Clarkson, Brooklyn Shop Dispute Mechanical Bird Encounter

Kelly Clarkson accused Brooklyn curiosity shop Art of Play of treating her as though she could not afford a $15,000 mechanical bird, Molly, and compared the visit to the film *Pretty Woman*. The shop disputed her account, saying Molly is a wall-mounted display and not for sale; staff said a similar bird could potentially be commissioned and offered her a different automaton for about $2,000. Silent security footage shows Clarkson browsing for about four minutes and 50 seconds but does not capture the conversation, leaving the disagreement unresolved. Co-owner Adam Rubin said Clarkson’s public criticism brought increased attention and business, along with threats and harassment that raised safety concerns; amid the backlash, he put a $15 million price on Molly, citing popular demand. Journalist Pablo Torre later bought alternative birds for auction to benefit glioblastoma research through the Kira Fund.