The $15,000 mechanical bird at the center of the dispute
Kelly Clarkson, the singer, songwriter and television personality, has a reported net worth of $60 million, according to Celebritynetworth.com. That figure, cited in coverage of the dispute, means she can afford expensive items. The item at the center of the controversy is a $15,000 mechanical bird named Molly. Clarkson says she visited a Brooklyn curiosity store called Art of Play and inquired about the bird. She says a staff member looked at her as if she could not afford it and told her he could find something comparable for her.[S1]
Clarkson compared the experience to a scene from the 1990 film Pretty Woman, in which Julia Roberts's character is snubbed in a Beverly Hills boutique. Rather than returning for a makeover like the character, Clarkson responded on social media. She posted on X, where she has 8.8 million followers, calling the staff member an idiot and saying the store had lost a huge sale. The post drew widespread attention and turned the dispute into a public feud.[S1]
Art of Play responds and denies the bird was for sale
In an Instagram post, Art of Play said it was taken aback when its modest neighborhood shop was suddenly swarmed by eight million strangers who had never set foot in the store. The shop added that Molly was not up for purchase. Per The Times, Art of Play stated that an employee informed Clarkson that although Molly wasn't for sale, a similar twin crafted by a Seattle artist could be bought for $15,000. The store said it had contacted her directly to smooth things over, wished her well, and hoped everyone might eventually find the mix-up funny.[S1]
Clarkson rejected the store's account. She said that if Molly was not for sale, then the conversation in which she asked whether it was for sale while pointing to the price tag did not happen. She called the store not only rude but also a liar. She added that she loves and supports small businesses but that the store was an exception, saying she never blasts people but that the store's behavior warranted it. She described the store as really cool but said the people were not.[S1]
The social media fallout and public reaction
The dispute drew coverage from multiple outlets, including The Mary Sue, BKMAG, SheKnows, the Detroit Free Press, Entrepreneur, Business Insider and BuzzFeed. A PR professional told Business Insider that Clarkson made a significant mistake in the feud. The story also generated humorous commentary, with BuzzFeed publishing a collection of jokes about the bizarre bird drama. The episode has been described as a return of social media beef, with a snobby shop, a celebrity strop, a pile-on and a very expensive bird named Molly.[S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
