Paul Rudd was spotted outside the Brooklyn curiosity shop earlier this week. The visit follows days after Kelly Clarkson publicly criticized her experience at the viral location. The actor’s brief stop at Art of Play comes days after the store found itself at the center of a viral dispute over a $15,000 mechanical bird. The high-profile controversy has drawn fresh attention to the small business.
Paul Rudd’s visit to the Art of Play store draws attention after Kelly Clarkson’s blunt criticism
According to People, the “Ant-Man” star peered through the window of Art of Play on Oct. 21 before continuing on his way. Although Paul Rudd did not step inside, his presence quickly caught the public’s eye. The visit sparked widespread interest due to the recent conflict involving Kelly Clarkson and the shop’s famous mechanical bird automaton, Molly.
The dispute began after Clarkson claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that she was treated dismissively while trying to purchase the singing and dancing bird. She alleged that a store employee suggested finding her “something comparable” instead. Furthermore, she compared the entire ordeal to the famous boutique scene in “Pretty Woman.”
Art of Play later disputed Clarkson’s account. The store explained that Molly is a one-of-a-kind automaton permanently attached to the wall and was never intended for sale. However, co-owner Adam Rubin acknowledged that staff had displayed a $15,000 price tag on the piece. He explained that the shop uses the figure so they can contact the artist whenever someone shows serious interest in buying a similar creation.
Following the online backlash, Rubin jokingly told New York magazine that he increased Molly’s price to $15 million due to overwhelming public interest. Clarkson, however, responded by sharing a photo of the original $15,000 price tag and accused the store of changing its story.
Despite the public disagreement, Rubin later said that Clarkson remains welcome at Art of Play anytime. Meanwhile, the unusual mechanical bird continues to attract curious visitors from across the city. Rudd has now become the latest celebrity linked to the viral Brooklyn store.
