Kelly Clarkson's public clash with a Brooklyn shop has left its owner concerned about more than a lost sale.
asserted
clash → leave → sale
Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play and a children’s author, spoke with Fox News Digital inside the Brooklyn store Tuesday morning, claiming the singer has put his business in danger after their viral dispute over a $15,000 mechanical singing bird.
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singer → speak → bird
The bird at the center of the controversy now has a staggering $15 million price tag.
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bird → have → tag
Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," Rubin told Fox News Digital.
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Rubin → put → Digital
Rubin claimed the backlash has extended beyond angry comments online, with people associated with the business allegedly facing threats and having their personal information exposed.
uncertain
information → claim → threats
"We've got incredible support from our neighbors and fans over the past few days, and all of them have been attacked, threatened, doxed," he said.
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he → get → them
Rubin also accused Clarkson of an "abuse of power," arguing that the singer's enormous platform has intensified the backlash against his small business.
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platform → accuse → business
Rubin argued that Clarkson's celebrity status carries a responsibility.
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status → argue → responsibility
"You can't just try to squash somebody like a bug and expect everybody to give you a pass," he said.
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he → try → pass
Rubin also questioned why strangers would go to such lengths to attack a small business on behalf of a celebrity, expressing frustration that people who had never visited his store were joining the backlash.
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who → question → backlash
The mechanical bird that sparked the dispute has also undergone a dramatic price change.
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that → spark → change
A photograph taken Tuesday by Fox News Digital shows a new sign beside Molly identifying the bird as a creation of artist Bliss Kolb, with an eye-popping price of $15 million.
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photograph → take → million
The sign describes Molly as "The world's most famous singing bird automata!" and lists its price as "$15,000,000."
The new figure is 1,000 times the original $15,000 price at the center of Clarkson's complaint.
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figure → describe → complaint
Art of Play previously explained in a public statement that the original $15,000 figure referred to a nearly identical automaton available from artist Bliss Kolb, while Molly herself is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a fixture in the store's magic performances.
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Molly → explain → performances
Rubin also addressed the dramatic price change during his conversation with Fox News Digital, pointing to the attention Molly has received since Clarkson's visit.
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Molly → address → visit
He described the new figure as a matter of "supply and demand," while the store has maintained that the bird is not for sale.
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bird → describe → sale
Rubin suggested Molly's sudden notoriety has made her one of the most recognizable mechanical birds in the world.
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her → suggest → world
The new sign offers a striking contrast to the original $15,000 price tag that Clarkson cited in her complaint.
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Clarkson → offer → complaint
The price change adds another twist to a dispute that began Saturday when Clarkson visited the Brooklyn shop and later accused an employee of treating her as though she couldn't afford its merchandise.
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she → add → merchandise
Clarkson initially took to social media to describe what she considered a humiliating shopping experience, comparing her treatment to Julia Roberts' character in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman."
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she → take → film
"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.
uncertain
Clarkson → drive → me
You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale."
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You → ’re → sale
The singer later doubled down on her account after Art of Play disputed her version of events.
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Art → double → events
Clarkson maintained that she had pointed to a $15,000 price tag and was told the bird was available for purchase, but that an employee suggested finding her something comparable.
uncertain
employee → maintain → something
"So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar.
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you → ’re → ?
Got it," Clarkson wrote in a follow-up post.
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Clarkson → got → post
Art of Play has maintained that the encounter was a misunderstanding.
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encounter → maintain → Play
In its public response, the store explained that Molly is a permanent fixture in the shop and that employees had offered Clarkson the opportunity to purchase a similar bird from its creator.
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employees → explain → creator
The business also said another singing bird automaton, priced at approximately $2,000, was available.
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automaton → say → 2,000
For Rubin, however, the controversy has become much more personal than a disagreement over an unusual piece of merchandise.
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controversy → become → merchandise
During his conversation with Fox News Digital, the co-owner revealed that he had recently undergone a medical procedure and was not supposed to be working.
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he → reveal → procedure
"I'm not even supposed to be here today.
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I → suppose → ?
I got a cancer removed from my face last week," Rubin said.
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Rubin → get → face
"I'm getting the stitches out tonight."
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stitches → get → ?
Rubin said his concern about the store's safety was the reason he came in despite recovering from the procedure.
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he → say → procedure
The co-owner also wanted to explain what Art of Play represents beyond the dispute that has suddenly brought it national attention.
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that → want → attention
"This is a curiosity shop," Rubin told Fox News Digital.
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Rubin → tell → Digital
He described a business built around objects intended to inspire curiosity, including spinning tops, kaleidoscopes, puzzles, games and playing cards.
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He → describe → tops
"And the reason this place exists is to make people feel like a kid again," Rubin said.
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Rubin → exist → kid
The business began online before operating a small location in San Diego.
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business → begin → Diego
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
