New York City politicians are urging Whoopi Goldberg to issue an apology after she suggested on a recent episode of “The View” that a local bakery refused to create desserts for her birthday due to her political opinions.
Among those calling for the apology is Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, who stood alongside Holtermann’s Bakery owner, Jill Holtermann, during a press conference outside the bakery, which has been a community staple for 145 years.
Fossella, representing the Republican party, accused the actress and comedian of “slandering” the bakery by spreading falsehoods.
“Not everyone is focused on politics every single day,” he remarked. “A true business owner doesn’t concern themselves with an individual’s political stance.”
He elaborated that the bakery had experienced a serious malfunction with its old boiler, which required urgent replacement. This left the business hesitant to accept large orders that they might not be able to fulfill.
“Just issue an apology so we can move on from this,” he stated, choosing not to name Goldberg directly.
Holtermann expressed gratitude for the tremendous community support the bakery has received, stating that they’ve seen a surge in orders since the public incident.
“My family has put in a lot of effort to sustain this business,” she added. “I wish my father could witness this moment.”
As of Saturday, there had been no immediate response from Goldberg’s representatives regarding the matter.
The well-known liberal figure has recently avoided mentioning President-elect Donald Trump’s name on the show.
The controversy began when Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday on the ABC program while showcasing a tray of Charlotte Russe — a dessert featuring small sponge cakes with whipped cream and cherries, which she remarked was her mother’s favorite.
While enjoying the treats, she indicated that obtaining them had been challenging.
“I must clarify that Charlotte Russe does not have any political affiliations; the place that created these declined to fulfill my order,” she explained, as gasps echoed from the audience while one co-host jokingly rejected the dessert.
“They claimed that their ovens were malfunctioning, but folks managed to procure them regardless, which is why I won’t reveal who made them,” she added.
Goldberg went on to imply that the refusal might be linked to her political views rather than her identity as a woman, but she remained focused on celebrating her mother’s legacy that day.
Holtermann later confirmed on-air that her bakery was indeed at the center of the controversy but insisted it was purely an operational issue rather than anything politically motivated.
Unfazed, Goldberg took to social media, verifying her allegations.
“I find it curious that when I called a few weeks prior to my birthday, I was told they couldn’t fulfill my order due to equipment failure,” she stated in her follow-up video. “Yet somehow, they managed to accept another order of the same dessert when someone else inquired, without mentioning my name.”
She concluded her video by assuring fans that the incident did not overshadow her celebration.
“It’s all good, everyone; I thoroughly enjoyed my dessert and celebrated my birthday joyously,” she remarked. “Nothing can compare to that.”