Kelly Clarkson store footage shows five-minute visit but cannot settle disputed exchange
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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 there for the world to see.Journalist Pablo Torre obtained the security footage inside 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 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.During the footage, Clarkson is seen browsing the store and playing 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 OutThe “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 iHeartRadioThere 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 around to talk to another customer, which turns out to be the last time they speak to each another.Clarkson then puts back the telescope she was looking at as she heads for the exit of the store. Before she leaves, however, she turns around and appears angry while standing at the doorway as she talks to the man at the front cash register.The former talk show host gesticulates animatedly with her hands, 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 PostThe 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 PostTorre noted that Clarkson’s casual clothing was very similar to other patrons in the store, suggesting that 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, and that the bird plays an integral part in the opening act of the magic shows that go on at the store.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 ImagesIn 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 PostHowever, the store fired back, insisting that 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 them up on.Clarkson, 44, subsequently accused the store of lying about the exchange, while the owners said they had tried reaching out to her in hopes of making amends.On Tuesday, Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin spoke to Page Six and blasted 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 PostSources 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 exclusively 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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