A quick trip to a Brooklyn toy store has turned into one of the biggest internet stories of the week. Kelly Clarkson says Art of Play treated her poorly, comparing the experience to Pretty Woman, and her post has now been viewed around 44 million times. The store tells a different story, claiming the singing bird she wanted, named Molly, is permanently attached to the wall and not for sale. They say they offered her a similar automaton for $15,000, or a $2,000 alternative.
Clarkson disputes that account, saying the employee was condescending about the price and the bird was never framed as off-limits. With both sides telling different versions of the same conversation, the original article is calling for the release of security footage to clear things up. In the meantime, Art of Play is dealing with a wave of negative reviews, and the whole thing has become a national debate about celebrity, small businesses, and how fast one bad moment can go viral.
Was Clarkson justified in calling out the store, or did she take it too far? Drop your take in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.