NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� New York City politicians are calling on Whoopi Goldberg to apologize for that a local bakery had declined to make 鈥淭he View鈥� co-host a batch of desserts for her birthday because of her political beliefs.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella was among the local leaders and supporters who joined Holtermann鈥檚 Bakery owner Jill Holtermann at a Friday in front of the 145-year-old institution in the city borough of Staten Island.
The Republican said the actor and comedian had 鈥渂esmirched and defamed鈥� the bakery by 鈥渕aking stuff up to suit their needs."
鈥淣ot everybody wakes up everyday thinking about politics,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 good business person doesn鈥檛 care about anyone鈥檚 politics.鈥�
Fossella explained that the bakery's decades-old boiler had malfunctioned and had to be replaced, so the store didn't want to commit to making a large order it couldn't fulfill.
鈥淛ust say you鈥檙e sorry so we can put this behind us,鈥� he said without naming Goldberg.
Holtermann, speaking briefly, said she has been overwhelmed by the support as the bakery has been flooded with orders in response to the public spat.
鈥淚 know how hard my family has worked to keep this business alive,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wish my father was here today to see this.鈥�
Representatives for Goldberg didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday.
Goldberg is an outspoken liberal who has recently refused to say President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 name on the show.
The flap started Wednesday when Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday on the ABC talk show by sharing a tray of Charlotte Russe 鈥� small sponge cakes topped with whipped cream and a cherry that she said were her mother鈥檚 favorite dessert growing up.
But as the co-hosts were munching on the treats, she mentioned that getting them had taken some work.
鈥淣ow, I should tell you, Charlotte Russe has no political leanings, and the place that made these refused to make them for me,鈥� she said as the audience gasped and one of the co-hosts spit out the cake in joking protest. 鈥淭hey said that their ovens had gone down, but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I鈥檓 not telling you who made them.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not because I鈥檓 a woman, but perhaps they did not like my politics,鈥� Goldberg continued. "But that鈥檚 OK because you know what? Listen, this is my mother鈥檚 celebration. Pick these up and celebrate with me and my mom. Thank you, everyone, for celebrating my birthday today.鈥�
Holtermann and its distinctive-looking treats that Goldberg called out on air, but she maintained it wasn't about politics but equipment issues.
The actor, who is originally from New York, nevertheless took to Instagram Thursday to double down on her claim.
鈥淚t does seem a little odd that when we called a few weeks before my birthday and we were told they couldn鈥檛 process the order for my birthday because of an equipment failure,鈥� Goldberg said . 鈥淏ut somehow they were able to accept an order of a different 48 of the same dessert when somebody else called without using my name."
The actor ended the video saying the issue didn't spoil her special day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all okay, y鈥檃ll, because I enjoyed my delicious dessert and I had a happy, sweet birthday,鈥� Goldberg said. 鈥淣othing better than that.鈥�
Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press
