Silent Video Shows Clarkson at Center of Store Dispute

Silent security footage released Tuesday shows Kelly Clarkson speaking with employees during a brief visit to Art of Play, a Brooklyn shop, but it does not resolve the dispute over what was said about a mechanical bird or its price. The video, released by journalist Pablo Torre, shows Clarkson approaching an employee near Molly, a singing and dancing bird automaton attached to a wall. She later speaks with another employee near the checkout before leaving. The footage has no audio, so it cannot establish the words or tone of either exchange. Clarkson said on social media that a store employee treated her as though she could not afford the merchandise and offered to find something comparable. She later said she had asked about a $15,000 price tag displayed near Molly and described the employee’s manner as condescending. Art of Play has given a different account. The store said Molly is not for sale and that the displayed $15,000 price referred to a similar automaton that its Seattle-based creator, Bliss Kolb, might sell. Staff said they also offered to show Clarkson another singing bird priced at $2,000.