Kelly Clarkson’s public dispute with a Brooklyn small business over a $15,000 mechanical bird could damage the relatable image she has built over the past two decades, a crisis PR expert warned."There will certainly be some naysayers who think Clarkson was acting like a rich and famous prima donna and using her platform vindictively," Steve Honig, founder of The Honig Company, told Fox News Digital."But most people will likely think that, for the most part, she acted accordingly and in many ways was a role model for standing up for oneself."The controversy began after Clarkson claimed she was treated like Julia Roberts’ character in "Pretty Woman" while shopping at Art of Play in Brooklyn.KELLY CLARKSON'S STORE CALLOUT SHOWS THE 'POWER' OF CELEBRITY STATEMENTS: EXPERTKelly Clarkson sparked a public feud with a Brooklyn boutique store over a sales dispute. (GC Images)Clarkson said an employee appeared to judge her based on her appearance and suggested she look at "something comparable" instead of the $15,000 mechanical bird she wanted to purchase.
She also called the employee an "idiot" and said the store lost a major sale.Art of Play, which sells puzzles, games, toys, books and other specialty items, responded to Clarkson's original social media post, saying the business had been bombarded with hateful messages from "8 million people" after the singer's accusations."Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store.It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity.
Thanks to all our friends for their support and welcome to all the curious folks who discovered us amidst the drama.We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday.
As a talented popular singer once said ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’" the store wrote on its Instagram page on Sunday afternoon.GE...