By Page Six | Created at 2026-10-14 15:16:12 | Updated at 2026-10-16 10:42:51
1 day ago
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Art of Play is taking advantage of a moment like this.
Amid the Brooklyn store’s viral drama with Kelly Clarkson over a singing bird, co-owner Adam Rubin has raised the product’s value from $15,000 to $15 million.
Rubin pointed out to The Post on Tuesday, that the item’s price has gone up because “in the past 72 hours, Molly, a singing bird automaton, has become the most famous singing bird automaton in the world.”
Clarkson, 44, inquired about buying Molly while visiting the curiosity shop on Saturday, as seen in security camera footage.
According to the store’s Instagram statement Monday, the singer was told the bird was “permanently attached to the wall” and “owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle.”
While the “American Idol” alum was given the opportunity to buy the bird for $15,000 or take a similar one “home that day” for $2,000 instead, she promptly exited.
Clarkson dubbed the interaction a “Pretty Woman” moment in a scathing tweet Saturday, referencing the 1990 Julia Roberts film in which her Vivian Ward character is snubbed at an expensive store.
The “Voice” coach has since blasted the associate she dealt with as “condescending” — and argued against the establishment’s “narrative” of how the interaction went down.
Rubin accused the Grammy winner of “asymmetrical social warfare” in his conversation with Page Six on Tuesday.
“We have to reconsider the place we give celebrities in our society,” he raged. “This is not how you can behave as a citizen in the world, like, if you are this famous and powerful and you try to squash someone like a bug.”
Rubin noted that the store has been “flooded with hateful phone calls and threats and text messages” since Clarkson’s tweets went viral.
He speculated the songwriter became “pissed” due to not receiving the “special treatment” she’s used to from employees.
“If you have the impression that she’s some down to earth, sweetheart, Midwestern gal, you’ve go got to ask yourself, how do you explain the action she took this weekend?” Rubin added. “The whole f–king thing is ludicrous.”
Clarkson’s rep has yet to respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
A source told Page Six on Monday that the “Because of You” hitmaker “must’ve been livid” because she is generally a “chill” person.
“She’s not someone who goes around making a big deal out of nothing,” the insider continued. “She treats everyone with respect and doesn’t expect special treatment from anyone.”
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