It shouldn’t surprise me but I’ve been shocked by how many people believed that Kelly Clarkson was straight-up lying about the Brooklyn magic shop, Art of Play. I’ve seen so many people only who thought Clarkson was flatly lying about how she was treated at Art of Play – not “maybe it was a misunderstanding,” not “there was a miscommunication somewhere.” They just thought she decided to bitch out a magic store for no reason. When really, everything the Art of Play owners did and said after her tweet showed exactly why she called them out – they reacted by lying repeatedly and they treated her complaint with a snide disdain. Well, this story has reached peak ridiculousness. Art of Play’s co-owner has given several interviews in which he stops just short of calling Kelly Clarkson a war criminal. Not only that, but Pablo Torres published CCTV footage from inside the store, where you can see Kelly pick up a few items, speak to a disinterested sales guy, carefully replace the items on their shelves and leave the store… but not before she said something to the guy behind the register. Just as she said. Here’s what the co-owner had to say:
The co-owner of the Brooklyn store at the center of Kelly Clarkson’s mechanical bird controversy is blasting the singer for her “reprehensible abuse of power” after her public complaints allegedly unleashed a torrent of online harassment against his small business.
“It’s a pop star, a mechanical bird, it’s surreal. When this thing first started, everybody wanted us to die,” Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play in Brooklyn Heights, exclusively told Page Six Tuesday, referring to the hundreds of threatening messages his staffers have received since Clarkson dragged their store on social media.
“And as the truth has come to light, thinking people realize this is reprehensible abuse of power,” he continued. “We have to reconsider the place we give celebrities in our society.”
Rubin slammed Clarkson for using her platform to take down a small business.
“This is not how you can behave as a citizen in the world, like, if you are this famous and powerful and you try to squash someone like a bug, then we’re supposed to blame the trolls for all the damage that’s inflicted. She lit the fuse,” he said. The children’s book author called the last 72 hours “totally surreal” after receiving an onslaught of hate from Clarkson’s fanbase.
“It’s been so intense — thousands of hateful phone calls, thousands of hateful text messages, Kelly Clarkson fans demanding we issue her an apology, and it’s just such a perverse distortion of reality, that anyone could look at the situation and think that we are the ones who owe an apology,” he said.
He also said that Clarkson’s fans “came out of the woodwork,” tracking him and his employees down on social media, spewing hatred at their friends and doxxing their neighbors. Rubin assured us that every customer who walks through his shop doors gets treated equally.
“Regardless of what happened in the shop, a misunderstanding in a crowded shop – everybody that comes into the store is treated the same, like a normal person. That’s what pissed her off,” he said. Clarkson didn’t get any special treatment due to her celebrity status, Rubin said.
“She was treated like everybody else who comes in, whether they’re in sweatpants or they’re 9 years old, or they’re a celebrity we don’t recognize,” he said, adding that nobody in his store had recognized her. “They all get treated the same way.”
He also blasted anyone demanding that the store apologize to the “Breakaway” artist.
“I mean, she threw a Molotov cocktail into our store, and while it’s on fire, they’re saying we owe her an apology?” he said. “This is asymmetrical social warfare.”
He kept going and he told a new version of “the bird is not for sale despite the price tag.” Listening to Adam Rubin’s pity party for himself, it’s easy to understand how he and the shop mishandled this situation at every level. They couldn’t even offer an apology in good faith at the very start of this, nor could they say that it was a simple misunderstanding which snowballed. They’re still blaming Kelly for coming into the store and feeling their disrespect and disdain!!
I suspect the issue lies with giving these kinds of long-winded, confusing answers when someone asks whether the bird is for sale. https://t.co/7DAa5guBTX
— troglodyte (@saddy_issues) October 14, 2026
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Backgrid. Screencap courtesy of Kelly Clarkson’s show.
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- New York, NY – Kelly Clarkson takes it to the streets of Manhattan while filming her next project in NYC. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 24 AUGUST 2021 BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New Jersey, NJ – Kelly Clarkson captivates the audience with a stunning performance at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. Pictured: Kelly Clarkson BACKGRID USA 11 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Citi Concert Series on Today Show at Rockefeller Center. Featuring: Kelly Clarkson Where: New York, New York, United States When: 22 Sep 2023 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
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- Citi Concert Series on Today Show at Rockefeller Center. Featuring: Kelly Clarkson Where: New York, New York, United States When: 22 Sep 2023 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
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- Kelly Clarkson kicked off the 2025 summer Citi concert series with a live performance on the ‘Today’ show. She performed hits and new songs at Rockefeller plaza Featuring: Kelly Clarkson Where: New York, Deer When: 06 May 2025 Credit: Jorge Estrellado/TheNews2/Cover Images
Ugh, team Kelly here. This story needs to die.
