Newly obtained CCTV footage shows Kelly Clarkson's brief visit to the Brooklyn shop at the centre of her online feud, lasting less than five minutes. The silent video, obtained by journalist Pablo Torre, shows the singer entering Art of Play wearing a yellow T-shirt, jeans, a grey baseball cap and a backpack.
Clarkson, 44, is seen browsing shelves before approaching a mechanical singing bird named Molly, which has a $15,000 (£11,000) price tag displayed nearby. She speaks to a shop assistant beside the bird, and at one point the employee appears to gesture towards something before the pair move apart. He subsequently seems to point something else out while Clarkson has her back turned.
Dispute over exchange
The singer then returns an item to a shelf and approaches another employee at the till, where she appears to speak animatedly, gesturing with her hands, before leaving. The footage contains no audio, making it impossible to establish exactly what was said during the exchange.
The dispute began on Saturday when Clarkson took to X to complain about her experience at the shop, which sells unusual games, puzzles and mechanical curiosities. She claimed she had travelled across Brooklyn specifically to visit, only to be made to feel unwelcome. '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,' she wrote. 'Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a huge sale.'
Store's account
Art of Play hit back, insisting the item Clarkson had been interested in was simply unavailable to purchase. According to the shop, Molly is a specially commissioned mechanical bird permanently attached to the wall and used during its in-house magic performances. The business said it had offered to help Clarkson purchase a similar creation directly from the artist, Bliss Kolb, for $15,000, and that staff had attempted to show her another singing bird priced at $2,000, but she had left before they could do so.
Clarkson accused the business of being dishonest, writing, 'Okay, cool. So you're not only rude, you're also a liar.' She alleged that an employee had looked her up and down before explaining the price in a condescending tone, and claimed he had told her he could find something comparable. '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 added.
Owner's allegations
Art of Play has maintained that the $15,000 tag referred to a similar bird available to commission from the artist, rather than Molly herself. Shop owner Adam Rubin has now accused Clarkson of unleashing a torrent of abuse against his small business. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rubin, 43, claimed staff had received threatening messages and calls, and the shop had been targeted with negative reviews and harassment.
'Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger,' he alleged. 'We've been review-bombed. We're getting harassed on social media.' He also claimed people had gathered outside the shop shouting, and neighbours had been subjected to online harassment. Rubin said the backlash had forced him to return to work while recovering from surgery to remove skin cancer, despite being due to have his stitches taken out. 'None of us are supposed to be here today, especially me,' he said, adding that he was concerned for the safety of his employees.
The owner also alleged that Clarkson had shouted at a member of staff before leaving, declaring she would never return. He described the controversy as an 'enormous misunderstanding' and accused the singer of misusing her public influence. 'When you have the platform, fame, money, and power that she has, you can't just try to squash somebody like a bug and expect everybody to give you a pass,' he said.
Unresolved dispute
Clarkson has not publicly responded to Rubin's latest allegations. The controversy has divided social media users, with some defending the singer's right to call out what she perceived as rude treatment, while others questioned the consequences of publicly naming a small business to millions of followers.
The newly emerged footage provides a clearer picture of Clarkson's movements inside the shop, but the absence of sound means the central disagreement over the employee's words and tone remains unresolved. As for Molly, Rubin joked that he might now consider parting with the bird for an eye-watering $15 million.
