Kelly Clarkson Feud: Security Footage Emerges from Brooklyn Store Encounter
Newly released video shows the singer inside Art of Play, the Brooklyn store involved in a social media dispute over a $15,000 mechanical bird.
Security footage has surfaced showing singer Kelly Clarkson inside the Art of Play store in Brooklyn during the interaction that led to a public online dispute. The video, obtained by Pablo Torre, captures Clarkson's visit to the curiosity shop on a Saturday.
In the footage, Clarkson is seen entering the store wearing a baseball hat, t-shirt, jeans, and a backpack. She approaches a mechanical bird named Molly, which a store employee appears to discuss with her. At one point, Clarkson returns an item she had considered buying. She is then seen speaking with a cashier before exiting the store.
The dispute began when Clarkson took to social media to express her dissatisfaction with the store's staff, alleging they presumed she could not afford the $15,000 mechanical bird, Molly. The store maintains that Molly was never for sale, though a price tag was displayed. Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin stated that the price tag was for an identical ornament not on display and that they would have directed Clarkson to the artist if she wished to commission one.
Rubin, who was recovering from skin cancer removal surgery at the time, told the Daily Mail that Clarkson's public criticism put his business and staff in danger. He reported receiving threatening messages and online harassment, with people showing up at the store and review-bombing the business. Rubin accused Clarkson of weaponizing her platform and causing an "enormous misunderstanding" to become an "abuse of power."
Clarkson had compared her experience to that of Vivian Ward, the character played by Julia Roberts in the film "Pretty Woman," who is rejected by a store clerk. The singer wrote on X that she was "looked at as if I couldn't afford it" and that the staff member was an "idiot" who lost a significant sale. She encouraged her followers to visit the store if they enjoyed being treated similarly.
Following Clarkson's online statements, Art of Play posted on Instagram to condemn the singer's claims and reiterate that Molly was not for sale. Locals have publicly supported Rubin and his business, with some describing them as "nice people" and criticizing the singer for using her large social media following against a small, independently owned store.
The mechanical bird, Molly, has become an unexpected focal point of the feud. Rubin noted that the automaton's value has increased significantly due to the publicity, jokingly suggesting that if it were sold for millions, a portion could be donated to staff and the artist.
Clarkson, who won the first season of "American Idol" in 2002, went on to have a successful singing career and later hosted a talk show. She was previously married to talent manager Brandon Blackstock, who died in August 2025.