Art of Play keeps digging a deeper hole with every “defense” including showing the store footage — which seems to just prove Kelly’s point — but more importantly a shitty thing to publish. Who wants to go to a store that will post footage of you online?
Business 101 for shop owners: if something has a price tag, it’s for sale.
If it’s not for sale, it shouldn’t be too difficult to attach a “not for sale” tag.
Unless you’re a misogynistic, lying man. Then it might be a tad difficult…
Team Kelly here, too. I think this took off because people are getting TIRED of rudeness in general. How hard is it to train your employees to be courteous? I think this is also an indicator for the midterms. The usual rude, lying MAGAT ads are not landing as they did in the past. At least here in Texas, I’m running into more and more people who are immune and are being motivated to vote for Talerico and all Democrats.
But that’s the thing — there is one for sale, it’s just not the exact one in the shop. That’s why they put the price tag there. He explained that to her and she immediately clocked it as “you’re too poor to buy this.” That’s Kelly reading a whole hell of a lot into a seconds-long interaction.
He changed his story over and again. His team sure have people doing their work for them. Shame their staff couldn’t.
They literally lied and said it wasn’t for sale at all and she was entitled. Then when she had receipts they lied again. Stop this nonsense.
Putting a price tag next to an item means that item is for sale for that price. If that tag is wrong that is a deceptive sale practice. This whole similar item is for sale bs when no sign indicates this is again a deceptive sale practice.
And according to NY law, it’s illegal to show something as for sale when it’s not, or showing it listed at a different price.
This screams Brooklyn hipster in overpriced store sees casually dressed woman with southern accent and immediately decides no way she has money. All of their posts and attitude after the fact just gives pompous a—hole.
Brick & mortars wonder why we buy online? I don’t need to “qualify” for decent service. Was utterly shamed in an art store, so turned around & similar piece purchased online. Same price zero drama.
Well said! 👏
That is definitely how is coming across.
This story has flabbergasted me. I think they must have been truly egregious for Kelly to even have said something publicly in the first place. She’s been in the public eye for more than two decades and has rarely made complaints.
And yeah the fact that their story keeps changing is BS.
I’m also fascinated by the people who claim $15k is a joke price. The artist is selling similar ones directly for $12k, so $15k seems completely ordinarily priced.
Good lord, that is a complete mis-statement of what’s going on here. The artist himself lives in Seattle and has one other bird like Molly which is for sale, directly through him, for $15k. Not $12k. If she wants a bird like Molly, she would have to reach out to Bliss Kolb directly to get it but wouldn’t be able to take it home that day. That’s why he offered her a more inexpensive version.
No, Rachel, Megan is correct. the artist also sells the birds through his site for $12k.
That’s where I am – Kelly Clarkson does not have a reputation for calling out businesses in a “you dont know who I am” kind of way. The employee must have been a real jerk to her and honestly, based on how the owner is doubling down, it just makes her version seem more plausible to me. If they had come out immediately with a better PR statement, I think this would have blown over and gone away.
This guy is the living embodiment of someone who should “say less”. The more he explains, the worse it gets. Now he’s raised the price of the bird that’s for sale but definitely not for sale? I still don’t understand that.
The store clerk didn’t have to have recognized Clarkson to deal with her respectfully. As Kaiser said yesterday, most businesses would simply apologize for the confusion and ask her to come back to the store with her kids for a photo op.
He’s making it worse with each statement. It would have been so easy to graciously apologize for the confusion and settle the matter either way her offline.
BELIEVE WOMEN. When they report their experiences, the disrespect they face, their anguish, their fury, their outrage, their disbelief. Believe women. They aren’t imagining sh*t.
@Yankeedoodles — Exactly this!
What about all those Karens for lack of a better word. People imagine things all the time. I am not talking about SA here of course.
The Karen trope is a convenient way to dismiss women’s experiences. If a woman speaks up for herself she’s probably an entitled bitch prone to bouts of hysteria.
The use of Karen was for white women who called authorities against black people.
Kelly didn’t call the authorities. And these magician store owners have bombarded the media with their side in ever changing stories.
The video they produce doesn’t show Kelly having any sort of fit either. The more they speak the more we can see why Kelly felt the way she did about her treatment at the store.
I believe Kelly. I also believe adults should have better conflict résolution skills. That applies to all parties in this ridiculous row.
This is about customer service. Let’s not conflate it with other MUCH MORE SERIOUS issues and situations. This story has already taken up too much space.
Or conversely let’s ask why it’s resonating with so many people.
