Did The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg lie about a NYC bakery not taking her order?

Local officials are calling on The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg to issue an apology to a New York City bakery she accused of refusing to fulfil her order due to political bias.

Holtermann’s Bakery, a 146-year-old family-run business in Staten Island, explained that it wasn’t accepting pre-orders at the time because of issues with its ageing boiler. The bakery stated that the unreliable equipment had disrupted its operations.

“Staten Islanders do not discriminate based on political beliefs,” said New York City Councillor David Carr at a press conference on Friday. He was joined by fellow Republicans Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and State Assembly Members Michael Tannousis, Michael Reilly, and Sam Pirozzolo, as well as Democratic State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, to demand an apology following Goldberg’s comments on Wednesday’s episode of The View.

The controversy began when Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday by sharing Charlotte Russe desserts—sponge cakes topped with jam, whipped cream, and a Maraschino cherry. During the segment, Goldberg claimed a bakery had refused to make them for her, allegedly due to her progressive political views. She told the audience:

“I should tell you, Charlotte Russe has no political leanings, and the place that made these refused to make them for me. They said their ovens had gone down, but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them.”

Although Goldberg did not name the bakery, viewers identified Holtermann’s from the packaging, putting the business under scrutiny. Owner Jill Holtermann confirmed that a representative from The View had attempted to pre-order 50 Charlotte Russe desserts for Goldberg’s 6th and 13th November appearances but was turned down due to the bakery’s boiler problems.

“I told Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now,’” Holtermann told Entertainment Weekly. “Our boiler is unreliable, and the building is from 1930. I didn’t know if we could meet all our baking commitments.”

Despite the pre-order being declined, a staff member from The View managed to purchase 50 Charlotte Russe desserts in person on 13th November. Holtermann said they were unaware of the buyer’s connection to the show.

Frank Scarangello of Scaran Plumbing, who replaced the bakery’s boiler, supported the bakery’s explanation. “Bakers rely on steam for many of their processes,” he told the Staten Island Advance. “Whoopi’s claim isn’t fair—it was simply a matter of a broken boiler.”

During Friday’s press conference, drivers passing by the bakery expressed their support, some honking and shouting, “F— you, Whoopi!” Meanwhile, officials called for Goldberg to issue a public apology, emphasising that the situation arose from equipment issues, not politics.