Kelly Clarkson accused a New York store to treat her as if she could not afford its merchandise. But the company at the center of its viral complaint offered a different explanation.
Clarkson, a three-time Grammy winner, publicly called out Art of Play in Brooklyn, writing on
“Wow, man. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote of the employee serving her at the store. She compared the experience to the scene in “Pretty Woman” in which Julia Roberts’ character is snubbed in a high-end boutique, inviting people to visit the store “if you like being treated like Julia Roberts’ character.”
Clarkson’s accusation sparked a rapid backlash against Art of Play, leading many social media users to criticize it and leave negative reviews online.
Art of Play said in a statement on Instagram on Sunday that Clarkson had inquired about purchasing Molly, a “one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton.” The mechanical bird was not for sale, the store said, because it “plays an important role in the magic shows we put on here.”
“However, the negative experience Kelly described on Twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a store,” the outlet wrote. He added that all visitors to Art of Play are “equally welcome.”
The statement, which explains why Clarkson couldn’t purchase the bird, did not directly address her allegation that an employee treated her as if she “couldn’t afford” his merchandise.
Art of Play described the reaction to Clarkson’s message as overwhelming.
“Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who had never visited our store,” he adds. “It has been a surreal experience to be at the center of such outrage after just one celebrity mention.”
Art of Play’s response Sunday fueled an online debate over whether Clarkson misinterpreted the interaction and whether his decision to publicly name-drop the small company was justified.
Representatives for Clarkson and Art of Play did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Clarkson is a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” and a former host of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” also on the network. NBC is a division of NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of NBC News.
The incident sparked debate over whether bias plays a role in stores’ treatment of customers.
Some netizens speculated that Clarkson might have been offended because she wasn’t recognized, while others argued that she was asking to be treated decently as a customer, regardless of whether the company knew about her wealth and status.
In its press release, Art of Play thanked its community for its support and welcomed “all the curious people who discovered us in the midst of the drama”. The store also referenced one of Clarkson’s most famous sayings.
“We’ll keep our heads down and hopefully we can clear things up with Kelly one day,” Art of Play wrote. “As a talented popular singer once said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
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