Art of Play says the bird Clarkson asked about was not for sale
Art of PlayBrooklyn shop, in a statement on Instagram
Art of Play says Molly, the bird Clarkson asked about, was not for sale because it plays an important role in the magic shows the shop hosts, and says all visitors are equally welcome.
Responding to
Molly, the mechanical bird Clarkson asked about, was not for sale because it plays a role in the magic shows Art of Play hosts.
“plays an important role in the magic shows we host here”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Kelly Clarkson says a Brooklyn shop treated her as if she couldn't afford a $15,000 automaton; Art of Play says it was not for sale
Singer Kelly Clarkson wrote on X on October 10, 2026, that an employee at Art of Play, a Brooklyn curiosity shop, looked at her as if she could not afford what she wanted and offered to find her something comparable. Art of Play said the item she asked about, a mechanical singing bird called Molly, was not for sale because it is used in the shop's magic shows. Clarkson replied that the employee had told her the bird cost $15,000 and called the shop's account a lie. Co-owner Adam Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify her criticism, and silent security footage of the visit does not show what was said.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
NBC News report on Clarkson's first post, Art of Play's Instagram statement that the mechanical bird Molly was not for sale because it is used in the shop's magic shows, and Clarkson's second post. The article notes that NBC is Clarkson's network.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
NBC News reports that Art of Play said in an Instagram statement that Clarkson asked about purchasing Molly, which it called a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton.
After the quotation
The statement says the negative experience Clarkson described would resonate with anyone who has felt judged in a shop, and that the business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited it.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case centers on how Art of Play's staff treated Clarkson. The shop offers a different account of why she could not buy the bird and does not directly address her claim about how the employee treated her, so we labeled it a challenge to her characterization.
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More from this case
Read the full caseArt of Play co-owner Adam Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify Clarkson's scolding
“nothing happened in this shop to justify her scolding our shopkeeper on the way out”Read statement
Kelly Clarkson calls Art of Play's not-for-sale account a lie
“That all never happened and now it's not for sale. Okay, cool. So you're not only rude, you're also a liar.”Read statement
Kelly Clarkson says an Art of Play employee looked at her as if she couldn't afford it
“literally was looked at as if I couldn't afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me. Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”Read statement
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- Art of Play says the bird Clarkson asked about was not for sale
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The Dispute Index. "Art of Play says the bird Clarkson asked about was not for sale". First published: 2026-10-24. Last updated: 2026-10-24. https://disputeindex.com/events/6665-art-of-play-says-molly-the-bird-clarkson