Updated

Updated · TheWrap · Oct 11

Art of Play Says 8 Million Harassed Owners After Kelly Clarkson Toyshop Complaint

Updated

Updated · TheWrap · Oct 11

Art of Play Says 8 Million Harassed Owners After Kelly Clarkson Toyshop Complaint

Q: Who is really telling the truth about the $15,000 price tag that ignited a massive celebrity feud with a Brooklyn shop?

Neither side’s account can be fully verified from the public record, but the strongest evidence only supports this much: Kelly Clarkson says she was shown a tag reading “Singing Bird” and told the piece was for sale for $15,000, while Art of Play says the bird she wanted — “Molly” — is a wall-mounted automaton used in its magic shows and was never for sale. Clarkson’s later post is the only source for the specific $15,000 figure. She alleged that when she pointed to the tagged item, an employee “elevator eyed” her and said, “yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars,” then offered to find something “comparable.” That directly supports her claim that the price tag existed and that she felt judged. Art of Play has publicly stood by a different explanation: Molly is a one-of-a-kind display piece, permanently attached to the wall, and part of the store’s shows. Reporting also notes prior store posts describing Molly as the shop’s mascot and one of the few items marked “Do Not Touch,” which lends some credibility to the store’s claim that it was not ordinary merchandise. What is missing is independent proof of the actual exchange: no photo of the alleged $15,000 tag, no video, and no detailed staff account addressing Clarkson’s quotation. So the truth of the price-tag dispute remains unresolved. The most defensible reading is that the item’s sale status and the employee’s wording are still in dispute, while the backlash far outpaced the publicly verified facts.

3 articles · Updated · TheWrap · Oct 11

Art of Play said Sunday that Kelly Clarkson’s viral complaint triggered harassment from "8 million people" after she accused a Brooklyn staffer of treating her like she could not afford the store.
The owners said the dispute centered on “Molly,” a one-of-a-kind singing bird automaton permanently attached to the wall and used in their magic shows, making it unavailable for sale.
Clarkson had posted Saturday that a sales associate offered to find something “comparable” and compared the experience to “Pretty Woman,” helping drive fans to the shop’s website and social accounts.
The store said the episode now appears to be a miscommunication, while adding that Clarkson’s account would resonate with anyone who has felt judged in a shop and expressing hope to clear things up with her.