From US$15,000 to US$15m: Brooklyn shop hikes price of mechanical bird after Kelly Clarkson spat
NEW YORK, Oct 15 — A mechanical singing bird has become the unlikely star of Kelly Clarkson’s latest controversy, with a Brooklyn curiosity shop now putting a staggering US$15 million (RM61 million) price tag on the automaton at the centre of a public spat with the singer.
The new figure is 1,000 times the US$15,000 price previously associated with Molly, the shop’s singing and dancing bird mascot, following a dispute over Clarkson’s treatment during a visit to Art of Play.
And the drama is showing no signs of dying down, with the store’s co-owner, Adam Rubin, accusing the Since U Been Gone hitmaker of unleashing a wave of online hostility against his small business.
“As you’ve noticed, we’ve raised the price due to popular demand. It now costs US$15 million,” Rubin told New York magazine’s Curbed, according to Bang Showbiz.
The extraordinary price hike follows Clarkson’s complaint on social media over the weekend, in which she claimed staff had treated her as though she could not afford the shop’s merchandise.
The singer compared the encounter to Julia Roberts’ character in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman, who is famously snubbed while shopping at an upscale Beverly Hills boutique.
Rubin, however, has pushed back against Clarkson’s account, describing the fallout as “an insane misunderstanding” that spiralled after the singer took her grievances public.
“Nothing happened in this shop to justify her scolding our shopkeeper on the way out, but I can let that go…
“Things changed when she used her platform to attack us. It’s asymmetrical social warfare.”
Rubin claimed Clarkson’s fans had subsequently bombarded the shop with angry calls, negative reviews and accusations of racial profiling.
“They’re shouting, they’re screaming. They show up, they shout, ‘You’re racially profiling Kelly Clarkson!’
“This was out on the sidewalk, so neighbours called the police, and when they filmed the neighbours their followers doxxed the neighbours… Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger.”
The row began after Clarkson visited Art of Play on Saturday (October 10) and enquired about purchasing Molly, an elaborate automaton created by Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb.
Molly, the mechanical singing bird at the centre of Kelly Clarkson’s dispute with Brooklyn curiosity shop Art of Play, now carries a staggering US$15 million price tag following the public spat. — Picture via Art of Play
According to the store, Molly is permanently attached to a wall and serves as a mascot for its magic shows, meaning the original bird was never intended for sale.
However, the shop said Kolb had indicated he would be willing to sell a nearly identical automaton for US$15,000, with the price displayed to gauge serious interest.
In a statement on Sunday, Art of Play said it was stunned by the backlash following Clarkson’s complaint.
“Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by eight million people who have never visited our store. It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity.”
Clarkson was not convinced by the explanation and fired back, accusing the shop of changing its story.
“So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’
“That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it.”
Art of Play subsequently issued another statement, maintaining that staff had explained the difference between Molly and the similar bird available from its creator.
The shop said employees had also offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird automaton made by a traditional German clockmaking workshop, priced at around US$2,000.
“We’ve reached out to Kelly directly to try and clear the air. We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding,” the store said.
Meanwhile, security footage of Clarkson’s visit, obtained by journalist Pablo Torre and made public this week, has added another twist to the saga.
The footage shows Clarkson browsing the shop, approaching Molly and speaking with staff before leaving after roughly five minutes.
However, the video has no audio, meaning it cannot establish what was said during the exchange or settle the competing accounts of the encounter.
Asked by Curbed whether the publicity had translated into increased sales, Rubin declined to comment further, saying the shop had “said enough” before asking the reporter to leave.