Martha Stewart built a lifestyle empire and she did it by offering people tangible things to improve their lives and their homes. She wasn’t trying to sell people fake science. She just wanted us to cook better, bake better, decorate better and have prettier homes. That’s it. I mean, you could bash her for consumerism or whatever, but at the end of the day, Martha’s brand was lovely and she wasn’t even an elitist – her Kmart line was affordable and massively successful. Compare that to Gwyneth Paltrow, who created an empire which only caters to… rich, clueless white women like herself. Gwyneth’s energy is pseudoscience, cancer-curing stickers, energy crystals and elitism. So of course Martha Stewart is going to throw shade. Martha is appalled by this goopy nonsense.
When it comes to Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness and lifestyle empire Goop, there’s one celebrity who isn’t a fan: Martha Stewart. Chatting on the debut episode of The Corp season 2 with Alex Rodriguez and Barstool Sports, Stewart talked about growing her business in the lifestyle, cooking and publishing market. So it was only natural for the 44-year-old sports broadcaster and retired MLB player to ask how she felt about the 46-year-old actress’ brand, Goop.
“How would you describe what Gwyneth Paltrow is doing today versus what Martha Stewart created years ago,” Rodriguez asked the 78-year-old businesswoman. Her response? Well, it was seasoned with some salt and subtle shade. “I don’t follow Goop,” Martha said point-blank. “Sometimes I look at products that she’s selling… I wish every young entrepreneur well and I hope that there are many, many, many different kinds of entrepreneurs… if they’re movie stars or hardworking women like I am, who are not movie stars.”
She continued, “If they have a good idea, I want them to be able to succeed. So good luck, Gwyneth.”
Honestly, that’s not even half as shady as Martha could have been and should have been. You actually get the feeling that she’s biting her tongue – “Sometimes I look at products that she’s selling…” Yeah, same. Sometimes I look at those Goop products and I’m like… ORLY? But mostly, I think Martha is offended by the idea that her empire was in any way comparable to Gwyneth’s Goop empire. Martha’s right – two very different vibes. Martha knew what she was selling and she wasn’t selling snake oil and elite energies and scammy diets.
Photos courtesy of WENN and Backgrid.
Martha Stewart can be as elitist as anyone (I worked for KMart when she launched her brand and she was a horrible person to be around) but her KMart towels and linens were fantastic. They are still holding up 20’ish years later.
That’s always the impression I’ve had of her. Not someone you want to spend time with, but did a damn good job with her stuff.
No if you don’t carry weed with you XD I have always wonder if her friendship with Snoop Dog is real or just a public stun, like I’m a rich white lady with black friends (￣▽￣)
Sublime, masterful and yes classy shade-that is how you do it….
@gil have you ever seen her and snoop together? Its genuine, watch 5 min of them together
Well it sounds like her products were legit good not some crazy marble egg for the vagi-gi like Goop is trying to sell
To anyone who follows her- does she ever acknowledge her Polish heritage (including her original name- Marta, I think?), or is she still pretending to be a WASP?
She should have just gone with a classic “I don’t know her”…garnished with a little parsley.
Lol.
+1
Wasn’t Martha Stewart a model? There is a bit of goopism in her too as she did not study as anything she specialised in later.
If I remember correctly, she was a model when she was very young but then became a caterer to make ends meet after she got divorced. So I think her empire started out of necessity rather than a whim.
She worked as a model to pay for college. I know she was still married when she wrote one of the first cookbooks because she mentioned her husband a lot. I vaguely remember the divorce happening because she was so involved in the business.
Didn’t the husband leave her for her assistant because she was spending so much time on her business? I think Martha has been through some tough stuff, but never talks about it, and people interpret that as having a hardened edge whereas I think she simply moves on with life like regular people. We won’t hear about conscious uncoupling from her. If she’s been to a therapist, she doesn’t make it part of her brand.
I think Gwyneth tries to deal with wellness and medicine and health whereas Martha doesn’t bother with that stuff, so, yeah, it’s easier to see her as a lady who simply sells good products.
I think the products she sells are better though. Like, I understand why someone would buy what Martha Stewart is selling as opposed to what Gwyneth does (who actually buys those vag—- eggs even if you have a ton of money? Does Aunt Becky buy them? She looks like she would, I guess).
I think if you’re selling a decent product, people will look past any deficiencies you have. I’m not saying Martha Stewart is Steve Jobs, but he’s another one who didn’t go to college or study what he was selling, but he sold a good product. Thus, people are less likely to criticize him, even if he was known to be a little….er, rude. (Maybe Martha went to college — i have no idea.)
I feel as though people talk more about Gwyneth’s products than actually buy them whereas I think people actually do buy Martha’s stuff.
Martha came from a decent middle class background,I don’t think she struggled,and yes she did graduate college—Barnard,after marrying her then husband.
