 Martha
Stewart - - Martha Stewart is the nifty "Queen of How-To" in the
area of arts and crafts ideas for the home seen in books, videotapes and her own
publication "Martha Stewart Living" magazine. She also hosted her own TV program
MARTHA STEWART LIVING TELEVISION/SYN/1993-2004 a half-hour weekly informational
series that offered tips on cooking, decorations, gardening, home improvement
and renovation.
Books by Martha Stewart include "Entertaining" (1982), "Martha
Stewart's Pies & Tarts" (1985), "The Wedding Planner" (1988), "Martha Stewart's
Gardening: Month by Month" (1991), "Martha Stewart's Christmas" (1993), "Martha
Stewart's Menus for Entertaining" (1994), "Holidays" (1994), and "Martha Stewart's
Healthy Quick Food" (1997).
Before becoming a guru of the kitchen, garden and
other home improvements, Martha Stewart was a fashion model (1959-65); a
successful stockbroker (1967-73); a celebrity caterer (1973-84) to such show
business icons as Paul Newman and Beverly Sills; a Lifestyle consultant for
K-Mart (1987+); the founder and editor of Martha Stewart Living magazine begun
in 1990; contributor to Lifestyle tips on TODAY (1991-97), CBS NEWS THIS MORNING
(1997-2001) and Westwood One radio (1997-2001).
At the conclusion of many of her
creative demonstrations, she looked at her finished product (for example, a
restored antique chandelier; a deep-dish pie; or huge wicker basket filled with
plump, perfectly ripe fruit) and gave her trademark catchphrase "It's a good
thing!"
TRIVIA NOTE: On July 16, 2004 Martha Stewart was
sentenced in federal court in New York to five months in prison, followed by
five months of home confinement for her involvement with an insider trader fraud
transaction in 2001 (she lied about a stock sale).
"I want you to know that I am innocent -- and that I will fight to clear my
name. I simply returned a call from my stockbroker. ... The government's attempt
to criminalize these actions makes no sense to me," Stewart said in an open
letter to supporters last year. "I am confident I will be exonerated of these
charges."
After receiving her sentence, Stewart said "Today is a shameful day. It's
shameful for me, and for my family, and for my beloved company...I'll be back.''
Troy-based retailer K-Mart, which sells Stewart's Everyday Brand line of
products offered their support saying "We look forward to continuing our
mutually beneficial and successful relationship with MSLO (Martha Stewart Living
Omnimedia)."
Out of Prison, Martha returned to TV with the shows EVERYDAY FOOD (2004), THE
APPRENTICE: MARTHA STEWART (2005) and MARTHA (2005) where she along with special
guests and her studio audience, demonstrated ideas, projects, and techniques
ranging from cooking and entertaining to decorating and home renovating.
In 2003, Cybill Shepherd portrayed Martha Stewart in Martha,
Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart, an NBC movie of the week that described
her rise to the top of her field as the "Queen of How-To."
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