NEW YORK — The drama between Kelly Clarkson and a New York City curiosity shop has taken another twist.
An independent journalist obtained and released security footage appearing to show the interaction between the Grammy Award-winning singer and members of Art of Play, a store in Brooklyn.
Clarkson criticized the store in social media posts that went viral, comparing her alleged treatment to a scene that Julia Roberts’ character encountered in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman.
The singer claimed an employee looked at her as if she could not afford Molly, a $15,000 mechanical bird she asked about purchasing.
The store responded with posts of its own in a back-and-forth internet debate, adding that the mechanical bird was not for sale.
According to Variety, the four-minute, 50-second surveillance footage was released by Pablo Torre, the host and executive editor of “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” an investigative podcast.
The video, which does not include audio, shows Clarkson picking up what appears to be a kaleidoscope on a shelf, holding it to her eye to look through it before making her way through the store.
[ Kelly Clarkson claims she got ‘Pretty Woman’ treatment at NYC store ]
Clarkson’s interaction with the owner of Art of Play was brief, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She appears to ask about “Molly” and then walks away and explores another part of the shop.
The shop owner appears to direct Clarkson toward another product on a wall, but the singer does not respond and the owner moves on to assist another customer, the entertainment news website reported.
Molly reportedly is used as the opening act for magic shows held in the shop, People reported. On his podcast, Torre claimed the mechanical bird was “drilled into the wall.”
Before leaving the store, Clarkson begins speaking to an employee behind the front counter of the store and appears to be upset as she makes gestures, according to Variety.
The singer’s first tweet about her experience was posted about 15 minutes after she left the store, the entertainment news website reported.
After the incident and flurry of social media posts, Art of Play said it raised the price for Molly to $15 million, People reported.
“So many people asked about it that we had put a price on it, but we talked to the creator when he came to fix the machine, and if someone showed serious interest, we would reach out to him about getting them an automaton,” co-owner Adam Rubin told New York Magazine on Tuesday. “As you’ve noticed, we’ve raised the price due to popular demand. It now costs $15 million.”
On Monday, a source told People that Clarkson going public with her beef was a rare outburst.
“She’s usually very private and public drama like this isn’t her,” the source told the magazine. “She’s clearly so ticked off that she couldn’t keep quiet about it. Everyone is surprised by how much this whole thing has escalated.”
0 of 27
©2026 Cox Media Group
