“Overwhelmed by Support”: NYC Small Business Sells Out after Being Attacked on Air by Whoopi Goldberg

Following Whoopi Goldberg’s comments about a New York City bakery, claiming the business failed to fulfill her order due to her political views, the business has received a massive outpouring of support from the community.  Jill Holtermann, the owner of Holtermann’s Bakery, denied that she discriminated against Goldberg, explaining that equipment failure led to the failure to deliver the order.

Whoopi said during a recent segment, “My birthday dessert today was one of my mom’s favorites from when she was a kid, she talked about these all the time, they’re called Charlotte Russe. It’s a sponge cake with whipped cream and a cherry on top. I should tell you, Charlotte Russe has no political leanings. The place that made these refused to make them for me.”

Co-host Sarah Hines spit out her cake as Goldberg made her remarks.  Whoopi continued, “They said that their ovens had gone down, but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them.”  She continued, “It’s not… because I’m a woman, but perhaps they did not like my politics.” Goldberg continued. “But, that’s okay, 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.”

Even though Goldberg did not name the business on air, it was quickly deduced that it came from Holtermann’s.  “They’d asked us and we were having trouble with our boilers,” Jill said, maintaining that she “didn’t want to make a commitment that I can’t carry through.”

In the wake of the controversy, Holtermann’s has received an overwhelming amount of support.  “We didn’t know what was going on until somebody called us from Ohio” the owner said. “And he said, ‘Y’know, there’s this thing with Whoopi Goldberg and the Charlotte Russe cups,”Jill recounted, “and I didn’t know what he was talking about.”

Holtermann recently took to Instagram, sharing a post expressing her gratitude for the support, including a picture of the bakery’s sold-out shelves.  “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all the incredible support we’ve received from near and far,” she wrote in the post.  “For the second day in a row, we’ve emptied out the shop, and it’s all thanks to YOU!”

Numerous local leaders have spoken out in support of Holtermann’s Bakery as well.  “Recently someone took to the national airwaves and defamed, frankly, this family business,” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella told a crowd outside the business last week. “We’re here to stand up for one of the best families and businesses, not just in Staten Island but in the country.” He continued, “Frankly, the people who defamed the Holtermann family should apologize … for making stuff up to suit their needs. Not everybody wakes up every day and thinks about politics.”

Furthermore, The American Tribune recently reported on comments from New York State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-NY) regarding the controversy.  “I think it was such a ridiculous thing to do. Inserting herself into a conversation about a local business and coming after a business, especially as a celebrity, can be incredibly dangerous. But the Staten Island community comes together,” she said.

Scarcella-Spanton continued, “It was really self-serving, very self-centered. Businesses aren’t thinking about Whoopi Goldberg, they’re thinking about how to make sure they get out the best pastries as you see them right on the screen in front of you, they were able to get them,” Scarcella-Stanton added.  “So, instead of focusing on something positive, she made it about herself.”