Brooklyn shop owner accuses Kelly Clarkson of 'abuse of power' as staff receive threats after 'Pretty Woman' row
Kelly Clarkson, whose dispute over a mechanical bird has seen fans dox neighbours and review-bomb businesses near Adam Rubin's Brooklyn shop, which has now received threats after she went public.Silent security footage of Kelly Clarkson's four-minute-fifty-second Brooklyn store visit, showing her gesturing at staff near the $15,000 mechanical bird, but containing no audio to resolve what was actually said.
Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play in Brooklyn, says Kelly Clarkson has 'put us in danger' after the singer's viral complaint about her treatment sparked a wave of threats, harassment and doxing against his staff and neighbours. Rubin called Clarkson's decision to publicly attack a small business 'reprehensible abuse of power', saying she tried to 'squash somebody like a bug'. Security footage showing Clarkson's full visit, lasting under five minutes, has since been released but contains no audio and does not resolve what was actually said.
The dispute started when Clarkson posted on X alleging that staff had made her feel like someone who couldn't afford Molly — a $15,000 mechanical singing bird that is a permanent wall fixture and not available for purchase.
Rubin describes the fallout as 'asymmetrical social warfare', with millions of Clarkson's followers flooding the shop with negative reviews and threatening messages.
Amid the chaos, Art of Play has hiked Molly's listed price from $15,000 to $15 million.
