Kelly Clarkson Feud With Brooklyn Toy Store Sparks Debate on Viral Backlash Kelly Clarkson accused Art of Play, a Brooklyn toy store, of belittling her over a $15,000 singing bird automaton, sparking viral backlash and thousands of threats against the shop, its co-owner says. Kelly Clarkson's feud with a Brooklyn toy store over a pricey mechanical bird has escalated into a viral firestorm, with the shop's co-owner saying the singer was angry she got treated like everybody else. The drama broke out over the weekend when Clarkson, 44, claimed an employee at Art of Play belittled her and suggested she could not afford a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton on display. Adam Rubin, co-owner of the Art of Play curiosity shop in Brooklyn Heights, told The Post the Grammy winner was upset that she did not receive special treatment during her visit.Fame Meets Small‑Business PoliciesEverybody that comes into the store is treated the same, like a normal person, Rubin said. That is what pissed her off. She did not get special treatment. Rubin said the situation devolved into 72 hours of chaos for the store as Clarkson and her fans demanded an apology for the supposed insult.The store said Molly, the robotic singing and dancing bird, is permanently attached to the wall and not for sale, and that Clarkson did not make clear she wanted to have one made for herself. Rubin added that Molly, now the most famous singing bird automaton in the world, is priced at $15 million. If somebody walks into the shop with $15 million, they can take the thing off the wall, he said.Clarkson originally wrote on social media that she drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out the store and was looked at as if she could not afford it. She compared the encounter to the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, in which Julia Roberts character is dismissed by a boutique saleswoman who assumes she cannot afford the clothing.Social Media Backlash Amplifies OutrageBut y all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman, Clarkson wrote. For sure, check it out. Art of Play posted a response claiming 8 million people had bombarded them with hateful messages after the singer s accusations. The store wrote that it was a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity.Clarkson then responded on X and Instagram stories on Sunday afternoon, writing: Cool, cool. Sure, it was not for sale. That is the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with. She added that the whole conversation when she asked if the bird was for sale while pointing to the price tag never happened, and that the employee spoke in a condescending tone about the 15,000 dollar price.Clarkson wrote: So you are not only rude, you are also a liar. Got it. She also said she supports small businesses but they do not get a free pass to treat people less than. Rubin said Clarkson threw a Molotov cocktail into the store, and while it is on fire, they are saying we owe her an apology.Petty‑Rival Tactics Spark Online WarfareThis is asymmetrical social warfare, he fumed. He claimed that along with threats against the store, Clarkson s fans slammed their friends, doxed neighbors and review-bombed businesses around the shop. Rubin said he could empathize if Clarkson was having a bad day, but he could not forgive her actions for unleashing her followers on the store.He said she knew the entire pressure of her millions and millions of fans around the world were going to come to the service of their queen and weaponize themselves on behalf of a millionaire they have never met. Public relations experts said the viral attention brings risks for the store, but could create an opportunity if it handles the backlash well.Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital the debacle speaks to the power and presumptive veracity of celebrity statements, the staggering pace and scale of social media, and the critical need for a crisis communications plan. Eldridge said the situation proved Winston Churchill s famous quip: A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on in the morning.Another expert told Fox News Digital that Clarkson has 40 million followers, and her taking to social media and making a comment can have a devastating effect on a small business. Rubin insisted no one in the store recognized the American Idol winner, and that people way more famous than Kelly Clarkson have come in and been treated just the same as everybody else.