Kelly Clarkson Calls Brooklyn Store 'Rude' and a 'Liar' as Feud Over $15,000 Singing Bird Automaton Escalates

NEW YORK — Kelly Clarkson is standing by her account of a bad shopping experience at a Brooklyn store, accusing the shop of being "rude" and a "liar" after it disputed her version of events in a public back-and-forth that has drawn widespread attention online.

The dispute began Saturday, when the singer and talk show host said on X that she had been treated poorly during a visit to Art of Play, a Brooklyn shop that sells home goods, puzzles, games, toys and books.

"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.

"Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a huge sale," she added. "But y'all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman."

The reference was to the famous scene in the 1990 film in which Roberts' character is snubbed by snobbish sales staff at a Beverly Hills boutique.

Store says item wasn't for sale

Art of Play quickly responded in a statement posted on Instagram, saying Clarkson had asked about buying "Molly," a one-of-a-kind mechanical singing and dancing bird that is part of the magic shows the store hosts.

"Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn't for sale," the store wrote.

The shop said it understood that Clarkson's description of feeling judged would resonate with many people, but stressed that it aims to be welcoming to customers. It also described the backlash that followed Clarkson's post.

"Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store," the statement said. "It's been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity."

Clarkson fires back

Many of Clarkson's fans questioned the store's explanation, and on Sunday night the singer responded again, this time on Instagram Stories.

"Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn't for sale," Clarkson wrote. "That's the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with."

Clarkson said that when she asked whether the item was for sale, she pointed to a price tag hanging on the wall labeled "Singing Bird." She said an employee looked her up and down and told her, in what she described as a condescending tone, that it was for sale but cost $15,000, and offered to find her something comparable instead.

"So you're not only rude, you're also a liar. Got it," she wrote.

Clarkson rejected suggestions that she had targeted a small business.

"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."

She added that she rarely criticizes people publicly.

"I never blast people but you my friend were an exception," she wrote. "Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren't."

Store offers more details

Art of Play later posted a second statement offering further explanation of the encounter, saying Clarkson spent about five minutes in the store.

The shop said it told Clarkson that Molly serves as a mascot and is fixed to the wall, but that a nearly identical automaton is owned by the machine's creator, Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb.

"He told us he would be willing to part with Molly's twin for $15,000," the store wrote. "We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson."

The store said it also offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird automaton, made by a traditional clockmaking workshop in Germany, which costs about $2,000 and which she could have taken home that day.

"She did not stick around long enough to see it," the statement said.

The shop said it had reached out to Clarkson directly in an effort to resolve the dispute.

"We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding," the store wrote.

What are automatons?

Automatons are mechanical devices designed to imitate the movements of living beings. Singing bird automatons, which use intricate clockwork mechanisms to make a small bird move and produce birdsong, have been crafted for centuries, particularly in Switzerland and Germany. Handmade pieces can command high prices because of the craftsmanship involved.

A celebrity voice with a huge reach

Clarkson, who rose to fame as the first winner of "American Idol" in 2002, is a multi-platinum recording artist, a longtime coach on NBC's "The Voice" and host of her own daytime talk show. Her large social media following meant her initial post spread rapidly, prompting a flood of criticism directed at the small shop.

The episode highlights how quickly a celebrity's account of a personal experience can reverberate online, and the challenges small businesses can face when they find themselves at the center of viral controversy.

As of Monday, neither side had indicated whether the dispute had been resolved privately.