So even though she’s not exactly from a struggling background she still had to put in a lot of work and dedication to accomplish her place in her business and in life.
I really don’t think she would approve of Goop,because it’s more of a hobby for Gwen,whereas Martha actually did something on her own.I appreciate that Martha also doesn’t try to sell us holistic treatments,unlike goopy,without the background to support what she’s selling.
Thanks for the clarification on whether Martha went for college. For some reason, I thought she did go, but wasn’t sure. Something about the way she carries herself did give me the impression that she did go to college.
Martha has a bit of a hard edge to her, but I feel she doesn’t go out of her way to stick her foot in her mouth like Gwyneth does (which I think is why Gwyneth gets mocked, more than anything else. Gwyneth IS conceited. I don’t think that’s even debatable. She might be a perfectly nice woman if you were to meet her in person and talk one on one with her, but in terms of her public persona that she consciously presents to the world, she is one of the most conceited people ever. My goodness.)
Agree perplexed about your assessment on both Martha and Gwen.
Wrong place.
I liked the ‘…movie stars or hardworking women like I am….’ Perfect.
LOL I wouldn’t exactly call Gwyneth a movie star
This line made me cry with happiness, it was so good.
Oh man. I came here for some Martha shade but nope 🙁
Is it really less elitist to sell a bunch of stuff that’s cheap and made in china, then to sell expensive things made in America? I don’t know that goops stuff is made in America but some how it feels like selling a bunch of cheap stuff at Walmart and target is only going to make a few rich people richer. Yet it’s often said that when people want to buy or sell expensive things because they are local or fair trade, that’s elitist, not accessible, not relatable, etc. Yes it’s easy for ANYONE to buy a $5 shirt at f21 But what is more sustainable for our society ?
I got my kitchenaid mixer in Martha’s colour. I don’t really look at goops stuff. I’ve tried to listen to many of her podcasts but they are almost always disappointing compared to the description. Although I don’t personally use anything goop it seems like what she is promoting IS really good for society (other than anything dangerous for health of course!)
I think there’s a utilitarian purpose to most of what Martha sells. Even if her bath towels are expensive but made in China, everybody still needs bath towels. Does anyone really need what Gwyneth is selling? (some steam engine vag—- facial?) Most of what Gwyneth is selling is elitisit in the sense that there is no real purpose to most of what she sells. Even rich people don’t need what she’s selling. I’m having a hard time believing that Bill Gates’s wife looks at one of Gwyneth’s vag—- eggs and thinks, “Yeah, I need that!”
I have a set of Martha Stewart cotton curtains that I purchased at Kmart about 20 years ago and they’re still holding up and beautiful. I can’t remember how much I paid for them, but they were very inexpensive. Still, even now, they are lovely.
I like Martha Stewart. She may or may not be a hard-@ss and that’s her business. I admire her work ethic and her product is good, plus I like her friendship with Snoop Dogg. She’s genuine, I think.
I’m just saying Martha’s house was never open for trick or treating when I was kid. Yes yes I know security issues, etc. but come on lady we all knew you had the good shit!
Martha Stewart’s Halloween decorations are SPECTACULAR, just fyi
I agree,they are!
Martha is Queen. She did jail time and not only survived, she flourished.
Goddamn, thanks for bringing that up. She handled that situation in spectacular fashion. No years of appeals or whining. I had a college friend who was caught up in that whole mess – daughter of the guy who was Martha’s broker or broker/boyfriend (I don’t recall). The feds came down on her so hard, and she was all of like 23. The feds wanted Martha and the broker, and, like adults, they showed up an owned their mess (COUGHCOUGHLORILAUGHLINCOUGHCOUGH)
Martha Stewart’s singing 🎤 ‘I don’t f- with you’ to Goop.
When Gwyneth talks about medical therapies, does anybody actually take her seriously?
When Martha talks about bath linens, I’m like, “Yeah, sure. I’ll take advice on that from her.”
I think therein lies the difference between Martha and Gwyneth.
I couldn’t put it any better.
This is exactly it. I trust Martha unreservedly to advise me on setting a table, which strawberry shortcake recipe I should use, how to wrap an oddly shaped present, etc…I don’t trust anything Gwyneth says about ANYTHING.
I looooooove Martha, 4-eva and eva. She knows her stuff, she doesn’t suffer fools, and she doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what she is. She’s a smart, hard-working, knowledgeable woman, and I admire the hell out of her.
She created the very idea of a “lifestyle brand” out of whole cloth, and if it wasn’t for her, Goop and Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson would have nothing when it comes to their brands. They all stood on her shoulders–or tried to, since she still towers over them.
I imagine it is insulting to Martha that people compare her to Gwyneth; she CREATED the thing that Gwyneth has warped and diminished.
