The owner of a Staten Island bakery is denying claims made by "The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg that they refused to serve her over her political views.
Goldberg said on Wednesday's show that Holtermann’s Bakery declined her cupcake order because of her liberal stance.
Jill Holtermann, the bakery's owner, explained the real reason in a Friday press conference. Flanked by local officials, she said a broken boiler disrupted their operations.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella defended the bakery. “This place has been here 145 years. Their boiler, which was decades old, broke in early November," he said.
“They replaced it, but rather than promise something they couldn’t deliver, they said, ‘We can’t do it.’ The person who defamed them needs to get over it. This family will be here for another 145 years, God willing,” Fossella added.
Holtermann expressed gratitude for the outpouring of community support. “I’m so overwhelmed by the support," she said. "People from all over have been calling and stopping by. Yesterday, we got a call from Alabama offering $50 to send cupcakes to a school. It’s incredible."
She emphasized the bakery's strong ties to the community. “We talk with customers daily about their families. They’re the backbone of our business,” she said.
Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday on Wednesday’s show with desserts she called nostalgic. She claimed her order nearly fell through because the bakery disliked her politics.
“They said their ovens were down, but someone managed to get the treats anyway,” Goldberg said. “I’m not naming the bakery, but they didn’t like my politics.”
Holtermann dismissed those claims in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She explained the boiler issue was mechanical, not political.
“I told Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now.’ We had too much going on with the boiler,” Holtermann said.
She clarified that she still managed to fulfill the order. “We made 50 treats, which were picked up early Wednesday,” she confirmed.
Holtermann stressed the decision was practical, not personal. “I didn’t want to promise something I couldn’t deliver,” she said.