Kelly Clarkson Accused of Yelling at Brooklyn Shopkeeper Over $15K Singing Bird: 'I'm Never Coming Here Again'

Kelly Clarkson has been accused of yelling at a Brooklyn shopkeeper and saying she would never return to the store after a dispute over a $15,000 (£11,300) mechanical singing bird. The allegation comes from the shop's co-owner Adam Rubin, who said the remark was made as Clarkson left the store on Saturday, 10 October.

Rubin's account followed Clarkson's decision to take her complaint public on social media, sparking wider attention. Newly released security footage shows Clarkson during the visit, but the silent video cannot establish what was said or the tone of the exchange.

Kelly Clarkson Accused of Yelling at Shopkeeper

She 'yelled at the shopkeeper on her way out the door,' Rubin told the Daily Mail. 'As she was leaving, she said, "You know, I'm never coming here again."'

Rubin also claimed the fallout had put the business in danger. 'Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger,' he said, alleging that the shop had received threatening calls and messages, negative reviews and social media abuse.

He further claimed that people had appeared outside the shop and that some of the business's neighbours had been doxxed.

CCTV Shows Kelly Clarkson's Brooklyn Store Visit

Security footage obtained by journalist Pablo Torre shows Clarkson entering Art of Play, browsing items and approaching the mechanical bird. She is seen speaking to a staff member near the bird before looking around the shop. Towards the end of the visit, Clarkson is seen near the door and counter, waving her hands and gesturing while speaking to a staff member before leaving.

The footage has no audio, so it cannot independently establish what was said, whether Clarkson was yelling or the tone of the exchange. Clarkson was reportedly in the store for about five minutes.

Fallout Over $15K Bird

The dispute began when Clarkson said she was treated dismissively while asking about Molly, an animatronic singing and dancing bird displayed at Art of Play. Clarkson compared the experience to Julia Roberts' character in Pretty Woman and said a staff member appeared to assume she could not afford the item.

The store said Molly was permanently attached to the wall and was not for sale, but later clarified that a nearly identical bird owned by its creator, Seattle artist Bliss Kolb, could be purchased for $15,000 (£11,300). It also said staff offered Clarkson a different singing bird priced at about $2,000 (£1,500), but she left before seeing it.

Clarkson disputed that account, posting a photograph of the $15,000 (£11,300) price tag and accusing the store of being rude and lying about their conversation. Art of Play said it had reached out to Clarkson to clear the air and described the episode as a misunderstanding.

Store Owner Accuses Clarkson of Abuse of Power

Rubin accused Clarkson of using her celebrity status to unfairly target a small business, describing the fallout as an 'abuse of power'. 'It's a pop star, a mechanical bird, it's surreal,' Rubin told Page Six. 'When this thing first started, everybody wanted us to die.'

He argued that Clarkson's fame and influence had amplified the dispute, saying: 'When you have the platform, fame, money, and power that she has, you can't just try to squash somebody like a bug and expect everybody to give you a pass.' Rubin said Clarkson had 'lit the fuse' on the backlash.

Clarkson defended her decision to speak out, saying small businesses do not get a 'free pass' to treat customers poorly. The bird has since been listed at a tongue-in-cheek $15 million (£11.3 million) price.