Martha Stewart

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Biography

Recent Role:
Guest on Piers Morgan Tonight
Gender:
Female
Born:
8-3-1941
Birthplace:
Jersey City, New Jersey (USA)
Birth Name:
Martha Helen Kostyra
AKA:
Martha Helen Kostyra Stewart
Martha Stewart was born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941, in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was the first daughter and second child of Eddie and Martha Kostyra, a pharmaceutical salesman and school teacher, respectively. The Kostyras were a middle class family of Polish heritage. The family moved to Nutley, New Jersey when Martha was just three. There, Martha learned gardening from her father, cooking and sewing from her mother, and the art of baking cakes and pies from her neighbors who were retired bakers.

Martha Kostyra was hard working even as a child. A straight "A"

… More student, she eventually won a partial scholarship to Barnard College in New York City. While in college, she worked as a model to help pay her college tuition. After her sophomore year, in 1961, she married a young law student by the name of Andrew Stewart. She continued modeling after her graduation from college and appeared in a number of television commercials. However, when daughter Alexis was born in 1965, Martha quit modeling for good.

In 1967, Martha began a career as a stockbroker. Meanwhile, Andy Stewart was busy founding a publishing house. When a recession hit in 1973, Martha quit the brokerage business and she and Andy moved to Westport, Connecticut where they busied themselves restoring the 1805 era Turkey Hill Road farmhouse which would later be seen on her television show. By 1976, Martha had begun a catering business, which she ran from the basement of her home. Within 10 years, this had become a $1 million enterprise. She later expanded to a retail store where she sold entertaining supplies and specialty foods.

In 1982, Martha published the book Entertaining. It was an instant bestseller. She also published two cookbooks as a followup. She began making national television appearances and continued to expand her business. Shortly thereafter, she became the spokesperson for K-Mart. Martha was becoming a household name and business success, but her marriage began to suffer. Martha and Andy divorced in 1990.

Martha worked endlessly in building her company, and became a contributor for many magazines. In 1990, Martha began her own monthly magazine - Martha Stewart Living. Following a number of television appearances and specials, Martha also began her own television show that, like her magazine, was called Martha Stewart Living.

By 1996, she was named one of "America's Most Influential People". In 1997, she created "Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia", a conglomerate with branches encompassing publishing, broadcasting, direct mail, and other avenues. The hugely successful company went public in 1999. At the pinnacle of success, charges of insider trading were brought against Martha. Though she maintains her innocence on all counts, she was convicted and order to spend five months in prison. Rather than wait for appeal, Martha served her time and came back to her business which continues to thrive and expand.

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  •  
    1 Abysmal
    She is such a FAKE!! hide show

    This lady is such fake women with her little baby voice on her show!!!! Acting so nice and caring please your are just such a fake!!! Why anyone likes her I don't know why? She does not have a real persnality its just all fake. She talks like a baby! Their was this one time I seen on TV Lindsay Lohan was on that show and, I don't like Lohan at all but Martha kept saying your just a party girl you drink alot. Or whatever! And so what if it is true you don't see poeple going on your show say how was jail!!! You old baby!!

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    Kingcool7789 Added May 9, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    9.5 Superb
    It's a good thing hide show

    I've been following Martha Stewart since the early 1990's, I see her as a very sexy woman. she's smart, brilliant, rich and above all she's gorgeous. she might be in her 60's, but she still gorgeous. I'm in love with her. I wrote a few letter of support of Stewart. Even she was in jail briefly, I haven't lost support of her. My heart's belongs to Martha. she one of a kind woman. She's been from one show to another and she getting better by each and every show she's done. Like I said before, she's one of a kind gorgeous woman.

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    GeorgeJobson Added Nov 6, 2006 All my reviews
  •  
    7 Good
    ok... heres the truth hide show

    ok i never really knew martha stewart before she was arrested!!! hahhahahha! im not from the states... but sheesh who gives a show to a person who got arrested in the past i mean come on... anyway about her show... its ok... its not that bad... i watch it when theres nothing good on...

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    whoever2100 Added Aug 5, 2006 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    Martha Stewart is the american dream. hide show

    What can I say about Martha? You either want to spill out her guts over route 24 and ride over them or you want to bow down to her greatness. I'm for the second one. I know I shouldn't liked her but I can't get enough of her. Everything she's associated with I love. My new fix is her show Martha. What great guests she gets for being an under-the-rader talk show. I read her magazine every chance I get. I watched every episode of it's 13 episode run. In short I am a huge major fan. Of course I can't write this review without noting the negativity. Going to jail (if I ever go to jail I want to go to Camp Cupcake and her cell). I see how people can see her as pompus and I get that but I still feel differently. I always wanted to write to her but while her talk show Martha is on she is so busy she will not have time too write so when her popularity dies down (which I hope it never does) I will write her. People who know me well say I have a crush on her but that isn't for your ears. lol. If anyone knows her address can you please send it to me in tv.com mail? That would be really appriciated.

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    dude6363 Added Jun 3, 2006 All my reviews
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    9 Superb
    An American Icon hide show

    Love her or hate her, there's no denying that Martha Stewart has made her name a household word. She's been parodied on Saturday Night Live and served prison time that she might have overturned on appeal, and still the diva is going stronger than ever. From numerous television shows, books, specials, and DVDs to her own mega-Martha marketing empire, Stewart has become the Queen of Domesticity, able to advise on everything from folding clothes to bulb planting to preparing a holiday feast. Though now there may be an army of employees behind the maven's madness, there's no doubt that Martha began it all through her own hard work, sweat, and sacrifice.

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    jkdowney Added Feb 14, 2006 All my reviews
 

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