The TV host and actress said the bakery wouldn’t serve her because “they didn’t like my politics.”
Whoopi Goldberg said on a recent episode of The View that a Staten Island bakery refused to fill her birthday order because of her political views. The claim came at a time when Goldberg was celebrating her 69th birthday with her co-hosts and Charlotte Russe desserts, a New York treat she remembered as her late mother’s favorite.
Goldberg said on the show that her order almost didn’t happen because the bakery gave her different reasons, such as “their ovens had gone down.” She also said that the refusal was because of how liberal she was, not because she was a woman, but she didn’t name the bakery.
Goldberg said, “They didn’t like my politics.” Even though it was said to be a snub, Goldberg’s team was able to get the desserts, which she then told everyone to enjoy in honor of her mother’s memory.
Later, Entertainment Weekly found out that the bakery was Holtermann’s, a family-owned business on Staten Island that has been open for 145 years. People say it was clear because of the way the desserts were packaged: pink polka dots on white paper cups, which is Holtermann’s style.
What did the bakery owner say?
The owner of the bakery, Jill Holtermann, has strongly denied Goldberg’s claims. In an interview with the media, Holtermann said that problems with their old boiler had made things more difficult. Their building, which was built in 1930, has had problems with its infrastructure, which made it hard to commit to big orders.
“I told Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now,’” Holtermann said. “We were having problems with the boiler.” She made it clear that her answer had nothing to do with Goldberg’s political views. Even though they were hesitant at first, the bakery finally filled the order and made 50 Charlotte Russe desserts that were picked up in time for the show to air.
Holtermann was angry about the negative reactions her bakery has been getting since Goldberg’s comments went public. She said that her business has been “bombarded” with calls and said, “I didn’t want to make a promise I couldn’t keep, especially with all the problems we’re having.”
Goldberg said the delay might have had something to do with politics, but Holtermann says it was just technical issues. This put the small business in the middle of a public dispute.