Kelly Clarkson’s back-and-forth with a Brooklyn store might be the most unexpected feud of 2026.
The Voice coach first made headlines on October 10 when she claimed she had been “treated like Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman” while visiting Art of Play in New York.
“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 wrote via X at the time. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
Clarkson’s post led the owners of Art of Play to publicly rush to the defense of their staff, and ignited a flurry of reactions from social media. Scroll down to learn more about Clarkson’s feud with Art of Play:
What Has Kelly Clarkson Said About Her Art of Play Feud?
Clarkson reacted to the Art of Play’s statement with another message of her own. “I obviously support small businesses because I was literally at a small business trying to purchase things,” Clarkson wrote via X on October 11. “I love small businesses and know they are important and I always support them, but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business. It’s not that hard to be kind. I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”
What Has Art of Play Said About the Kelly Clarkson Feud?
In response to Clarkson’s second statement, Art of Play issued another message claiming that the singer was in the store for “5 minutes” and had “inquired about our mechanical bird puppet named Molly.”
“We explained that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for our shop, a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle. He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000. We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson,” Art of Play wrote via Instagram.
The shop continued, “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 $2,000. She did not stick around long enough to see it.”
The store went on to share that they have reached out to Clarkson “directly to try and clear the air,” adding, “We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”
Since the initial posts, Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin has shared his perspective on the situation.
“Honestly, I have no experience with this. I have no idea how we move forward with it,” Rubin said in an interview with 1010 WINS on 92.3 FM on October 13. “I just want to say we hold no ill will against Kelly Clarkson. We invite her to come back and enjoy the store. But, we find her gross abuse of power completely reprehensible, and she should face social consequences.”
What Have Celebrities Said About Kelly Clarkson and Art of Play’s Feud?
“Las Culturistas” podcast cohost Matt Rogers succinctly reacted to the drama by sharing a screenshot of Art of Play on Google Maps. Clarkson’s “Never Again” could be heard playing in the background, where she sings, “Never again will I hear you / Never again will I miss you / Never again will I fall to you / Never.”
Jason and Travis Kelce’s beer company, meanwhile, appeared to extend an offer to Clarkson. The company wrote via X, “Kelly Clarkson the garage is always open.”
What Is the Price of the Bird?
While the initial price of the mechanical singing bird at Art of Play was $15,000, the Brooklyn store has since upped the number to $15 million.
“We’ve raised the price due to popular demand,” co-owner Rubin told USA Today on October 13.
Has Footage From Kelly Clarkson’s Interaction With Art of Play Been Released?
Clarkson’s interaction with an employee was seemingly captured on CCTV video footage obtained by the store’s security cameras. In the clip shared via the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast on October 13, the woman who appeared to be Clarkson was dressed in an oversized yellow T-shirt, a gray baseball cap and carried a backpack.
