In Defense of Kelly Clarkson (Sort Of) and the $15,000 Singing Bird Epic

It doesn't seem Kelly Clarkson will win the battle she accidentally declared against an innovation store in Brooklyn. Yet the mere fact that it exists suggests Clarkson somehow provides a service to the public. For a long time, public figures have been trained in public relations and social media management down to the last detail of their lives. Clarkson's Twitter fingers […]

Kelly Clarkson doesn't seem to be winning the war she accidentally declared against a Brooklyn novelty store. But the mere fact of its existence is proof that Clarkson is somehow providing a service to the public. For too long, celebrities have been trained within an inch of their lives in public relations and social media management. Clarkson, Twitter fingers at the ready, provided a long weekend of entertainment — and a nostalgic reminder of when stars logged in and enjoyed their most chaotic selves. Related Stories 'Godzilla Minus Zero' Review: Godzilla and King Ghidorah Battle to the Death Bigger Sequel to 'Synthetic' 'Godzilla Minus One' Review: Luca Guadagnino made the real-life sequel The Social Network - a brainchild of Brio Garlisofield, Geek Ray Garlisofield and Tech-Geek Docudraisov.

The facts about the game art are discussed. Clarkson, in her initial message on X, stated that she was "treated like Julia Roberts [sic] in Pretty Woman" when she asked her to buy "a few things". The store, a home goods and puzzle store that also hosts nearby magic shows, announced on Instagram that the pop star and "The Voice" coach had specifically asked to buy "Molly," a unique singing and dancing flying car, which was not for sale. (The store emphasized in its message that it hoped all guests would feel welcome and learn the wrath of Clarkson's army of fans. It was "a surreal experience" for them.) Not satisfied, Clarkson announced that the bird was for sale (at the time for $15,000) and declared that the store clerk was "not only rude, but you're a liar. I get it." Popular in Variety

It's worth taking seriously the human cost of a big star deciding to call out the manager at a random store, when the "manager" is "close to his 9 million followers." Someone at Art of Play should be the one to monitor Yelp reviews and answer the phone and absorb the ire of those who think Clarkson should have taken Molly the flying automaton home and tried to teach it to sing "Since U Been Gone." And yet... with that said, we can note that something about this story tickles the less-than-triggered pleasure center.

Social media, before it became a daily stream of insults and misdemeanors that many of us, for some strange reason, soak our brains in – well, it used to be fun. But the timeline took a darker turn not long after the reality TV star ruled the roost with tweets about Kristen Stewart. Around the same time, the big stars started taking their cues from a younger generation of celebrities who wisely learned that social media is for image enhancement, not customer service complaints. The concept of hiring an agency for social media management became fashionable by offering fun and positive aspects. (These accounts tend to have the feel of an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," before Ellen falls victim to cruelty and flees the country—smiling, dancing, leaning away from drama toward a united, lobotomized concept of Happy.)

Clarkson once won a TV talent show based on her communication skills, and reading her posts, it seems like a long time ago actually. Repeating out loud that you had plenty of money to spend, but were treated like a regular poor person (which you're not!) is a strange look in the midst of an affordability crisis. And that's true even before one remembers that it's all about a mechanical bird that may or may not have sold for $15,000.

But what a relief to see the show now known as X being used for something other than airing talking points about white supremacy! Since Elon Musk took over the site, its new "free speech" mission has made the site less hospitable to celebrities who speak freely. It used to be Cher announcing that she celebrated Madonna's birthday with cologne, or Rihanna telling Kendall Jenner not to go to her concert, or Lindsay Lohan accidentally tweeting the Brexit referendum... just because! Celebrities who stay on social media don't bring that energy. Even Clarkson has recently released promotional material about her music and TV work.

That is, until something happened at a home improvement store. Whatever passed between the singer and the songbird, only those lucky people who were inside knew the art of playing for Clarkson's visit. But the aftermath reveals a side of Clarkson that's juicy and messy, human in a way she might never have allowed herself to be on camera. ("I say things other people think I shouldn't say sometimes," says his bio on X — yes, we know!)

Unloading in a store with both barrels too small is chaotic and inconsiderate to say the least. But in an era where the meaning of "diva" has changed to "a talented woman who sings well," Clarkson has reminded us what the term really means. And Clarkson's delightfully paradoxical, baffling singer who stole our hearts and is now trying to get her hands on luxury dolls, it works for her this much: her posts, fresh enough, are definitely not written by anyone but herself.