A shopping trip in Brooklyn has turned into one of the messiest celebrity stories of the month, and it all centers on a mechanical singing bird named Molly. Kelly Clarkson posted on X on October 10 that Art of Play made her feel judged and unable to afford an item, comparing the experience to Pretty Woman. The internet did not need a second invitation.
Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin told Curbed that the bird is a wall-mounted automaton used in magic shows, not a shelf item, and that a similar piece was listed at $15,000 with a $2,000 alternative offered. Clarkson maintains an employee quoted her $15,000 for a comparable bird, and she stands by her account. What started as a customer service dispute has now become a much bigger story.
The part that shifted everything: Rubin says the store has faced threats and harassment since the tweet went viral, telling Curbed,“Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger.”He also noted that without the tweetstorm, the shop wouldn’t have even known there was a negative interaction that day. Supporters did show up too, in the form of pastries and cupcakes. So where do you land: was this fair criticism of bad service, or did a post spiral way out of control?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.