Kathy Griffin Backs Kelly Clarkson in Brooklyn Toy Store Dispute

Comedian Kathy Griffin has publicly sided with singer Kelly Clarkson in a dispute with a Brooklyn toy store, labeling the establishment as "petty" for its response to the controversy. Griffin expressed her support for Clarkson, stating, "I’m Team Kelly because I just love her."

The incident occurred when Clarkson, 44, accused the store Art of Play of mistreating her. She alleged that an employee assumed she could not afford a rare mechanical singing bird named Molly, priced at $15,000, and was patronizing. Clarkson likened the experience to the scene in "Pretty Woman" where Julia Roberts' character is treated poorly by retail staff.

Griffin, who has known Clarkson since her "American Idol" win, believes the singer is being truthful. "I doubt she got together with her pr and legal team. She was probably like me, posting late at night, and I believe her because she doubled down," Griffin told Page Six. She added that Clarkson has become "more real" since her talk show was canceled.

Griffin suggested that the store's handling of the situation was a missed opportunity. "I actually think they look petty and the store would blow up, business-wise, if they had just said, ‘Oh my god, we’re so embarrassed,'" she said. "I think the store could have said, ‘We all have bad days at the office, and I think whoever she was dealing with personally should have sent her flowers and said, ‘I was having a bad day.'"

The dispute escalated after Art of Play offered what Clarkson described as a "tepid apology" and accused her of lying. One of the store's co-owners, Adam Rubin, criticized Clarkson's "reprehensible abuse of power," which he stated led to numerous threatening messages directed at the business. Rubin told Page Six, "We have to reconsider the place we give celebrities in our society."

Clarkson initially posted about the incident on social media, drawing significant attention. The mechanical bird, Molly, at the center of the dispute, has reportedly seen its price tag increase to $15 million following the public attention. Griffin is currently on tour and scheduled to perform at The Town Hall in New York City on Friday.