Art of Play: Bird Clarkson Wanted Wasn't for Sale — SkimNews
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- Kelly Clarkson tweeted Saturday that she was "treated like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman" at Art of Play in Brooklyn, claiming an employee looked at her as if she couldn't afford items and said he could "find something comparable."
- The tweet garnered ~260,000 likes and 32.2 million views, with Clarkson tagging the store and telling fans to visit if they "enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman."
- Art of Play responded Sunday via an Instagram carousel, clarifying that the item Clarkson inquired about — a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton named Molly — is "permanently attached to the wall and isn't for sale."
- The store explained Molly plays "an important role in the magic shows we host here" and acknowledged receiving backlash from "8 million people who have never visited our store."
- Art of Play said it greets everyone with the invitation to "pick things up and play" and welcomes browsers as much as buyers, while conceding "the negative experience Kelly described would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop."
- A Feb. 2025 Instagram post by the shop shows Molly is its "beloved shop bird" and "mascot," one of the few items in the store that carries a "Do Not Touch" sign.
Why it matters: A single X post that drew 32.2 million views triggered backlash from "8 million people who have never visited" the Brooklyn shop, per Art of Play. The store's response both validates Clarkson's feeling of being judged and clarifies the factual root: the bird was permanently bolted to the wall and never for sale.
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