Martha Stewart revealed on NBC's Today that she has received a flood of flirtatious direct messages since her viral thirst traps drew attention online. The 84-year-old lifestyle icon said she is currently single but surrounded by friends who keep her happy, during an appearance with co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Rosie Perez.
During the segment, Hager asked who had started sliding into her DMs. "Lots of people," Stewart said, adding that she has received numerous messages but not dating anyone special. "No, I'm not dating anybody special. But I have lots of friends, and my friends keep me happy," she said with a coy smile.
Stewart’s thirst-trap era began in July 2020, when she posted a sultry poolside selfie that showed her emerging from a pool in a black bathing suit. The image, paired with frosty pink lipstick and bold makeup, captivated millions and helped propel the phrase thirst trap into mainstream conversation. In the post she wrote, "My pool in East Hampton is the place to be on a 89 degree day! After all these years, It is a fun place to swim!!!" The image drew widespread attention and sparked a wave of fan reactions and media coverage, solidifying Stewart as a style and glamour influencer well beyond her cooking shows.
The attention proved lucrative in more ways than one. Stewart later recalled that she received an outpouring of attention after the image went viral, telling a previous interview that she had "so many proposals and so many propositions"—though she ultimately chose not to pursue any of them because she was "a very busy person." Since then, she has continued to post provocative, stylish shots that blend fashion, humor and self-confidence. In a 2023 conversation with People magazine, Stewart said she didn’t initially know what a thirst trap was but soon realized the appeal of posting bold, sexy content and hinted at ongoing experimentation with the format.
Stewart’s bold public persona has translated into endorsement deals and high-profile media appearances. In May 2023, she made history as the oldest person to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit issue, posing in a white one-piece with a plunging neckline and a burnt-orange cover-up draped over her shoulders. The moment underscored a broader arc in which Stewart has reframed aging and sexuality as part of her public image, rather than a private matter to be avoided.
On Today, Stewart also addressed the topic of aging, a recurring question for public figures who extend long careers in the spotlight. When Bush Hager noted her birthday had recently passed and reminded viewers that she had just turned 84, Stewart deflected with humor, saying, "Ugh, why do we need to talk about that?" and emphasizing a focus on living well rather than aging. Earlier in her SI Swimsuit interview, she had spoken about aging in pragmatic terms, describing the broader goal as thinking about good living and not simply aging.
Her remarks on the thirst-trap trend align with a broader self-acceptance arc she has publicly pursued in the last several years. In recent conversations with outlets like People and on social media, Stewart has discussed how the provocative content is enjoyable and part of a sense of playful self-expression rather than a marketing gimmick. She has emphasized that the enjoyment comes from embracing confidence and having fun with fashion and beauty.
Stewart’s ongoing public conversations about sexuality, age, and longevity have not only sustained her visibility but also shaped a narrative about how a late-life public figure can redefine youth-centric media expectations. The mix of glamorous imagery, candid remarks about dating and attention, and the sustained emphasis on friendships and good living has contributed to a broader cultural conversation about aging, self-expression, and media influence.
As the interview concluded, viewers were reminded that Stewart’s public persona remains anchored in a consistent message: a refusal to let age define the scope of her creativity or limit her lifestyle. While she acknowledged that many fans message her after her thirst traps, she reiterated that her personal life is centered on friendships and a busy schedule rather than romantic pursuits. The dynamic between a longtime entertainer and a new wave of fans offers a window into how aging public figures can navigate modern attention with humor, agency, and resilience.
As Stewart continues to push boundaries of public persona, she remains a fixture of Culture & Entertainment discourse, with new followers discovering her thirst-trap era alongside her well-established career in lifestyle publishing, television, and branding. Whether through a playful poolside post or a candid Today moment, she maintains a careful balance between humor, fashion, and advocacy for living well at any age. The conversation surrounding her DMs, her dating status, and her evolving image reflects both a changing media landscape and an audience eager to witness the next chapter of a decades-long cultural icon.
