Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn curiosity shop are giving very different accounts of an encounter that quickly turned into a social media controversy.
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).
The Grammy-winning singer took to X on Saturday to criticize Art of Play, saying an employee made her feel as though she could not afford the item she wanted. Clarkson said she visited the store with several purchases in mind but left upset by the interaction.
Comparing the experience to Julia Roberts’ character being dismissed by a boutique in the movie Pretty Woman, Clarkson encouraged people to visit the shop if they wanted to know what that treatment felt like. She also warned the employee that the store had lost a major sale.
Her post drew widespread attention, and the business faced criticism and negative reviews from people online.
Art of Play responded Sunday, explaining that Clarkson had asked about purchasing Molly, a one-of-a-kind mechanical bird that sings and dances. According to the shop, the automaton serves as part of the experience at its magic shows and was not available for purchase.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE.
The business also acknowledged Clarkson’s feelings, saying anyone who has felt judged while shopping could relate to her description of the encounter. However, the store disputed the implication that it had simply refused to sell her the bird.
Clarkson pushed back against that explanation in another post Sunday evening. She said the conversation included a discussion about the item’s $15,000 price tag, which she claimed was displayed alongside the bird’s name. She also alleged that an employee offered to find her something comparable in a condescending manner.
The disagreement continued Monday when Art of Play provided a more detailed account of the visit. The store said Clarkson was there for approximately five minutes and that employees explained the original bird was not theirs to sell. Its creator, however, owned a nearly identical automaton that could be purchased for $15,000.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP AND TAKE US WITH YOU ANYWHERE!
The shop added that employees offered to show Clarkson another singing bird made by a German clockmaking company. That alternative reportedly cost around $2,000 and was available to take home immediately, but the store said Clarkson left before seeing it.
Art of Play said it had contacted Clarkson directly in hopes of resolving the dispute. The business also thanked supporters and welcomed new visitors who had discovered the shop amid the controversy.
Related Article: ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ Renewed For 5th Season, Sherri Shepherd Says She’s Still Fighting To Stay On-Air
Related Article: Did Jordin Sparks Get Her ‘American Idol’ Prizes? Singer Tells The Tea
The incident has prompted broader conversations about how customers should be treated, whether celebrities receive different treatment when they are recognized and the consequences of publicly calling out a small business.
Neither side’s account has been independently established, leaving the online debate centered on their competing descriptions of the same encounter.
HEAD BACK TO THE RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM HOMEPAGE
