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Kelly Clarkson became embroiled in an online dispute with Brooklyn store Art of Play after accusing an employee of treating her differently when she tried to buy a mechanical singing bird. The singer claimed the employee offered her a cheaper alternative after looking her up and down. Now, store co-owner Adam Rubin has accused Clarkson of abusing her celebrity status by publicly criticizing the business.

It all began with Clarkson’s X post in which she explained her side of the incident. According to USA Today, she revealed that she drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out the singing bird in a store. However, she was offered a cheaper version instead. 

The Because of You singer then called the store an “idiot” for losing a huge sale. “But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out,” she added with a thumbs-down emoji. The store’s owners responded to the controversy, saying that the bird named Molly was not for sale. 

Clarkson did not hold back as she responded with another X post, claiming that she was not told the bird was not for sale. She argued that the staffer looked her up and down before offering her a cheaper version. The heated exchange resulted in the Brooklyn store being on the receiving end of a massive backlash. 

According to Page Six, Adam Rubin, the store’s co-owner, recently reflected on the controversy. The aftermath of the controversy was not pleasant for Art of Play. The store was widely scrutinized across social media, while its owner and employees received threatening calls and messages. 

Rubin called out Clarkson’s public move, saying it was “reprehensible abuse of power.” He noted that as people got to know his side of the story, they slammed Clarkson for her public remarks. However, Rubin urged, “We have to reconsider the place we give celebrities in our society.”

He continued to share that he does not blame the trolls but the celebrity who “lit the fuse.” Rubin noted that Clarkson’s fanbase demanded a public apology for the singer, but she is not getting one. He argued, “We didn’t know this was gonna happen, but Kelly Clarkson did, and she needs to be held accountable for her actions.”

The store’s co-owner assured that every customer at Art of Play is treated equally. He alleged that Clarkson was also treated like any other customer, claiming that “that’s what pissed her off.” He further added that nobody in the crowded store recognized her. 

Rubin continued to share details of the incident and revealed that the Underneath The Tree singer did not offer to pay. “She did not take out her Black Card and try to buy the thing off the wall. She was not told, no, she was not told to leave,” he said. He further clarified that a bird like Molly takes years to make. Therefore, Clarkson was shown a different bird that cost $2,000.

Despite the controversy, Rubin said that the singer was welcome to his store anytime she wanted. However, he confirmed that he was not going to issue her an apology.

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