Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify Clarkson's scolding
Adam RubinCo-owner of Art of Play, in an interview with New York magazine's Curbed
Rubin calls the episode an insane misunderstanding, says nothing happened in the shop to justify Clarkson's scolding of the shopkeeper and says things changed when she used her platform against the store.
Responding to
An Art of Play employee looked at Kelly Clarkson as if she could not afford the item she wanted and offered to find her something comparable.
“nothing happened in this shop to justify her scolding our shopkeeper on the way out”
Reporting
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
The National News Desk report describing the silent security footage of Clarkson's visit released by the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, and quoting Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin's interview with New York magazine's Curbed.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Cox Media Group report on the footage released by podcast host Pablo Torre, summarizing Variety's and The Hollywood Reporter's descriptions of it, and quoting Rubin's Tuesday interview with New York magazine about Molly's price.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Rubin told Curbed that the store had set a high price on Molly to ensure serious interest from potential buyers, and called the whole thing an insane misunderstanding.
After the quotation
Rubin says Clarkson has put the store in danger, that people are being threatened on the street and that anyone who expresses sympathy for Art of Play is attacked by trolls.
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. Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify her scolding of the shopkeeper, disputing her description of the visit, so we labeled it a challenge to her characterization.
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- Kelly Clarkson
More from this case
Read the full caseKelly 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
Art of Play says the bird Clarkson asked about was not for sale
Art of Play
“plays an important role in the magic shows we host here”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 co-owner Adam Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify Clarkson's scolding
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/6667-rubin-calls-the-episode-an-insane-misunderstanding-says
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The Dispute Index. "Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin says nothing happened in the shop to justify Clarkson's scolding". First published: 2026-10-24. Last updated: 2026-10-24. https://disputeindex.com/events/6667-rubin-calls-the-episode-an-insane-misunderstanding-says