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Kelly Clarkson’s shopping trip to Brooklyn has turned into a very public brawl with a small business.
The singer posted on X that staff at Art of Play, a trendy Brooklyn curiosity shop, sized her up when she asked about a $15,000 singing bird automaton. Clarkson says an employee looked at her like she couldn’t afford it, much like the boutique snub Julia Roberts’ character gets in Pretty Woman. The shopkeeper then offered to find her something comparable. She told him he “just lost a huge sale.”
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. Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a…
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 10, 2026
Art of Play says the bird, named Molly, is permanently fixed to the wall and serves as the shop’s mascot, PEOPLE reports. The store says it pointed Clarkson to Molly’s nearly identical twin, available from the artist for $15,000, plus a $2,000 German-made backup she could take home that day. It also claims she was in and out in about five minutes.
Clarkson isn’t buying it. She reposted a photo of a $15,000 price tag hanging next to the bird, called the store “rude” and a “liar,” and added that being a small business doesn’t give it “a free pass to treat people less than.” Art of Play says it has reached out to clear the air. Online, the verdict is split. One commenter slammed the singer for “publicly whining about a stupid $15k TOY bird.” Others are defending her. “Since u been gone the $15,000 price tag has also mysteriously disappeared,” one wrote.
Kelly Clarkson’s shopping trip to Brooklyn has turned into a very public brawl with a small business.
The singer posted on X that staff at Art of Play, a trendy Brooklyn curiosity shop, sized her up when she asked about a $15,000 singing bird automaton. Clarkson says an employee looked at her like she couldn’t afford it, much like the boutique snub Julia Roberts’ character gets in Pretty Woman. The shopkeeper then offered to find her something comparable. She told him he “just lost a huge sale.”
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. Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a…
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 10, 2026
Art of Play says the bird, named Molly, is permanently fixed to the wall and serves as the shop’s mascot, PEOPLE reports. The store says it pointed Clarkson to Molly’s nearly identical twin, available from the artist for $15,000, plus a $2,000 German-made backup she could take home that day. It also claims she was in and out in about five minutes.
Clarkson isn’t buying it. She reposted a photo of a $15,000 price tag hanging next to the bird, called the store “rude” and a “liar,” and added that being a small business doesn’t give it “a free pass to treat people less than.” Art of Play says it has reached out to clear the air. Online, the verdict is split. One commenter slammed the singer for “publicly whining about a stupid $15k TOY bird.” Others are defending her. “Since u been gone the $15,000 price tag has also mysteriously disappeared,” one wrote.