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Did Kelly Clarkson have a “Pretty Woman” moment while shopping?
Or was she insisting on buying an item that wasn’t for sale?
The Grammy-winning singer ignited a back-and-forth on social media with the owner of a curiosity store in Brooklyn, New York, with a post on X about what she says was her negative treatment during a visit.
All of it revolves around a $15,000 mechanical bird puppet that mounts on the wall. Yes, you read that correctly.
Here’s what to know about the drama.
Kelly Clarkson Posts That She Was Treated Like Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”
The singer posted on X on Oct. 10 that she drove “all the way to Brooklyn” to check out a store she thought “looked really rad.”
Clarkson is also a coast on “The Voice” and the former host of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” both of which aired on NBC. NBC is a division of NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of TODAY.
Clarkson, 44, wrote that she was contemplating buying a “few things” from the store when someone who worked there “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,” she wrote.
She finished by comparing her experience to a scene from the movie “Pretty Woman.” Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, is dismissed by a condescending saleswoman while shopping at a Beverly Hills boutique because she is dressed casually.
“But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman,” Clarkson wrote.
The Business Says Clarkson’s Claims Involved Molly, an Animatronic Bird
The owner of Art of Play aimed to clarify the situation in an Instagram post on Oct. 11.
“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 company wrote. “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.”
Art of Play added that anyone looking to make a purchase or look around is “equally welcome” at the store.
“Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store,” the statement continued. “It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity.”
Art of Play then tried to make light of the situation by name-checking one of Clarkson’s biggest hits, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).”
“Thanks to all our 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.’”
What to Know About Molly, the $15,000 Animatronic Bird
The shop posted about Molly on Instagram in February 2025, calling the elaborate mechanical puppet the store’s “mascot.”
It was created by Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb, who lists the bird on his website, but does not have a price on it. Kolb did not immediately respond to request for comment by TODAY.com.
“When you turn her crank Molly begins to sing and dance and move to and fro, just like a real bird,” Art of Play wrote. “The illusion is uncanny and we have come to develop a real affection for Molly.”
The shop wrote that Bliss came to New York in 2025 to fix the bird.
“Now, Molly 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 store wrote.
Art of Play Says Kelly Clarkson Spent ‘5 Minutes’ in the Store
In a follow-up post on Instagram on Oct. 11, Art of Play said that Kolb, the creator of Molly the animatronic bird, was willing to sell Clarkson a matching one for $15,000.
“During the 5 minutes she spent in the store, she inquired about our mechanical bird puppet named Molly,” the store wrote. “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.”
The post said Clarkson was also presented with another option.
“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 wrote.
The store added that it has reached out to Clarkson to “clear the air.”
“We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”
Clarkson Says She Was Told The Bird Was For Sale
Clarkson fired back on Art of Play’s claim that Molly was not for sale in a post on X on Oct. 11, claiming the store changed its tune since she’s been gone.
“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,’” Clarkson wrote. “That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it ✅”
Clarkson wrote that she “obviously” supports small businesses because she was visiting one, “but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business.”
The singer maintained her position about how she was treated.
“It’s not that hard to be kind,” she wrote. “I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”
Clarkson attached a photo of Molly with what appears to be a price tag on it, but it’s unclear if that was taken by her or if it’s an older photo that was online.
How Have People Reacted to the Situation?
Some commenters on Art of Play’s initial Oct. 11 Instagram post said they had been to the store and seen a pricetag on Molly the bird, refuting the store’s claim that it wasn’t for sale.
Others claimed to have encountered similarly difficult behavior.
“You have such a greatly curated shop but the several times I’ve been in I’m met with rude or obnoxious behavior by your staff to us or to other customers,” a commenter wrote.
“The fact that other customers had wonderful experiences at your store does not mean Kelly Clarkson couldn’t have had a terrible one. Both can be true at the same time,” another wrote.
“You can just tell from their response how they’re just rude and horrible people,” a commenter wrote on Clarkson’s post on X.
Others were critical of Clarkson.
“I don’t know either parties, but I think it’s wild that a big, mega-rich celebrity would put a small business on blast, knowing that threatening harassment would ensue from fans,” one Instagram commenter wrote. “Celebrities don’t know what it’s like to be told no. Just move on with your day!”
“Please God, never let me get to the level of tone deaf where I’m publicly whining about a stupid $15k TOY bird that 99% of Americans could never afford b/c they are struggling to make ends meet,” one commenter wrote on X.
Art of Play’s Yelp page has been flooded with 1-star and 5-star reviews since the drama bubbled over, with people taking sides in support of Clarkson or the store.
