Kelly Clarkson was inside Brooklyn curiosity shop Art of Play for less than five minutes, but the controversy surrounding her visit has continued to grow.
On the October 14 episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, Pablo Torre shared security footage of the singer’s visit, offering a look at the encounter behind her viral complaint about a $15,000 mechanical bird—and even made a purchase of his own.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist obtained footage showing Clarkson browsing the shop, trying out a kaleidoscope, and approaching Molly, the wooden singing bird she wanted to buy. She speaks with an employee, returns an item, gestures toward a cashier, and then leaves the store.
Total time in the shop: four minutes and 50 seconds.
Torre said Clarkson’s initial complaint appeared on X about 15 minutes after she left. The security footage shows her movements, but doesn’t capture what was said. “These cameras do not have audio,” he explained.
Clarkson’s account was straightforward: she felt judged and brushed off. Following her October 10 visit, she accused an employee of assuming she couldn’t afford the bird and likened the experience to Julia Roberts’ character being turned away in Pretty Woman.
After Art of Play said Molly wasn’t available for purchase, Clarkson posted a photo of the nearby $15,000 price tag and called the employee a liar. Torre said her original post had amassed more than 45 million views.
The shop’s explanation centers on a second Molly. In a statement read on the podcast, Art of Play said the $15,000 price was for a nearly identical bird owned by Seattle artist Bliss Kolb. The store’s Molly, meanwhile, was “permanently attached to the wall” and used in its magic shows. Staff also said they offered Clarkson a German-made alternative priced at around $2,000, but claimed she left before seeing it.
The backlash continued beyond the store, with Torre reporting that employees’ and their relatives’ social media accounts had been targeted, negative reviews had piled up, and a nearby children’s art school had been doxxed.
“We are legitimately worried about the safety of our shopkeepers,” shop co-owner Adam Rubin said, according to NewsNation.
Torre said his team had reached out to Clarkson’s representative for comment on the footage but had not received a response by the time the episode aired.
Torre then revealed the $2,000 bird. His show had purchased the alternative Clarkson reportedly never got to see: two mechanical birds displayed under glass, which they named Julia and Robert—apparently a playful reference to the Pretty Woman star.
“We’re going to auction off Julia and Robert,” Torre announced, with proceeds benefiting glioblastoma research through the Kira Fund.
