spending all her time working out, or maybe her ex just decided he wanted to eat some carbs and her head exploded. She’s the one who needs a lifestyle “restart.”
I can’t really understand why Gwyneth is so obsessed with Tracey and her “method.” When you work out for 2+ hours every.single.day (!!!!!) and eat the bare minimum of calories, of course you are going to look emaciated. It’s NOT rocket science. Gwyneth acts like Tracey reinvented the wheel.
Brilliant observations! You are indeed one of the few who can still tolerate GP. I used to be a fan (loved Emma and Shakespeare in Love!), but then real-life GP started destroying my impression of the make-believe GP you see on screen, and now I can no longer suspend my disbelief. Also, her nasally voice finally frayed my last nerve, and I just can’t handle a leading lady who talks through her bird nose. I don’t think men really fall in love with that.
Something about Gwyneth’s on-screen presence makes her perfect for period films. She’s got a sort of old-fashioned presence and poise, more suited to the past than to the present. She’s just dreadful trying to be the cute sidekick Pepper Potts; or the sweet and shy Rosemary in Shallow Hal. As a modern charachter, she’s best when she’s not trying to be the romantic heroine at all and instead acting really strange and cerebral (obviously I refer to my darling Margot Tennenbaum). Gwyneth even looks prettier when she’s an English lady dressed in period wardrobe (she’s phenomenally beautiful in Emma) and much less attractive when she’s doing the modern-day, flat-ironed, California-everywoman.
Oh my god, Martha is 72?! She looks incredible!
And yes, Martha will always come out on top. She has drive, passion, SKILLS, and an understanding of what people want and need when it comes to “lifestyle”. As for who will be her “heir”, I honestly think it’ll be someone from the blogging world (but NOT Goop – she doesn’t understand that most people cannot live her kind of lifestyle). My favourite lifestyle blog, Cupcakes & Cashmere, is one of the main places I turn to for inspiration. The only time I’ve checked out Goop is from mild curiosity, to see what everyone else is gossiping about.
Skills? Oh, please!
Martha is cold and can be a bitch, but that woman knows her stuff. And whatever you buy of hers you get your money’s worth, whether something from one of her expensive lines or cheaper lines. And her books are fantastic.
Smug and judgey, calorie-deficient women fat-shaming other women and insinuating that fitting into a certain dress size will fix all their problems. Sounds like a great idea for a television network in the deepest circle of Dantean Hell.
I’m thinking Gwyneth and Tracey can feature me on their show — but it can be a LifeSwap. They can be an only parent (no weekends or Tuesdays off). With their own home — no gardener — so lawn-mowing, snow-shoveling, gutter-cleaning, taking downing that nasty Chinese elm in the alleyway with my chainsaw…. No housekeeper — so up at midnight doing dishes and folding laundry. My 50+-hour workweek in a sedentary job. And no extra money for a babysitter or a health club pass. I can’t even go for an early morning walk by myself because my child is too young to be at home alone.
Then I can go to their house, with comparatively vast financial resources, and nannies, and personal trainers, and a swimming pool in the backyard.
Not bitching — my life is a LOT easier than a lot of folks have it. And I wouldn’t trade my kid for anything in the world. But it would amuse me to watch them try to fit their “lifestyle brand” into the week of an ordinary woman with ordinary resources.
Can I say how much I detest The Restart Project? I could really starve myself to death and push my poor body to climb mount Everest but, trust me, your body will pay the bill afterwards.
Extremes are not good and they are choking me with “Look how acomplished I am because I can do *insert something physical and trivial here*.
I wish they will show us someone who just invented a cure for something o found a way to improve the economy.
The world has bigger problems than my fat ass and even greater challenges to overcome.
has anyone seen this travel-food journey across Spain with goop and her pretentious rich friends ,she barely eats , scoffs at everything, its like goop magazine all alive ,talkin ,walking and preaching , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOVTCs31KCo
Oh, please Martha get over yourself. You are not bringing peace to the world or curing cancer. Making crafts and cooking a nice Christmas dinner doesn’t make you A LIFE COACH. One of my very good friends mom worked with Martha and oh, the experiences she had, if the public only knew one third of it, Goopy would be considered a saint compared to Martha. Goopy is catering to the wealthy, same as Rachel Ray is cooking for the middle class and lower. I don’t understand what the big deal is.
Goopy is doing what she was raised in, what she knows, how she lives her life, she is a multi millionaire, of course she will not be eating canned foods or shopping at Target. If she would pretend to be some middle class housewife she would be ripped into shreds by the public. She was born into a well to do family and makes a very good living, and she lives her life accordingly. All reasonable people make choices in life for themselves not what Martha or Goopy says. I enjoy Goopy’s older movies and I like her cookbooks, because of great recipes like Lelo’s cookies, so amazing. I get many requests for Lelo’s cookies from family and friends. She was terrible in the Iron Man movies, just really bad.
Okay, I watched that trailer for The Restart Project. And the chairs they’re using for balance at 0:16? I just laughed and laughed. Even the chairs are precious and pretentious.
I used to call my mom the South American Martha Stewart because she could so effortlessly make everything beautiful and perfect. My mom knitted beautifully, she did needle point beautifuly, she liked to paint and draw and did it beautifully, she cooked the tastiest food, well you get my drift, and she worked full time and had two children and a very demanding husband. She is my hero, not Goopy or the real Martha.
Why do we have to pit one against the other.. just because they’re WOMEN??? Come on.. there’s room for both.
And while were at it… why is simply being age 72 so crippling? In 2013?? It’s not like she’s running triathlons for a living.
just sayin!