Kelly Clarkson vs. Art of Play: Footage Revealed of Singer’s Visit to Brooklyn Novelty Store She Slammed for ‘Pretty Woman’ Treatment
Released footage shows Kelly Clarkson visiting Brooklyn novelty shop Art of Play with her children, browsing items and speaking with an employee beside a mechanical bird. The video adds another perspective to a public dispute over whether staff treated her dismissively when she asked about buying the bird.
Clarkson says an employee told her it was for sale for $15,000 and offered to find something comparable; the shop says the bird is fixed to the wall and used in its magic shows. Owner Adam Rubin told Inside Edition the store had been review-bombed and staff and nearby businesses harassed after Clarkson named it online. The visit lasted less than five minutes, and Clarkson’s first post came 15 minutes after she left.
- Footage shows Clarkson’s brief visit to Art of Play.
- The dispute centres on a $15,000 mechanical bird.
- The shop owner says staff have faced harassment.
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Kelly Clarkson is an American singer and television presenter. Art of Play is a novelty shop in Brooklyn that sells unusual objects and presents magic shows.
The dispute centres on a mechanical bird displayed in the shop. Clarkson described her visit as an instance of being treated dismissively, while the shop says the bird is fixed to the wall and used in its shows. The disagreement matters because posts by well-known people can bring intense public attention to a small business and its staff.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Clarkson’s account can be understood as a criticism of how a customer was treated, rather than simply a dispute about the bird’s availability. If staff gave her a price and offered to find a comparable item without clearly explaining that the bird was a fixed prop, she could reasonably have felt dismissed or misled; the brief footage may not capture the whole exchange.
The case against
The shop’s account is that the bird was fixed to the wall and used in its magic shows, so staff may have been explaining that it was not an ordinary item for sale. The footage offers another perspective but may not settle what was said or how it was conveyed, while the reported review-bombing and harassment raise a fair concern about the consequences for staff and neighbouring businesses of a public accusation.