Newly revealed security camera footage has provided a look inside the viral dispute between singer Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn novelty boutique after she accused workers of condescending behavior during an attempted purchase.
Journalist Pablo Torre published the silent surveillance footage on Tuesday during an episode of his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” The video documents the singer’s visit to Art of Play in Brooklyn Heights on Saturday, Oct. 10. Clarkson later criticized the establishment on social media, comparing her experience to a famous scene in the film “Pretty Woman” where boutique workers dismiss Julia Roberts’ character.
What the surveillance footage shows
According to the recording shared by Torre, Clarkson spent four minutes and 50 seconds inside the busy store. Dressed in baggy blue jeans, a yellow shirt, a baseball cap and a backpack, she browsed several displays before approaching a wall-mounted mechanical singing bird known as Molly.
The footage shows Clarkson pointing toward the automaton and speaking with a shopkeeper, who gestures near the piece and shakes his head before redirecting his attention to another patron. Clarkson then walks toward the exit, sets down an item she was holding, and turns to speak animatedly with a worker positioned at the front cash register. Other shoppers can be seen looking over at the interaction before Clarkson exits the storefront and reaches for her phone.
Conflicting accounts ignite online controversy
About 15 minutes after leaving the shop, the 44-year-old television host vented her frustration on X, alleging an employee looked down on her attire and assumed she could not afford the item.
“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson wrote, calling the worker an “idiot” who lost a large sale.
Art of Play countered that the automaton is permanently attached to the shop wall, serves a crucial role in live magic performances staged there, and was never for sale. The boutique noted that Molly is one of only two such pieces created by artist Bliss Kolb. While the store claimed staff offered to show Clarkson a different $2,000 automaton, Clarkson posted a follow-up accusing the store of lying, insisting the display featured a $15,000 price tag.
Store ownership responds to backlash
Following Clarkson’s posts, online users flooded the specialty retailer with negative reviews, sparking intense debate on social platforms regarding celebrity influence over small businesses.
Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin told Page Six that the business received hundreds of threatening messages, calling the public fallout an abuse of power. In an interview with Inside Edition, Rubin expressed concern for staff safety and maintained that employees treated Clarkson like any ordinary shopper in the crowded store.
A representative for Clarkson did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the newly published footage, and it remains uncertain whether either side plans further public statements or legal action.
