Whoopi Goldberg has faced increasing calls to be held accountable for her comments about a Staten Island bakery during a recent segment of “The View.” After Holtermann’s Bakery failed to deliver Goldberg’s order due to equipment failure, the co-host suggested the bakery may have snubbed her due to her political beliefs.
In the wake of these comments from Goldberg, local leaders have stepped to defend Holtermann’s, while calling out the co-host on “The View.” Republican Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said at a recent press conference, “And I think the bottom line here is after we’re going to call up Jill, who has had to endure something that she shouldn’t have to endure, these people are up at three or four o’clock every morning.”
The borough president maintained that the bakery is a staple of the area and has been in business for well over a century. “The sacrifices they’ve made, the holidays they’ve missed with their families to make Staten Island better. They have sacrificed for 145 years,” he continued.
Jill Holtermann, the owner of the business, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support her bakery as received in the aftermath of the remarks from Goldberg. “It’s a community that I have to tell you. I’m so overwhelmed by the support between finding out yesterday this even happened, getting phone calls and then people coming in, people from all over to supporting us in every way. We had phone calls yesterday from Alabama, guys, I’m going to give you $50 send it to a school, send them donuts, send them cupcakes. The support has been so overwhelming, and I know how hard my family has worked to keep this business alive,” she said. “And I wish my father was here today to see this. He would never believe it.”
Fossella added further context surrounding the incident with Goldberg’s order, stating, “And just a little background for those who know there was they had a boiler here. Again, it’s been here 145 years. They had a boiler that was 60 or 70 years old, and the first week in November, guess what?”
The local Republican leader continued, “It went on the fritz, it had to be replaced. And the reputation of Holtermann’s is impeccable, so rather than commit to something they couldn’t guarantee, they say, We can’t do it. And the person who besmirched and defamed them took that as an insult to her. Well, get over it. This family will be here for, God willing, another 145 years.”
Conservative commentator Oli London shared the clip of the press conference to X, weighing in on the controversy. “Calls grow to fire Whoopi Goldberg from The View after she falsely defamed a bakery saying they refused to serve her because of her liberal beliefs,” he said. “The bakery has slammed the TV star for making up a story that they refused to serve her, when in fact they couldn’t serve her or any customer because their oven had broken down.”
Watch the press conference below:
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