Kelly Clarkson took to X on Saturday, 2026-10-14, to recount her negative experience at the Art of Play store in Brooklyn, telling her nearly eight million followers that she had been told an item was not for sale. The post drew significant attention, amplifying the backlash.
Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play, responded to the clip by speaking with Fox News Digital on the same day, 2026-10-14. He said that nothing in the shop justified Clarkson’s public scolding of the shopkeeper on the way out, but he could let that go, acknowledging that everybody has a bad day. Rubin then warned that the singer’s actions had placed the business in danger.
Art of Play has put Molly the Singing Bird on sale for $15 million following Kelly Clarkson controversy “due to popular demand.” (https://t.co/tc0FXMkdUN) https://t.co/Uifx72UhWo
At the heart of the dispute is a mechanical singing bird named Molly, a specialty item stocked by Art of Play. Rubin described the situation as surreal, noting that a pop star, a mechanical bird, and a small store had become the focus of intense public scrutiny.
He told Fox News Digital that Kelly Clarkson has put them in danger, with people getting threatened on the street.
In response to the viral attention, the store raised the price of Molly from fifteen thousand dollars to fifteen million dollars. Rubin cited supply and demand as the reason for the jump, a change that represents a one‑thousand‑fold increase in the bird’s price.
Journalist Pablo Torre obtained security footage that appears to show Kelly Clarkson inside Brooklyn store Art of Play. Here's what happened. https://t.co/ggw9hCToUa
Following Clarkson’s post, Rubin alleged that the shop and individuals associated with the business have received threats and experienced harassment. He told Fox News Digital that Kelly Clarkson has put them in danger, with people getting threatened on the street. He added that anyone expressing admiration, positivity, or sympathy for Art of Play is being attacked by trolls.
Rubin said the store has received incredible support from neighbors and fans over the past few days, but all of those supporters have also been attacked, threatened, and doxed. He emphasized that the fallout extended beyond the shop’s employees to the surrounding community.
Security footage shows Kelly Clarkson’s tense interaction with a Brooklyn shopkeeper. The singer accused the store employee of judging her and assuming she couldn’t afford the $15,000 mechanical bird. The store, Art of Play, claimed the rare singing bird was never for sale. https://t.co/MGFhq2pl1v
The co‑owner argued that Clarkson’s use of her massive platform to target a small business constitutes an abuse of power. He said that celebrities should be held accountable for their behavior and warned that you cannot simply try to squash somebody like a bug and expect everybody to give you a pass.
Rubin reflected on how strange the episode felt, recalling that when the controversy first started, everybody wanted the store to die. He described the situation as surreal, involving a pop star, a mechanical bird, and a small shop.
Rubin pointed out that when someone that famous and powerful tries to squash someone like a bug, the resulting damage should not be blamed solely on the trolls; the fuse was lit by the celebrity’s post.
As of the latest statements from Adam Rubin, the store continues to face online hostility, threats, and doxing directed at both the business and its supporters. Rubin has called for a reconsideration of the place society gives to celebrities, while the mechanical bird Molly remains listed at its new fifteen‑million‑dollar price tag.