the take
we're not here to rule on who said what at the counter. what we love is that Kelly Clarkson was just petty about it, in public, like a normal person who had a bad shopping trip. we expect celebrities to be flawless, and the second they say something a little out of line everyone piles on. this was a famous person being annoyed about a bird, and honestly, good for her. the store has its own version of events, which is fair. nobody has asked the bird.
this is the hosts' commentary and speculation for entertainment, not a statement of fact about anyone in it.
the backstory
In October 2026 Kelly Clarkson posted that she was treated like she couldn't afford something at Art of Play, a magic and curiosity shop, after asking about Molly, a singing mechanical bird automaton, and seeing a $15,000 price tag.
The shop said Molly is permanently attached to the wall and not for sale, and that the $15,000 referred to a nearly identical automaton owned by its creator, artist Bliss Kolb. The shop also said it offered to show her a $2,000 bird. Clarkson posted a photo of the price tag and disputed the store's account. Silent surveillance video of the visit was later released.
As the story went viral, co-owner Adam Rubin said the shop had received threats, and the store put a new tag next to Molly listing it for $15 million.
where it's from
transcript
auto-transcribed from the clip audio. speakers aren't labeled and there may be small errors.
- 0:00She wanted to buy this $15,000 automaton bird
- 0:04that was for display and they wouldn't let her buy it
- 0:06and you know, blah, blah, blah.
- 0:08Look, my whole thing is I love it
- 0:11because it's just petty.
- 0:14It's whether or not she's in the right or the wrong.
- 0:17Like she was just real about it.
- 0:21Like we expect celebrities these days to be perfect
- 0:24if they do or say anything, you know,
- 0:27out of line people pile on them and go crazy.
- 0:30Like good on her for just being like a regular
- 0:33kind of imperfect person and expressing a frustration
- 0:37that she had whether she was right or wrong.
- 0:38Like I'm living for this.
- 0:40It's real, like let's go.
