Kelly Clarkson’s visit to Brooklyn store at center of viral bird controversy captured on leaked security footage

Antoinette Bueno Wed, October 14, 2026 at 12:15 PM UTC

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Security footage shows the singer in the store for under five minutes and the moment she left while looking angry.

Kelly Clarkson’s now-viral interaction with a Brooklyn shopkeeper she accused of being rude to her over the weekend was caught on camera — and it’s now out for the world to see.

Journalist Pablo Torre obtained security footage from Art of Play in Brooklyn Heights and aired it on the Tuesday episode of his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”

Torre noted the “American Idol” winner was in the store for only four minutes and 50 seconds, and showed her inside the shop wearing a yellow shirt, jeans, a baseball cap and a backpack.

In the footage, Clarkson browses the store and plays with a telescope before she comes upon “Molly,” the rare automaton bird at the center of the scandal.

Security footage of Kelly Clarkson’s interaction with an employee of Art of Play in Brookly was released Tuesday druing journalist Pablo Torre’s “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast (as seen above). Pablo Torre Finds Out

The “American Idol” winner (seen here in 2023) accused the store of being rude to her and treating her like Julia Roberts’ character in “Pretty Woman” in a now-viral social media post over the weekend. Getty Images for iHeartRadio

There is no audio with the footage, but she’s seen talking to the shopkeeper about the bird as he also gestures to it. Their interaction is brief as he then turns to talk to another customer, which turns out to be the last time they speak to each other.

Clarkson then puts the telescope she was looking at back before heading out of the store. Before she leaves, however, she turns around and seems angry while standing at the doorway as she talks to the man at the front cash register.

The former talk show host gesticulates animatedly, as other customers turn to look at her. The man at the cash register points towards Molly, but she eventually just leaves.

Clarkson is then shown outside the store, quickly pulling out her phone.

The security footage, which has no audio, shows Clarkson was in the store for just under five minutes and was dressed similarly to other customers as she spoke to the employee about “Molly,” a rare automaton bird (as seen above). Gregory P. Mango for NY Post

The shopkeeper is seen gesturing to “Molly” (seen here) in the video before their brief interaction comes to a close, he beings helping another customer and Clarkson eventually leaves the establishment. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post

Torre noted that Clarkson’s casual clothing was very similar to other patrons in the store, suggesting she was not discriminated against based on her attire.

Torre also shared that he’s been to Art of Play before, and confirmed that “Molly” is only one of two in the world — the other one being with the creator himself, artist Bliss Kolb, in Seattle — and that the handmade bird plays an integral part in the opening act of the magic shows that go on at the store.

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The feud ignited this weekend when Clarkson dragged Art of Play on social media, accusing an employee of treating her like Julia Roberts’ character in “Pretty Woman” after allegedly assuming she couldn’t afford the mechanical singing bird, which had a price tag of $15,000. (The price tag now reads $15 million.)

Clarkson alleged that the staffer looked her up and down before condescendingly offering to find her a cheaper alternative, prompting her to call him an “idiot” who had lost a “huge sale.”

Clarkson (seen here in 2020) appeared angry while gesticulating animatedly in the doorway of the store as other customers turn to look at her before exiting and immediately picking up her phone. NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

In her social media posts over the weekend, Clarkson called the Art of Play employee an “idiot” who lost out on a “huge sale” and the back-and-forth between the singer and the store (pictured above) has blown up online. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post

However, the store fired back, insisting the bird was not actually for sale. They said they offered to show her a different $2,000 automaton — an offer she did not take.

Clarkson, 44, subsequently accused the store of lying about the exchange, while the owners said they tried to reach out to her in hopes of making amends.

On Tuesday, Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin spoke to Page Six, blasting the singer for her “reprehensible abuse of power” after her public complaints allegedly unleashed a torrent of online harassment against his small business.

“It’s a pop star, a mechanical bird, it’s surreal. When this thing first started, everybody wanted us to die,” Rubin told us, referring to the hundreds of threatening messages his staffers have received since Clarkson dragged their store on social media.

Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin (pictured above) exclusively spoke to Page Six on Tuesday, blasting Clarkson for her “reprehensible abuse of power” after her followers unleashed a wave of online harassment against the small business. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post

Sources close to Clarkson (seen here in 2023) told Page Six the singer “must’ve been livid” from her interaction at Art of Play “because that’s just not who she is.” Getty Images for SiriusXM

“And as the truth has come to light, thinking people realize this is reprehensible abuse of power,” he continued. “We have to reconsider the place we give celebrities in our society.”

Sources close to the singer previously told Page Six that Clarkson’s reaction to her experience is out of character for the Grammy winner.

“If she’s actually calling out a store publicly, she must’ve been livid,” an insider told us. “You know something must have really bothered her because that’s just not who she is.”

“Kelly is seriously one of the most down to earth people you could ever meet,” the source added. “She’s usually chill and genuinely one of the nicest people ever.”

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