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ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGAZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Kelly Clarkson’s feud with Brooklyn curiosity shop Art of Play has escalated again, with co-owner Adam Rubin accusing the singer of putting his staff at risk after her viral complaint.
Rubin says the fallout has included threatening calls and texts, review bombing, harassment, people yelling outside the store and neighbors being doxxed. He also claims Clarkson yelled at an employee before leaving and vowed never to return.
The dispute began over a $15,000 mechanical bird but has become a wider debate about customer service, celebrity influence and online backlash.
Art Of Play Owner Says Kelly Clarkson ‘Put Us In Danger’
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Rubin told the Daily Mail that Clarkson’s public criticism transformed what he views as a misunderstanding into a safety problem.
“Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger,” he said, claiming the shop has received threats, been review-bombed and faced sustained social-media harassment.
Rubin also alleged that people have shown up outside Art of Play screaming, neighbors have been doxxed and even people who publicly defended the business have been targeted by trolls.
His comments echo concerns raised earlier in the dispute. The Blast previously reported that business expert Jay Aldebert warned Clarkson’s enormous platform created a “power imbalance” between a celebrity and a small business.
Rubin went further, calling the situation a “reprehensible abuse of power” and arguing that someone with Clarkson’s fame should have anticipated the potential consequences of publicly naming the store.
Owner Reveals Kelly Clarkson’s Alleged Parting Shot
Rubin also offered a new account of Clarkson’s final moments inside the store.
He alleged that the singer raised her voice at a shopkeeper while walking out and said, “You know, I’m never coming here again.”
Rubin said his employees remain “rattled” by what followed.
He also revealed that he was supposed to be recovering after having skin cancer removed from his face but returned to Art of Play because of the escalating situation.
According to the store owner, he was scheduled to have his stitches removed later that day but felt he needed to be at the business because employees were worried about their safety.
Locals have also rallied around Art of Play. Several Brooklyn residents told the Daily Mail that they had positive experiences with the owners and staff, while one criticized the impact a celebrity’s enormous following can have on a tiny independent business.
The $15,000 Price Tag Remains At The Center Of The Fight
The dispute began after Clarkson visited Art of Play on October 10 and said an employee looked at her as though she could not afford what she wanted.
In her original X post, Clarkson compared the experience to Julia Roberts’ character in “Pretty Woman” and called the employee an “idiot” for losing what she described as a large sale.
Art of Play responded that Molly, the mechanical singing bird Clarkson wanted, was permanently attached to the wall and was not for sale.
Clarkson then posted an image showing a $15,000 price tag near the bird and accused the shop of lying about their exchange.
The store later said the $15,000 figure referred to a nearly identical automaton owned by Molly’s creator, Seattle artist Bliss Kolb.
It also said staff offered Clarkson another German-made singing bird costing about $2,000, but she left before seeing it.
The central contradiction over exactly what was said inside the shop remains unresolved.
More From The Blast
- Clarkson recently explained why she is staying away from the dating scene while prioritizing her children.
- The singer also revealed that she “loves” AI but has one major concern about its place in music.
- Clarkson previously reflected on her deeply personal bond with Dolly Parton following the country icon’s death.
- Earlier this year, the fate of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” was revealed after seven seasons.
Backlash Has Turned The Feud Into A Bigger Debate
MEGABusiness Insider reported that Clarkson’s post drew tens of millions of views while Art of Play’s Google and Yelp pages were flooded with negative reviews.
The Blast also reported that police were called after a disturbance near the store and that staff reportedly locked themselves inside.
At the same time, sources close to Clarkson have defended her reaction.
PEOPLE reported that a source described public drama as unusual for the singer and said she must have been “clearly ticked off” to address the shop so directly.
Clarkson has also insisted she supports small businesses but does not believe that should excuse what she considered rude treatment.
Rubin, however, maintains that Clarkson’s platform made the consequences disproportionate. He accused the singer of using her influence to effectively “squash somebody like a bug” over a disputed retail encounter.
Molly The Bird Is Now At The Center Of A $15 Million Joke
MEGADespite the hostility, Rubin is finding some humor in Molly’s unexpected fame.
The shop has updated the display around the automaton, referring to Molly as the “world’s most famous singing bird automata.”
Rubin told New York Magazine that Molly would now cost $15 million because of the enormous attention surrounding her.
In his chat with the Daily Mail, he joked that if someone actually paid that amount, he would give $15,000 to every Art of Play shopkeeper and $1 million to Kolb. He also floated building Molly a protective case and buying an antique automaton to replace her.
Rubin capped the joke by saying, “Kelly Clarkson would know.”
Gothamist reported that Rubin had not heard from Clarkson or her representatives as of Tuesday, although he expressed some sympathy for the intensity that comes with her level of fame.
Page Six also reported that despite his sharp criticism, Rubin said Clarkson would still be welcome at Art of Play.
For now, neither side appears to be backing away from its version of what happened.
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