When Martha Stewart was deep into the press rollout for her Netflix documentary and latest cookbook, she proved she still knew exactly how to make headlines without lifting a finger.
The 83-year-old lifestyle titan casually dismantled Ryan Reynolds' comic reputation on national television, and she did not look back once.
The line hit harder because of who delivered it. Stewart is not a rival comedian or a bitter co-star.
She is a business mogul who happens to live near Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, in Westchester County. Roasting the husband of someone she admires is precisely the kind of move that has defined Stewart's brand.
The Neighbourly Shutdown
On Bilt Rewards' Rent Free game show, members are surveyed on which celebrities they would most want to hang out with, and guests try to predict the results. CEO Ankur Jain asked Stewart to guess the top picks. She landed instantly on her friend Snoop Dogg, then turned to Reynolds.
'He's probably on the list just 'cause he covers himself up in his movies and you don't see his face,' she said, before the real verdict landed. 'And you want to know something? He's not so funny in real life. No, he's not so funny. He's very serious.'
When given the opportunity to reshuffle her list, Stewart decided to keep Snoop and praised Taylor Swift, calling her 'lovely'. However, she cut Reynolds without hesitation and chose George Clooney to take his place, citing one reason: 'Because he's fun.'
She did give Reynolds a small compliment, acknowledging him as 'a good actor' who 'can act funny, but he isn't actually funny'. She then made a revealing remark: 'I'm going to get in trouble. He's my neighbour,' clearly aware of the implication of her choice.
Damage Control on X
Reynolds responded on X within hours, opting for a humorous approach instead of a confrontational one. 'I'd disagree with her. But I tried that once. That woman is unexpectedly spry. She really closed the gap after a mile or so.'
Then, as expected, Hugh Jackman chimed in. The two have spent years exchanging playful banter in public, so his response to Reynolds' post was more of a predictable appearance than a surprise. 'Finally, someone says it.'
I’d disagree with her. But I tried that once. The woman is unexpectedly spry. She really closed the gap after a mile or so.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 2, 2024
It's Strictly Business
There is a reason Reynolds might come across as serious once the cameras stop rolling. Between Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, Maximum Effort and Wrexham AFC, he runs a business portfolio most executives would find exhausting.
Stewart, who built an empire out of a catering business decades before Reynolds picked up a script, was not mocking a comedian so much as sizing up a fellow CEO who happens to also make films.
Unsurprisingly, Reddit sided with Martha. Threads on the exchange framed it as further proof of her fearlessness, with one commenter tracing her ruthless streak back to the case that sent her to prison in the first place. Another summed up the mood in five words: 'Martha is a real one.' Not everyone extended Reynolds the same grace.
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In the end, both parties walked away with exactly what they wanted. Stewart cemented her reputation as the internet's favourite ruthless octogenarian, and Reynolds got a viral moment for the price of one bruised ego. For a man who built a career on taking a hit and joking about it, that barely counts as a loss.
