Martha Stewart wants a 'Martha 2' docu to tell the 'real' story, but will she include Lisa Guarino 'betrayal'?
Martha Stewart has hinted at the possibility of a follow-up to her recent Netflix documentary 'Martha', with plans to explore even more facets of her storied life. As Stewart revisits her personal and professional journey, Lisa Guarino, a former fellow inmate from Stewart’s 2004 prison sentence, has shed light on the friendship they allegedly built behind bars and the promise that Guarino claims was left unfulfilled, as reported by Daily Mail.
Guarino, who calls herself Stewart’s close confidante during their time at Alderson Federal Prison, says that their friendship helped Stewart live through her incarceration. But now, two decades later, Guarino is accusing Stewart of turning her back on their bond and a pledge of financial support made during that time.
Who is Lisa Guarino?
Lisa Guarino, once known as the notorious 'Boston’s cocaine queenpin,' is a notorious figure from Boston’s criminal underworld who was serving time at Alderson Federal Prison in West Virginia for cocaine possession and intent to distribute when Stewart arrived to serve her five-month sentence. Stewart, convicted for her role in a stock-trading scandal, was new to the federal prison known as 'Camp Cupcake' and ill-prepared for the harsh realities of prison life. Guarino, standing at 4’11”, was an established figure at Alderson, and quickly took Stewart under her wing.
Their first meeting was unexpected. "I pulled back a curtain, and I saw this white naked butt right in front of my face," Guarino recalled, in an interview with Daily Mail, realizing she’d just walked in on a changing Martha Stewart. Afterward, she helped Stewart slip out of the crowded laundry unit through a back exit, sparking a bond that Guarino says saw them "cry, laugh, and eat together."
What happened between Martha Stewart and Lisa Guarino?
As they spent months in close quarters, Guarino claims she helped Stewart adapt to prison life. "Martha had no understanding of [prison rules], and when I tried to explain it to her, she just couldn’t grasp the concept,” Guarino said, teaching Stewart about commissary, meal preparation, and surviving the social dynamics within prison. She described making “dirty pasta” and prison pies for Stewart, using smuggled ingredients, which soon became a nightly ritual.
Their friendship, Guarino says, included heart-to-hearts about Stewart’s career-focused life and strained family ties. “I told Martha, at the end of the day, family is all you got,” Guarino recalled, to which Stewart allegedly admitted, “I did not know what a friend was until I got here. I have a best friend in you and I thank you for it.” But things soured when Stewart, according to Guarino, reneged on a promise to provide financial support after their release. Guarino claims Stewart told her family they no longer needed to fund her prison account, but when she checked, her balance was empty. “She gave me a donut, a big fat zero,” Guarino said, describing the hardship she faced after being cut off financially. “I could’ve killed Martha when I found out she didn’t keep her word.”
Guarino recently attempted to reconnect with Stewart at an event in Massachusetts, but she claims Stewart ignored her. “Martha blew me off after I saved her life in prison,” Guarino remarked, referring to a moment when she’d shielded Stewart from a violent confrontation with a fellow inmate. Reflecting on her former friend, Guarino admitted she felt “more pity than resentment.”
Martha Stewart should share her 'real' experience with Lisa Guarino in 'Martha 2'
Lisa Guarino’s story reveals a different side of Martha Stewart, one that’s not as polished as her public image. While Stewart’s determination to rebuild her career after prison is impressive, Guarino’s claims suggest she may have forgotten the people who stood by her during tough times. Whether Stewart intentionally broke her promise or simply left that part of her life behind, her silence is telling.
If 'Martha 2' is meant to share the "real" story, it should address these difficult moments. True authenticity isn’t just about highlighting successes, it’s about admitting mistakes. For someone who has built a career on perfection, acknowledging this chapter could make her story feel more real and relatable.