The Brief:

• During Whoopi Goldberg’s 69th birthday celebration on “The View,” she shared an unsettling experience with Holtermann’s Bakery, which declined her order for Charlotte Russe desserts, sparking speculation about political bias.
• Goldberg highlighted the incident during the show, attributing the bakery’s refusal to issues like malfunctioning ovens, while the owner later clarified it was due to operational difficulties, not politics.
• Despite initial challenges, about 50 Charlotte Russe desserts were eventually provided for the show, though the bakery was unaware of their connection to Goldberg at the time.

In a twist to Whoopi Goldberg’s 69th birthday celebrations on “The View,” the day was marked with controversy. Goldberg, while amidst the festivity aired on Wednesday, Nov. 13, shared an unsettling experience involving Holtermann’s Bakery, a Staten Island establishment.

The bakery, initially identified by Goldberg only through her grievances and later named by Entertainment Weekly, reportedly balked at fulfilling her order for Charlotte Russe desserts—a favorite of her mother’s. The refusal sparked speculation from Goldberg that the bakery’s reluctance was rooted in disapproval of her political stances.

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Goldberg recounted the ordeal to her audience and co-hosts, stirring a mix of shock and humor over the bakery’s purported excuse: malfunctioning ovens among other issues. Despite the setback, Goldberg emphasized that the celebration was in honor of her mother and encouraged everyone to partake in the dessert and festivities regardless of the bakery’s actions. This incident highlighted not just a personal moment for Goldberg but touched upon broader themes of division and tolerance.

Jill Holtermann, owner of Holtermann’s Bakery, later clarified to Entertainment Weekly that the decision had nothing to do with politics but was instead due to operational difficulties with their boiler system. She elaborated on having reservations about committing to orders for both an earlier show appearance by Goldberg on Nov. 6 and the subsequent birthday segment due to these technical challenges.

Despite initial refusals attributed to these mechanical issues, approximately 50 units of Charlotte Russe were eventually prepared and collected for Goldberg’s birthday segment—albeit under mysterious circumstances regarding who exactly picked them up for “The View.” Holtermann confirmed that these desserts were indeed supplied without knowledge of their destined association with Goldberg or the television program.

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