An Unexpected Encounter in Brooklyn Heights
Singer and talk-show host Kelly Clarkson found herself at the center of an online public feud over the weekend following a visit to Today.com Art of Play, a specialty shop located in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York City. Clarkson took to social media on Oct. 10 to voice her frustration after visiting the store, which features home goods, magic-themed gifts, puzzles, and games. According to the singer, she had driven to Brooklyn with specific items in mind to purchase, but instead left feeling dismissed by the staff. She compared the treatment directly to the famous boutique scene in the film ‘Pretty Woman,’ where Julia Roberts’ character Vivian Ward is judged and brushed off by a salesperson due to her appearance.
In her initial posts on X, Clarkson wrote that she was looked at as if she could not afford the merchandise and was told staff could find something comparable for her instead. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote, explicitly naming the New York establishment and sparking immediate online attention from her fanbase and social media users.
The Store’s Response and Clarification of the Automaton
The specialty shop responded publicly on Oct. 11 via Instagram, acknowledging the visit but offering a vastly different account of what transpired during the brief five-minute interaction. According to Rolling Stone, the store explained that Clarkson had inquired about buying ‘Molly,’ a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton that is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for the shop’s magic shows. Because the piece is not part of the inventory for sale, staff members attempted to explain the situation.
In a follow-up statement issued on Oct. 12, Art of Play elaborated that while Molly itself was unavailable, employees told the singer that the creator of the machines, Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb, owned a nearly identical twin automaton that he would be willing to part with for $15,000. Additionally, staff stated they offered to show Clarkson an alternative singing bird automaton crafted by a traditional German clockmaking shop that was priced at $2,000 and available to take home immediately. The store maintained that Clarkson did not stick around long enough to view the alternative option.
Escalation and Competing Narratives Online
The exchange quickly escalated as Clarkson challenged the store’s version of events through subsequent posts on Instagram Stories and X on Oct. 11. She disputed the claim that the item was never for sale, pointing to her conversation with the staff member and a price tag hanging nearby. “So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone…” Clarkson wrote, characterizing the employee’s demeanor as rude and dismissive.
The singer also pushed back against critics questioning her support for small businesses, stating that her presence in the store proved her support, but arguing that small-business status does not excuse poor customer service. Art of Play reported that the sudden online backlash brought unexpected attention from millions of users who had never visited the brick-and-mortar location, leaving the small local business grappling with widespread social media outrage while local patrons rushed to defend the shop’s usual customer service reputation.