‘Kelly Clarkson Has Put Us in Danger’: Art of Play Owner Says Viral Dispute Has Led to Threats Against NYC Store

Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin is speaking out about the backlash the Brooklyn specialty shop has received following its public dispute with Kelly Clarkson , alleging that the business and people associated with it have faced harassment and threats since the singer criticized her shopping experience online.

In an interview with Curbed published on Tuesday (Oct.

13), Rubin described the situation as an “insane misunderstanding” and said the attention surrounding the incident has put the store and its employees in a difficult position.

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According to Rubin, the shop has received phone calls, emails and negative reviews across several different platforms.

He also claimed that people have shown up outside of the business in order to confront staff and that online users have shared personal information about neighbors who filmed the whole ordeal.

Rubin said the volume of messages became so overwhelming that the store turned off its phone.

He said that comments were still continuing to appear on the shop’s point-of-sale iPad while employees were in the middle of assisting customers.

“There’s so much hate speech, so many threats of violence.

If an actual customer tries to get in touch with us right now, they will never be able to,” Rubin said.

The controversy began Saturday (Oct.

10), when Clarkson criticized Art of Play on X after visiting the Brooklyn shop.

The singer said she felt as though she had been judged as unable to afford an item she wanted to purchase, comparing the experience to Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman .

Art of Play subsequently responded on social media, disputing Clarkson’s account of the interaction and explaining that the item in question was a mechanical singing bird named Molly.