And Martha doesn’t have to be “nice”; it’s not her job to be nice, or pretty, or solicitous, or accommodating. It’s her job to teach you how to make the best cherry clafouti you ever put in your mouth, and she’s the master. Also, when I got married (almost 15 years ago!) Martha Stewart Weddings was my beacon in the night; classic, tasteful, elegant ideas that can be tailored to any budget. She provides inspiration and guidance. And her Homekeeping book is awe-inspiring. Imma quit now, I could gush about Martha all day. 🙂
Yes to all of this!
Absolutely. And unlike the rest, she can actually do the things she profiles. If Martha invited me to her house I’d be there in a second. She.is.the.queen.
Yes! Though I do wish Martha would get a stylist and a bra fitting!
Martha refuses to wear a bra. She hates them.
You should invite her to yours! She’s said that she never gets dinner party invitations because everyone is afraid to cook for her.
My mom made that cherry clafouti. It was amazing.
Martha Stewart is a badass, plain and simple. She shows up first, leaves last, and works everyone else into the ground in-between. She suffers no fools, and doesn’t expect you to do something she wouldn’t.
She got in trouble in jail because after finding a cherry tree on the grounds, she picked the cherries, and then went and made a damn. pie. She crocheted her own got outta the slammer poncho, and started a fashion trend. Martha Stewart is the QUEEN of lifstyle coaches, because no other mere mortal can measure up.
Anybody with enough cash can out goop GOOP. To imply they are even on the same level is not only an insult, but implies a superficial understanding of what Martha Stewart accomplished. Seriously.
Martha Stewart is the QUEEN.
I LOVE Martha Stewart weddings. I also learned to bake from her pies and tarts book.
She is the OG badass. I LOVE her and would die if I ever got the chance to meet her. And she would be cool and slightly standoffish, polite but nothing more. And I would love that, too!!
The best thing about Martha shade is that Martha always shades a shade lighter than we mortal petty bitches want her to, thus shading us for our shadiness, too. She is The Master.
Back in the day, I remember hearing that she had gone out on a date with Anthony Hopkins. Hannibal Lector and Martha Stewart is an OTP to let the mind run wild.
I remember her from when she was preppy and her first books came out. She has been smart about it all along. The second issue of her magazine had a DIY feature where you used stencils and fabric paint to match your toddler’s outfit to your tablecloth for a New Year’s Eve party. She toned that stuff down quickly enough, but it was all slightly mad. I loved Blueprint magazine and was sad to see it go, even though it became baby porn at a certain point.
I really admire how Martha handled that whole insider trading thing. She got popped, worked out what she could through a good lawyer, wasn’t precious about it, served her time, and came out the same level headed person and went back to work.
I don’t recall any blame shifting, wailing, gnashing of teeth, playing coy, accusations of a witch hunt, etc.
Goop has brought out some really good bath/shampoo and skincare stuff that surprisingly is not snake oily at all. I do NOT like Goopie at all and hate her whole elitist aspirational vibe but even I have to admit her G Label clothing, though crazy expensive, has some nice pieces as well.
Meh. There’s elitist and there’s elitist, pick your poison. I love Martha. And I’ve off and on struggled financially throughout my life. Her line in K-Mart was epic and I loved it. Goop may have her stuff “better sourced” but most of us just need some nice dish towels and some affordable ways to make our homes look nice. Sorry, but that’s the real truth. I don’t need an egg to put in my vag. Martha found her niche, Gwyneth bought (or was born into) her niche. Team Martha. They are probably both insufferable in person LOL
LOL, I think MS is actually getting softer with time. This woman is still built of titanium (or insert tough substance of your choice here) at the core.
First of all–her plastic surgeon is a true artist. She looks amazing and not overly tweaked.
Second, I could never possibly achieve all of her decorating ideas because I can barely keep my house clean.
Third, her recipes are perfection. Look up the recipe for her chocolate and raspberry layer cake. It is the best cake and frosting recipe (the frosting is double what you need, so either just 1/2 the recipe, or save it in the back of the fridge for a sad day when you need a pick me up) ever and I’m not really a nut for chocolate and raspberry. I made it for my MIL because it’s her jam, but now it’s the cake that everyone wants and has beaten my famous pineapple upside down cake .
Her taste in just about everything is impeccable. She has been smart to stay with the best or the classics all these years. I do enjoy her love of quality vintage items. My mother and I would often joke that she probably went to tag sales and simply asked to have things, haha. Or do some heavy bartering including with the experts on her show. I remember a segment she did on punch bowls that was so beautiful I actually started crying. I loved her mother, too and you had to wonder at the relationship there, a little tension at times. Someone asked about her acknowledgement of her Polish roots and she did get into it when cooking or doing other segments with her mother.
I loved her magazine, too and kept some copies. Again, so classic and the photography is gorgeous. The print ads may date, but the features do not.
Also agree with others that what you see is what you get with Martha. It may not always be friendly or easy but it’s honest and I do admire someone who shows you who they are. Then it’s up to you. /end gush