Kelly Clarkson says that she was “treated like Julia Roberts” in the 1990 film Pretty Woman during a visit to Art of Play, a novelty shop in Brooklyn.
Over the weekend, Clarkson took to X to share her alleged experience, writing, “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 huge sale,” Clarkson continued. “But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out.”
Clarkson was referencing the scene in the film Pretty Woman when Roberts’ character, Vivian Ward, attempts to spend money at a boutique on Rodeo Drive before she is dismissed by the store staff who doesn’t believe she can afford the clothes in the shop.
On Sunday, the business posted a carousel to their Instagram account sharing their side of the alleged experience with the 44-year-old singer.
“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 store’s Instagram post read.
“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale. However, the negative experience Kelly described on twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop,” the post continued.
Art of Play said that whether someone “comes in to make a purchase or simply look around for a while, they are equally welcome.”
“We greet everyone who walks in the door with the invitation to ‘pick up things and play.’ And they do, many stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games and toys,” the store added.
“Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 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,” the post continued.
Art of Play thanked the store’s friends “for their support and welcome to all the curious folks who have discovered us amidst the drama.”
“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,’” the post concluded.
Clarkson took to X to respond to Art of Play’s version of the interaction on Sunday, writing, “Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with so the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst 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 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’”
“So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it. And by the way, I obviously support small businesses because I was literally at a small business trying to purchase things,” Clarkson continued.
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“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,” she wrote.
“It’s not that hard to be kind. I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t,” Clarkson added.
In a follow-up post, Art of Play said the shop would like to “clarify some additional details about Kelly Clarkson’s visit to our Curiosity Shop on Saturday.”
The store alleged that during the five minutes Clarkson spent in the store, she inquired about their 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,” the store said.
“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 added.
Art of Play said that the store offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird automaton, made by a traditional clockmaking shop in Germany, that the Since U Been Gone singer could have taken home with her that day.
“It costs about $2,000. She did not stick around long enough to see it. We’ve reached out to Kelly 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,” the post concluded.
The item Clarkson was looking to purchase was a mechanical singing bird named Molly.
Art of Play describes the bird as “an automata, an elaborate mechanical puppet that creates the illusion of life.”
When the crank on the bird is turned, Molly begins to sing and dance.
“The illusion is uncanny and we have come to develop a real affection for Molly,” Art of Play added in an Instagram post.
In February 2025, the bird lost her voice and stopped singing, according to the shop.
The creator “flew across the country to give Molly a tune up” and now the bird “is singing and dancing better than ever.”
“However, she remains very delicate and very expensive so Molly is one of the few items in the shop that has a ‘Do Not Touch’ sign,” the shop added. “During the day, she likes to rest on her perch, still and silent. But on the weekends, Molly performs as the opening act for the shows at 69 Atlantic.”
One of the co-owners of Art of Play told USA Today that the shop has been “overwhelmed” since Clarkson criticized the shop to her 8.8 million followers on X.
Adam Rubin, one of the co-owners, told the outlet that the shop’s phone and emails have been “flooded with threatening messages” and their neighbours “have been doxxed.”
“We are afraid for the safety of our shopkeepers,” Rubin said. “Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger.”
He also said that no one in the shop recognized Clarkson when she entered Art of Play and added that the store was “packed.”
Rubin said Clarkson was there for “less than five minutes.”
“We treated her like a normal person but apparently that did not live up to her expectations,” Rubin said, alleging that the Breakaway singer scolded an employee.
“Nothing happened in this shop to justify her scolding our shopkeeper on the way out, but I could let that go. Everybody has a bad day,” he said. “But things changed when she used her platform to attack us. It’s asymmetrical social warfare.”
Rubin also said that the shop’s sales have “surged” and they are now seeing a spike in foot traffic.
The co-owner of the shop also revealed that Molly, the bird that began the back-and-forth between Clarkson and Art of Play, is now on sale and the price is listed as $15 million.
Footage of Clarkson visiting the Brooklyn shop has been acquired and released by journalist Pablo Torre, who hosts the investigative podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out.
In the footage, which has no audio, Clarkson can be seen wearing sunglasses, a bright yellow T-shirt, baggy jeans, a baseball hat and a backpack.
She entered the store with her children and browses around the shop, picking up a few items as other shoppers continue to enter the store.
An alternative camera angle shows Clarkson standing in front of the automaton bird and the Stronger singer begins speaking with one of the employees.
The footage shows Clarkson and the employee having a conversation before the employee appears to point at something in the shop.
After Clarkson and the employee part ways, the employee appears to help other customers in the store.
The footage also shows Clarkson putting back the items she was holding and walks towards the door.
Before exiting the shop, Clarkson begins speaking to another employee behind the front counter.
Clarkson’s first post on social media about the store took place exactly 15 minutes after she exited the shop, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
