Vogue Williams Criticizes Kelly Clarkson for 'Naming and Shaming' Small Business

Vogue Williams has criticized Kelly Clarkson for "naming and shaming" a small business, as she addressed the viral dispute between the singer and a New York curiosity shop over an £11,000 singing bird.

Clarkson, 44, became involved in a public feud with the store, Art of Play, after alleging mistreatment by a staff member. The incident sparked a wider debate about the impact of celebrities using their platforms to review independent businesses.

Speaking on her podcast "My Therapist Ghosted Me" with co-host Joanne McNally, Williams, 41, stated, "I think she could have called it out, but I don't think that she should have named and shamed." Williams added that she would be "very, very slow to ever name and shame" and would "feel too guilty" even if the staff member was being difficult.

Williams recounted a personal experience where she was treated dismissively by a high-end store after inquiring about a dress priced at £3,000. "But they obviously had spotted that I wouldn't be spending the three grand in there and were just really funny about it, like a Pretty Woman kind of vibe. I'm surprised by Kelly Clarkson," she said.

McNally echoed Williams' sentiment, stating, "I would never say anything online. I'm the same and I just don't think that it's worth it. I think that you just have to breathe, count to ten and move on."

Clarkson had initially shared on social media that she visited the Brooklyn store with the intention of making purchases, but felt she was "looked at as if I couldn't afford it." She claimed a staff member offered to find something "comparable" for her, which she interpreted as condescending. She referenced a scene from the 1990 film "Pretty Woman," where the protagonist is scornfully turned away from a high-end store.

Clarkson's initial post garnered millions of views, and fans subsequently flooded the store with one-star Google reviews. The backlash prompted Art of Play to issue a lengthy Instagram post refuting Clarkson's account.

The store explained that the item Clarkson inquired about was "Molly," a unique singing and dancing bird automaton that serves as a mascot and is permanently attached to the wall, not for sale. They stated that they were surprised by the "widespread outrage" after just one celebrity mention and that "a nearly identical automaton" was available from its creator for $15,000.

However, the dispute escalated when social media users pointed to a photograph of the bird that appeared to show a price tag of $15,000. Clarkson doubled down, claiming the store was lying and that the staff member had explicitly offered to sell it for that amount.

"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, '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.' That all never happened. OK cool, so you're not only rude, you're also a liar. Got it," Clarkson wrote on social media.

Art of Play further clarified that they had offered Clarkson a different singing bird automaton, costing around $2,000, which she did not stay to see. The store added that they had reached out to Clarkson "to clear the air" and hoped they could "all laugh about this misunderstanding someday."

Police were called to the store on Sunday afternoon following reports of a disorderly person, and staff were reportedly concerned enough to lock themselves inside.

Williams concluded that Clarkson "shouldn't have" named and shamed the business, adding that the singer "doubling down it makes it even worse."