Greg Gutfeld Demolishes Whoopi Goldberg Over NYC Bakery Rant – Must-See TV!

The airwaves crackled with tension in November 2024 when Greg Gutfeld, the irreverent Fox News host of Gutfeld! and co-host of The Five, took aim at Whoopi Goldberg over her controversial remarks about a Staten Island bakery. Goldberg, a co-host on ABC’s The View, sparked a firestorm by claiming that Holtermann’s Bakery, a 145-year-old family-owned establishment, refused to fulfill her birthday dessert order due to her left-leaning political views. Gutfeld’s sharp-witted takedown of Goldberg’s accusations on his show became a must-see moment, blending humor, skepticism, and a defense of the small business. This article explores the clash, the context behind Goldberg’s claims, Gutfeld’s fiery response, and the broader cultural implications of the dispute.

The Spark: Goldberg’s Bakery Rant

The controversy began on November 13, 2024, during a celebratory episode of The View marking Whoopi Goldberg’s 69th birthday. As she shared Charlotte Russe desserts—a nostalgic New York treat tied to her late mother’s memory—Goldberg dropped a bombshell. She alleged that the bakery, later identified by Entertainment Weekly as Holtermann’s Bakery, initially refused her order, implying it was because “perhaps they did not like my politics.” She noted, “They said their ovens had gone down, all kinds of stuff, but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them.” The audience gasped, and co-host Sara Haines dramatically spit out her dessert, amplifying the moment’s theatricality.

Goldberg’s claim, made without naming the bakery, ignited immediate backlash. Staten Island, a predominantly conservative borough that voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, rallied behind Holtermann’s. The bakery’s owner, Jill Holtermann, swiftly denied the allegations, explaining that her refusal to confirm Goldberg’s order stemmed from mechanical issues with the bakery’s 60-year-old boiler, not political bias. “I said to Whoopi, ‘I can’t do it right now,’” Holtermann told Entertainment Weekly. “We have so many things going on with my boiler.” Despite the boiler troubles, the bakery fulfilled an order of 50 Charlotte Russe desserts, picked up by an unidentified woman on November 13 for The View’s taping.

Gutfeld’s Takedown: A Masterclass in Mockery

Enter Greg Gutfeld, whose late-night show thrives on skewering what he perceives as liberal overreach. On the November 15, 2024, episode of Gutfeld!, he and his panel tore into Goldberg’s claims with a mix of biting humor and pointed critique. Gutfeld framed the incident as a case of Goldberg’s “self-absorption,” suggesting she leapt to assumptions of political persecution without evidence. “The owner denies it had anything to do with politics,” Gutfeld said. “She wasn’t sure she could fulfill an order that large.” Co-panelist Kat Timpf chimed in, questioning why Goldberg would assume political motives when a mechanical failure was a far simpler explanation.

Gutfeld’s monologue was quintessential must-see TV, blending his trademark sarcasm with a defense of Holtermann’s. He mocked Goldberg’s narrative, joking that she was “too important for a boiler breakdown” and implying that her accusations reflected a broader tendency among liberal elites to see themselves as victims of conservative bias. “Whoopi’s out here turning a broken boiler into a culture war,” he quipped, drawing laughs from the audience. He also highlighted the absurdity of Goldberg’s refusal to name the bakery, noting that it only fueled speculation and unfairly cast suspicion on a small business. The segment resonated with viewers, with X posts praising Gutfeld’s takedown as “hilarious” and “on point.”

The Bakery’s Defense and Community Support

Holtermann’s Bakery, a Staten Island institution since 1879, became an unlikely focal point in the culture wars. Owner Jill Holtermann, backed by local politicians like Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, held a press conference on November 15 to set the record straight. Fossella, a Republican, accused Goldberg of “besmirching and defaming” the bakery, emphasizing that “not everybody wakes up every day thinking about politics.” A plumber who recently replaced the bakery’s boiler corroborated Holtermann’s account, telling the Staten Island Advance that the equipment failure was genuine and unrelated to Goldberg’s politics.

The community response was overwhelming. Staten Islanders flooded Holtermann’s with orders, and drivers reportedly honked in support, with some shouting expletives directed at Goldberg. X users celebrated the bakery’s resilience, with one post calling Goldberg’s behavior “sleazy” and praising the community for rallying around a “mom-and-pop institution.” The backlash even prompted discussions of a potential defamation lawsuit, though no legal action has been confirmed.

Goldberg addressed the controversy on Instagram, doubling down without directly apologizing. “There seems to be a lot of talk about the dessert I requested for my birthday show,” she said. “I never mentioned the name of the bakery or the location.” She maintained that the bakery’s excuses “seemed a little odd,” but the lack of an apology only fueled further criticism.

A Broader Cultural Flashpoint

The Gutfeld-Goldberg clash transcended a mere TV spat, tapping into deeper tensions in American culture. Goldberg’s accusation reflected a polarized climate where political identity often colors perceptions of everyday interactions. Her assumption that a small business would refuse service based on her liberal views—despite no evidence to support this—mirrored broader narratives of victimhood that Gutfeld and his audience frequently critique. Conversely, Goldberg’s defenders argued that her experience highlighted the challenges faced by outspoken progressives in conservative strongholds like Staten Island.

Gutfeld’s response, however, resonated more widely due to its focus on evidence over emotion. By highlighting Holtermann’s practical explanation—a broken boiler—and mocking Goldberg’s leap to political motives, he positioned himself as a defender of common sense against what he sees as liberal hypersensitivity. The segment’s viral appeal on platforms like X, where users shared clips with captions like “Gutfeld destroys Whoopi,” underscored its cultural impact.

This wasn’t the first time Gutfeld and Goldberg crossed paths. In 2022, Gutfeld addressed Goldberg’s suspension from The View for controversial Holocaust remarks, defending her right to free speech while criticizing her logic. “Anyone going for deep political analysis from The View deserves what they get,” he said at the time, a sentiment echoed in his 2024 bakery rant critique.

The Aftermath: No Apology, No Retreat

As of June 2025, Goldberg has not apologized to Holtermann’s, and the bakery has continued to thrive, buoyed by community support. Gutfeld’s takedown remains a highlight for his fans, who see it as a masterclass in exposing what they view as liberal overreach. The incident also underscores the power of media personalities to shape narratives, with both Gutfeld and Goldberg wielding significant influence over their respective audiences.

For Gutfeld, the moment was another feather in his cap as a provocateur who thrives on challenging mainstream narratives. For Goldberg, it was a rare misstep, amplifying a claim that backfired spectacularly. The clash, while rooted in a seemingly trivial dispute over desserts, revealed the fault lines of a divided nation, where even a bakery order can become a battleground. Gutfeld’s sharp humor and Holtermann’s grounded response ultimately carried the day, making this a must-see moment in 2024’s media landscape.