👏🏾
I will take the hits here, but I think there’s something to be said about dealing with this privately. The store clerk could be in the wrong here and did not handle the situation well. I for one have experienced poor treatment because people judged us based on appearance. It leaves a bad taste. Most times, I leave it there — because as a busy working mom, I don’t have the energy to take to social media or call on the manager. I think this is a universal experience TBH. We all have experienced bad service for whatever reason. At the same time I also recognize people make mistakes and while the adage the customer is always right or is king, as customers we can always show a bit of grace. Service people will slip up. Many work long hours, with long commute.
My point is the store clerk may well be in the wrong but by unleashing this on SM when one is a celebrity with large following and stories like these are perfect rage click bait, it leaves no room for reconciliation. Especially for a small business owner. The uncontrollable and unstoppable on line mob can batter at will. Does the subsequent abuse matches the crime? Is there no room for an out?
For me this story is so disheartening on so many levels. SM and the internet have brought more calamity than good and has ripped society into a freefall. Human nature is fickle and such platforms have made it more terrible, with far reaching consequences. It’s easier to be anonymous and be cruel at the same time.
I fear for all of us.
I have heard that the owner of the small business here is a billionaire. So playing the small biz card seems a bit disingenuous.
Completely agree, Kit. I am not going to say if I believe Kelly or not because I wasn’t there but the way she handled it was wrong. She should have handled it privately and not have her millions of followers harass a store and its employees. People have weird par-asocial relationships with celebrities and who knows what they will do (we live in such a crazy world) She can use her platform for much better instead of dragging a store.
Actually, there is quite a bit of “room for reconciliation “. It’s called an apology.
I don’t get how they are blaming Kelly for a situation they made worse. They should have just apologized. Instead they are accusing her of targeting their business.
That said, if people are calling and making death threats, for the love of all that is holy, get a life! Why are you in a beef with a shop that didn’t do anything to you!
Kelly made two tweets and left it at that. They released or sold the security video. But conviently with no audio. The average person would not recognize Kelly Clarkson in a cap and backpack. She looks like the typical tourist to me.
Now the co-owner is making a national media tour out of this being ridiculous.
All I saw was the typical hipster salesperson leaned back with his coffee with a look on his face he is wasting his time on a tourist. Kelly just put the things back it looked like she was going to buy.
Then as she was leaving said something to another salesperson and left. I don’t believe the BS she demanded it be taken off the wall immediately. Or they said they have another one but she DEMANDED Molly. No tantrum at all.
I do believe he thought he was taking pity on the middle-aged tourist to steer her to a cheaper item.
I just love someone at her level just walking around Brooklyn by herself, no team no don’t you know who I am. No close the store for me, She was just being a regular person and got judged on her appearance.
The store will be fine its a community favorite and no one is losing their lives here.
Team Kelly
The response to her first tweet should have been they were sorry she felt that way and an apology for not clearly explaining the bird was not for sale. (Their own store video shows Kelly didn’t have a rampage and wasn’t even there that long.
Instead we got a thousand different versions and a media tour.
Is this store next to the Brooklyn Coffee Shop? Do Thyme and Kale have that owner over for poetry night?
LOL. I kept thinking of them for real.
Probably.
Honestly I am over all of them in this story. In the wise words of Kourtney Kardashian “people are dying Kim”. This is a ridiculous fight between a rich person and an expensive rich person store. First world problems of the highest order
💯
After getting bad customer service and decide that she’s not buying anything, she put the items back on the shelves. That’s such polite behavior, especially for someone they claim to be throwing a tantrum.
I believe that the store clerk failed to explain that she couldn’t have that bird on that day, possibly because he didn’t take her inquiry seriously enough to present it to the maker. Likely a lot of people inquire very casually about that bird. He assumed that the price of the item and the delay in getting it for her were obstacles. He didn’t explain it fully (because we know how few seconds the interaction took) instead pointing to something he could sell to her. So the salesperson did make assumptions about her, add to that the fact he wants to sell something the shop owns. Would the shop make money if the transaction was with the maker directly? Maybe, if it established a positive relationship with the customer and led to the sale of other items. But that guy didn’t have the bandwidth to make it happen.
Viewed the footage from inside the store and I can’t help but feel that Kelly is in the wrong here.
As I said on Twitter this guy is showing levels of hipster douchebaggery I haven’t seen since the 2000’s. New Yorkers, I’m so sorry you guys still have to deal with these people. Team Kelly all the way.
This guy needs to stop clutching his oyster-friendly pearls. My god.
I’m not saying Kelly should have put the store on blast but he seems insufferable.
The more this guy speaks and “explains” the more you can see why Kelly interpreted the behaviour the way she did.