Newly released security footage of Kelly Clarkson’s visit to Brooklyn’s Art of Play has renewed debate over her public dispute with the shop, with The View co-host Sunny Hostin questioning the singer’s reaction and the impact of her large social media following. A Change.org petition has also called on NBC to remove Clarkson from The Voice.
Journalist Pablo Torre released silent surveillance footage showing Clarkson’s four-minute-and-50-second visit. It shows her browsing, examining a kaleidoscope and speaking with an employee near Molly, a mechanical singing bird at the center of the disagreement. Clarkson appears to return several items before leaving.
On The View, Hostin said the footage made Clarkson appear frustrated and described her as seeming to have “a bit of a tantrum.” Guest co-host Raven-Symoné called Clarkson’s behavior “petty,” while also cautioning that viewers might not know the personal experiences shaping her response. She suggested that an interaction involving money or a perceived judgment about what Clarkson could afford could have affected the singer.
Hostin said the video had shifted her perspective somewhat, but maintained that public figures have responsibilities when criticizing a small business online. She had previously argued the matter should have been handled privately. Art of Play has reported receiving hateful messages, angry calls and death threats after the dispute attracted attention.
How the dispute began
Clarkson visited Art of Play on October 10. She later said an employee gave her the “Pretty Woman treatment,” claiming the employee seemed to assume she could not afford Molly before offering to show her something comparable.
The store disputed Clarkson’s account. It said Molly was attached to the shop’s wall and used in magic performances, not offered for sale. Art of Play also said the $15,000 price tag Clarkson referenced related to a custom bird by artist Bliss Kolb, while the employee had offered to show her a German-made alternative priced at $2,000. Clarkson rejected the store’s explanation and criticized it on social media.
Petition targets her TV role
Launched October 15, the petition asks NBC to remove Clarkson from The Voice live shows and keep her from returning. It argues that the alleged conduct conflicts with the show’s emphasis on mentorship, professionalism and respect. Its creator also framed the campaign jokingly as a bid for a landslide victory for the “animatronic bird community.”
The footage has added another perspective, but the dispute remains contested. Raven defended Clarkson’s right to speak about an encounter she found insulting, while Hostin focused on the consequences of a celebrity’s platform for a small business. NBC had not commented on the controversy in the source report.
