Kelly Clarkson hits back after NYC store defends itself over $21k mechanical bird drama: ‘You’re a liar’
Updated . First published
Kelly Clarkson and a New York City speciality boutique have been locked in a public tit-for-tat, after the singer claimed she felt judged while trying to buy an expensive mechanical bird.
After Clarkson, 44, claimed she endured an embarrassing Pretty Woman moment in Brooklyn store Art of Play, the store responded on Instagram to say the bird she wanted wasn’t for sale – but it didn’t take long for the American Idol winner to call that a lie.
Kelly Clarkson accused a Brooklyn store of treating her like she couldn’t afford their products. Getty Images for Critics Choice
“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with,” she wrote on X, alongside a photo that appeared to show the bird with a $US15,000 ($21,558) price tag.
“So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale while 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 so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you, I can’,” Clarkson wrote.
“That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it.”
Clarkson said while she loved and supported small businesses, “you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business”.
Art of Play soon responded to that, clarifying the interaction from its point of view.
It said Clarkson had inquired about Molly, who is “permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot of our shop”.
However, “a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle,” it continued.
“He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000. We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson.
“We also offered to show her a different singing bird automaton, made by a traditional clockmaking shop in Germany, that she could have taken home with her that day. It costs about $2000. She did not stick around long enough to see it.”
Art of Play said it had reached out to Clarkson directly “to try and clear the air”.
“We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”
Kelly Clarkson calls out Art of Play
Clarkson initially claimed she endured an embarrassing Pretty Woman moment in Art of Play, publishing a scathing review accusing staff of treating her like she “couldn’t afford” its products.
Clarkson hit back at the store’s initial statement. Getty
On Saturday, the American Idol winner posted about her bad shopping experience on X.
“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson said.
“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman.”
Art of Play responds
After being bombarded by negative reviews, the store posted a statement addressing Clarkson’s claims on social media.
“Yesterday, Kelly Clarkson visited us in Brooklyn and inquired about buying ‘Molly,’ a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows we host here,” the statement said.
“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale.”
In a pinned Instagram post from September, Art of Play had posted a photo of Molly as part of a post titled “Our favourite items are not for sale”.
The store said it was surprised “when our small local business was suddenly attacked by eight million people who have never visited our store”.
“It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity,” it said.
The statement concluded by referencing Clarkson’s 2011 song, Stronger.
“We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday. As a talented popular singer once said ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’” it said.
Since the increase in eyes on its account, Art of Play has also posted to say while the median price of items in the shop was $US35 ($50), it regularly worked directly with artists to “curate a collection of rare curiosities hard to find anywhere else in the world”.
Along with Molly, this collection included an $US895 ($1286) flying whale figure and $US2400 ($3450) hummingbird flipbook machine.
