Whoopi Goldberg whipped up a storm of controversy, accusing a popular bakery of declining to deliver her birthday desserts due to her political views.
The comedian celebrated her 69th birthday on November 13, but she had some grievances about the Holtermann’s Bakery, a 145-year-old neighborhood treasure in Staten Island.
“There seems to be a lot of talk about the dessert I requested for my birthday show,” the onscreen veteran said in a recent Instagram video. “I never mentioned the name of the bakery or the location."
Highlights
- Whoopi Goldberg claimed a Staten Island bakery refused to make her order due to her "politics."
- The talk show host said she had placed the order for her 69th birthday.
- “Perhaps they did not like my politics,” she said on 'The View.'
- Staten Island locals defended the bakery and called the Hollywood star's claims "ridiculous."
Whoopi Goldberg accused Staten Island’s Holtermann’s Bakery of refusing her birthday dessert order
Image credits: Whoopi Goldberg
Image credits: Holtermann’s Bakery
“It does seem a little odd that when we called a few weeks before my birthday and we were told they couldn’t process the order for my birthday because of an equipment failure,” she went on to say.
“But somehow they were able to accept an order of a different 48 of the same dessert when somebody else called without using my name,” she added.
Despite the dessert dilemma, the Sister Act actress said she still had a “sweet birthday.”
“But it’s all ok y’all, because I enjoyed my delicious dessert, and I had a happy, sweet birthday. Nothing better than that,” she concluded.
"When we called a few weeks before my birthday and we were told they couldn’t process the order for my birthday because of an equipment failure,” the Hollywood star said
Image credits: Holtermann’s Bakery
Image credits: Holtermann’s Bakery
Whoopi’s tirade against the famous bakery first took place on her show, The View, where she claimed without evidence that the Staten Island establishment did not like her “politics.”
“Now, I should tell you, Charlotte Russe has no political leanings, and the place that made these refused to make them for me,” she told her audience and co-hosts during the episode that aired on November 13.
Triggering shocked responses from the audience, the award-winning actress went on to say, “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.”
On The View, the 69-year-old actress hinted at political bias but refrained from naming the bakery directly
Image credits: Whoopi Goldberg
Image credits: Whoopi Goldberg
“Perhaps they did not like my politics,” she added.
Loyal customers of Holtermann’s said the bakery would never do that and called Whoopi’s claims “ridiculous”
“They would never do that,” customer Lucy D’Amato told the New York Post.
“I’m not going to get into detail, but she’s not a nice person,” she said about the Hollywood star.
Another teacher, who stopped to pick up some vanilla cupcakes, told the outlet, “I read she tried to order stuff and made a comment that she didn’t get served because of her political stance. That’s disgusting. Unbelievable, give me a break.”
“She can basically put a place out of business by saying those comments live like that. It’s absolutely ridiculous,” she added.
Staten Island locals and bakery regulars dismissed the allegations and defended the bakery's reputation
“I think that’s bulls—,” she said. “They’ve always been pleasant. They had a mechanical issue here, and they couldn’t deliver. It is what it is.”
Deborah Bernaz, another local resident, said, “I think it’s ridiculous. Why would she come all the way to Staten Island for her cupcake? To make an issue? They’ve been here forever.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with politics. They’re a little Staten Island bakery. I think it’s bulls— what she’s saying. Leave politics out of the bakery,” the 68-year-old added.
The firestorm started by Whoopi also grabbed the attention of Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, who said the Hollywood star “defamed” the bakery and should issue an apology.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella showed up at a press conference and demanded an apology from "the people who defamed" the 145-year-old bakery
Image credits: Vito J. Fossella
“We're here to stand up for one of the best families and businesses,” he said during a press conference last week held outside the bakery.
“The Holtermann family’s story and the bakery’s story is an American story,” he continued. “This place has been here for 145 years. The Holtermann family have committed their lives to Staten Island. It is respected and it is hardworking.”
“Frankly, the people who defamed the Holtermann family should apologize … for making stuff up to suit their needs. Not everybody wakes up every day and thinks about politics,” he added.
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