Whoopi Goldberg Defends Claim That Bakery Refused Her Service After Backlash: ‘Seems a Little Odd’

Mar. 15, 2025

Whoopi Goldberg.Photo:Whoopi Goldberg/Instagram; ABC

Whoopi Goldberg/Instagram; ABC

Whoopi Goldbergis doubling down onher claimthat a bakery refused to make the sweet treats she tried to order for her birthday.

The previous day, Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday onThe Viewwith a tray of Charlotte Russe desserts, saying the bakery declined her initial order likely due to her “politics.” While theSister Actstar didn’t name the business,Entertainment Weeklyidentified the establishment as Holtermann’s Bakery in Staten Island and quoted its owner denying Goldberg’s claim.

“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 said in the follow-up video. “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.”

However, she didn’t let the incident ruin her special day.

“It’s all okay, y’all, because I enjoyed my delicious dessert and I had a happy, sweet birthday,” she said. “Nothing better than that.”

OnThe ViewWednesday, Goldberg shared that Charlotte Russe — which features layers of sponge cake, Bavarian cream and fruit — was one of her mom’s favorites.

“Now, I should tell you, Charlotte Russe has no political leanings, and the place that made these refused to make them for me,” she continued.

Co-host Sunny Hostin asked, “Oh, really?” and Sara Haines quickly spit out her bite, prompting laughs from the audience.

Whoopi Goldberg celebrating her birthday on ‘The View’.ABC

ABC

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

She then suggested, “It can’t be because I’m a woman, but perhaps they did not like my politics.”

“But that’s okay,” Goldberg said, “because you know what? Listen, this is my mother’s celebration. Pick these up and celebrate with me and my mom. Thank you everyone for celebrating my birthday today.”

Holtermann’s Bakery owner Jill Holtermann toldEWthat “it was not because of political” affiliations, but rather because “we were having trouble with our boilers.”

Holtermann said Goldberg had requested the dessert for a Nov. 6 talk show appearance and for her birthday show, both of which the baker declined because she “didn’t want to make a commitment that I can’t carry through.”

Cupcakes in honor of Whoopi Goldberg’s birthday on ‘The View’.ABC

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“I said to Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now,'” she continued. “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 confirmed Goldberg’s claim that a woman, whom neither identified, picked up approximately 50 Charlotte Russe desserts on the morning of Nov. 13, which she said she was able to make despite the boiler troubles.

She also told the outlet that she was not aware that the customer was affiliated with Goldberg orThe View.

PEOPLE reached out to Holtermann’s Bakery and toThe Viewfor further comment, but did not immediately hear back from either.

source: people.com