Kelly Clarkson's public dispute with a small Brooklyn shop has escalated into a worrying situation for its employees, with the business's co-owner claiming his staff have faced threats, harassment and doxxing following the singer's viral complaint. Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play, says the backlash has gone far beyond negative reviews after Clarkson criticised the store on social media over an alleged unpleasant shopping experience.
The controversy began with a disagreement over a mechanical singing bird reportedly valued at $15,000 (about £11,300), but Rubin now fears the attention surrounding the incident could put his employees and people associated with the business at risk. Speaking about the fallout, Rubin accused the singer of using her enormous platform in a way that exposed a small independent business to a level of hostility it was not prepared to handle.
