Kelly Clarkson’s dispute with a Brooklyn store over a mechanical bird has taken another turn with the release of security footage, while the shop has fired back with “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Kelly Clarkson, 44, found herself at the center of a public dispute after visiting Art of Play, a Brooklyn boutique specializing in “magical home goods,” on Oct. 10, where she was told she couldn’t purchase a mechanical bird named Molly.
The Grammy-winning singer, who rose to fame as the first winner of American Idol, criticized the store on social media, sparking a dispute that would soon draw widespread attention.
‘You’re an idiot’
Clarkson wasted little time sharing her frustration, posting a scathing message on X shortly after leaving the store.
“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” she shared in a post that’s been viewed by more than 46 million users.
“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out,” she added.
Clarkson was referring to the famous scene in the 1990 romantic comedy when Roberts’ character, Vivian Ward, is humiliated by snobbish saleswomen at a luxury boutique, only to return later with shopping bags full of expensive purchases and deliver the unforgettable line, “Big mistake. Huge.”
Store fires back
The following day, Art of Play responded on Instagram, explaining that Molly is “a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton” that’s not for sale.
“We explained that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for our shop, a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle,” the statement read.
“He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000. We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson,” the message continued.
The owners also claimed they offered to show the award-winning performer another mechanical bird priced at $2,000 but said “she did not stick around long enough to see it.”
“We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding,” the store added.
‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’
Clarkson reportedly was not impressed, later sharing an image on X showing Molly with a $15,000 price tag, apparently contradicting the store’s insistence that the bird wasn’t for sale.
“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale,” Clarkson said, adding, “you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone, ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’”
“Now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So, you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it…Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t,” she continued.
The store said it had reached out to Clarkson directly and couldn’t resist ending its public statement with a playful reference to her music.
“As a talented popular singer once said, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’” the owners wrote, borrowing a line from Clarkson’s hit “Stronger.”
Security footage reveals new details
On Oct. 13, independent journalist Pablo Torre obtained surveillance footage showing Clarkson’s visit to Art of Play, offering the first public glimpse of the encounter behind the controversy.
The video, which has no audio and runs for less than five minutes, shows Clarkson browsing the store and picking up a kaleidoscope before approaching Molly.
She then speaks with a man Torre identified as one of the shop’s owners, who appears to point a very uninterested Clarkson toward another part of the store.
Before leaving, Clarkson is seen turning around and gesturing toward the owner, then pulling out her phone as she exits, with timestamps on the footage indicating that she posted about the encounter on X approximately 15 minutes later.
On Sept. 5 – more than one month before the Clarkson incident – the store shared a Facebook post with the caption, “Our favorite items not for sale.” While Molly was not listed, a photo of the chirping bird was included.
What do you think of Kelly Clarkson’s encounter at the Brooklyn store and the controversy that followed? Please let us know your thoughts and pass this story along so we can get the conversation going!
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