Staten Island bakery flooded with orders after Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘false claims’, owners demand apology

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Holtermann's Bakery owners have demanded an apology from 'The View' co-host Whoopi Goldberg and refuted the claim that the establishment refused to serve her because of her political views. They added that the bakery has been flooded with orders since Goldberg made the startling claim.

Goldberg revealed on the show on Wednesday, November 13, that the decades old bakery refused to sell her cupcakes due to her liberal stance, according to Fox News.

Staten Island bakery owners demand apology from Whoopi Goldberg

Jill Holtermann, the owner of Holtermann's Bakery on Staten Island, said they were unable to meet Whoopi Goldberg's order due to a boiler issue. She held a press conference on Friday, flanked by local elected officials, to refute Goldberg's claims.

Notably, Staten Island Borough president Vito Fossella explained what happened, and then Holtermann thanked the people for their support.

Fossella said, "It's been here 145 years. They had a boiler that was 60 or 70 years old. And the first week in November, guess what? It went on the fritz."

He added, "They had it replaced. And the reputation of Holtermann's is impeccable, so rather than commit to something they couldn't guarantee, they said, 'we can't do it'. And the person who besmirched, defamed them, took that as an insult to her. Well, get over it. This family will be here for, God willing, another 145 years."

Holtermann thanked the community for its support in the wake of the controversy and said she has been bombarded with calls since the episode aired.

She said, "I'm so overwhelmed by the support. Between finding out yesterday, this even happened, getting phone calls and then people coming in and people from all over just supporting us in every way."

She added, "We had phone calls yesterday from Alabama. Guys, I'm going to give you $50, send it to a school, send them donuts, send them cupcakes. The support has been so overwhelming and I know how hard my family has worked to keep this business alive."

Whoopi Goldberg claimed Holtermann's Bakery refused to serve her over political views

Whoopi Goldberg and her 'The View' co-hosts celebrated her 69th birthday with Charlotte Russe desserts during Wednesday’s episode of the show, a nostalgic New York treat that Goldberg shared was her mother’s favorite. 

Whoopi informed the audience that her birthday order was rejected due to what she claimed was the bakery’s objection to her left-wing political stance.

She said, "They said that their ovens had gone down, all kinds of stuff, but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them."

She also claimed that her order was not rejected because of her gender, but rather because "they did not like my politics".

However, Holtermann refuted Goldberg’s statement and explained that the bakery’s issues were not politically motivated but stemmed from mechanical problems with their boilers.

Holtermann told Entertainment Weekly, "I said to Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now'. We have so many things going on with my boiler because the building is from 1930, so, when she called me, I had no idea [if we could] be baking everything." 

Holtermann said it had nothing to do with Goldberg's political affiliations.