NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Kelly Clarkson’s public dispute with a small Brooklyn company over a $15,000 mechanical bird could damage the image she has built over the past two decades, a crisis public relations expert has warned.
“There will certainly be naysayers who think Clarkson was behaving like a rich and famous prima donna and using her platform vindictively,” Steve Honig, founder of The Honig Company, told Fox News Digital. “But most people will probably think that, for the most part, she acted accordingly and that in many ways she was a model for defending herself.”
The controversy began after Clarkson claimed she was treated like Julia Roberts’ character in “Pretty Woman” while shopping at Art of Play in Brooklyn.
KELLY CLARKSON’S STORE CALL SHOWS THE ‘POWER’ OF CELEBRITY STATEMENTS: EXPERT
Kelly Clarkson sparked a public feud with a Brooklyn boutique over a sales dispute. (GC images)
Clarkson said an employee seemed to judge her based on her appearance and suggested she look at “something comparable” instead of the $15,000 mechanical bird she wanted to buy. She also called the employee an “idiot” and said the store lost a major sale.
Art of Play, which sells puzzles, games, toys, books and other specialty items, responded to Clarkson’s original social media post, saying the company was bombarded with hate messages from “8 million people” after the singer’s accusations.
“Imagine our surprise when our small, local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who had never visited our store. It has been a surreal experience to be at the center of such outrage after just one celebrity mention. Thanks to all our friends for their support and welcome to all the curious people who discovered us in the midst of the drama. We’ll keep our heads down and hope we can clear things up with Kelly one day. As a talented popular singer once said, “this that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” the store wrote on its Instagram page Sunday afternoon.
GET AN ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
After Art of Play’s Instagram post, Clarkson responded Sunday afternoon on X and Instagram to the store’s assertion that the mechanical bird was not for sale.
“Cool, cool. Of course it wasn’t for sale. This is the narrative that Art of Play is going to accompany,” Clarkson wrote, adding a thumbs-up emoji.
The singer continued: “So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale by pointing to the price tag on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen because you looked at me in the elevator and said in a condescending tone ‘yes it’s for sale but it’s $15,000 so if you want me to find something comparable for you I can.’ All of that never happened and now it’s no longer for sale Okay, cool so you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar.
Kelly Clarkson compared a recent shopping experience to Julia Roberts’ character in “Pretty Woman.” (Getty Images)
Clarkson added, “And by the way, I obviously support small business because I was literally in a small business trying to buy things. I love small business and I know they’re important and I always support them, but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than you would in your store just because you’re a small business. It’s not that hard to be nice. I’ve never criticized people but you, my friend, were a exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you’re not.
Clarkson’s post also sparked criticism online, with some users accusing her of using her platform to target a small business. The store reportedly received a wave of negative reviews on Google after the singer’s comments went viral.
SELMA BLAIR SAYS ‘NO ONE RETURNED MY CALLS’ AFTER ANTI-ISLAM COMMENT LED TO HOLLYWOOD FALLOUTS
Art of Play shared another post on Instagram on Sunday to “clarify an additional detail” about Clarkson’s visit.
“During the 5 minutes she was in the store, she learned about our mechanical bird puppet named Molly. We explained to her that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as the de facto mascot of our store, a nearly identical automaton belongs to the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle. He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000. We explained all of this. to Kelly Clarkson.
Kelly Clarkson won the first season of “American Idol” in 2002. (Kevin Winter/ImageDirect)
“We also offered to show her another songbird automaton, made by a traditional clockmaking workshop in Germany, that she could have taken home that day. It cost about $2,000. She didn’t stay long enough to see it.”
“We reached out to Kelly directly to try to clarify things,” the outlet concluded. “We really wish him the best and hope that one day we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”
Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of the game and children’s author, spoke to Fox News Digital at the Brooklyn store Tuesday morning, saying the singer put his business in danger after their viral argument.
Rubin claimed the backlash extended beyond angry comments online, with people associated with the company allegedly threatened and their personal information exposed.
“We have received incredible support from our neighbors and supporters over the last few days, and everyone has been attacked, threatened, doxxed,” he said.
Molly, a mechanical songbird designed by Bliss Kolb, is on display at Art of Play in Brooklyn. The price tag now stands at $15 million. (Fox News Digital)
Evan Nierman, CEO of crisis PR firm Red Banyan, said Clarkson’s long-established reputation would likely protect her from any lasting damage – but warned that continuing to discuss the dispute could change how some people view her.
“Arguing with a toy store over a $15,000 mechanical bird is not going to make or break the long-term reputation of a real ‘American Idol,'” Nierman said. “Rightly or wrongly, she started this conflict by telling her 9 million followers that the store owners are idiots who lost a huge sale and mistreated her.”
TAYLOR HICKS CREDITS BIRMINGHAM’S ROOTS OF FAITH AND BLUE COLLAR FOR KEEPING HIM GROUND AFTER ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ VICTORY
“Prior to this incident, she was seen as a down-to-earth and relatable celebrity, but these acrimonious exchanges on social media smear everyone involved,” he added.
The co-owner of Art and Play told Fox News Digital, “I’m afraid for the safety of our store. Kelly Clarkson put us in danger.” (Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Live Nation Las Vegas)
Honig argued that the dispute could ultimately boost Clarkson’s image because she presented herself as someone who opposed unfair treatment.
DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“The dispute is more likely to strengthen Clarkson’s image than undermine it, as she objected to being judged based on her appearance,” Honig said. “It wasn’t really about the $15,000 item, but about the way she says she was treated when she tried to buy it.”
“Just like in ‘Pretty Woman,’ someone seemed to judge a book by its cover,” he added.
Honig acknowledged, however, that the situation could become even more damaging if the conflict continues.
“There will certainly be naysayers who think Clarkson was behaving like a rich and famous prima donna and using her platform vindictively,” Steve Honig told Fox News Digital. “But most people will probably think that, for the most part, she acted accordingly and that in many ways she was a model for defending herself.” (Matthieu Stockman/Getty Images)
“The only risk is that the conflict drags on and starts to look like a celebrity using their platform against a small business,” he said.
Nierman also urged Clarkson to let the controversy fade rather than risk the dispute overshadowing his career.
“Clarkson has built up more than two decades of goodwill since winning ‘American Idol.’ She has built a deep reservoir of confidence and her fans will give her the benefit of the doubt every time in a fight like this,” he said.
“Each new round of arguments about Molly the Bird makes it more likely that the general American public will begin to draw conclusions about Clarkson and her character based on this argument, which does her no good,” Nierman added.
Kelly Clarkson rose to fame after winning the inaugural season of “American Idol” in 2002 and has since built a successful career as a singer and television host. (Art Streiber/NBC via Getty Image)
“Clarkson should do what she can to overcome this, because she wants the first thing people think of her to be her musical achievements and not some petty, drawn-out fight over a songbird.”
Honig said Clarkson should ultimately “declare victory and move on,” while Nierman suggested she ask her supporters to stop harassing the store.
“Kelly’s silence was helpful and it’s the right decision,” Nierman said. “But if she really wanted to win and establish herself for good, she could call on her fans to step aside and leave the store and its employees alone.”
A representative for Clarkson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Danielle Minnetian of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Gn entert
