Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn store clashed on social media. Behind it,
power dynamics loomed
[October 15, 2026]
By DEEPTI HAJELA
NEW YORK (AP) — It was something most people have likely done at one
time or another: complain to others about feeling judged or dismissed
during an interaction, maybe even take to social media to post about it.
But just because we might all have the same impulse, we all don’t have
the same reach and impact. Exhibit A: a dispute between singer Kelly
Clarkson and a small store in Brooklyn that's brought out angry fans and
heated commentary.
The conflict from over the weekend, involving a high-priced mechanical
bird, is raising more issues than just the quality of customer service.
It's also a case study in power dynamics, and the differential that
exists between someone with a high profile and those without.
It started Saturday when Clarkson went to Art of Play, a store in
Brooklyn that offers items like books, games and playing cards and also
hosts magic shows. But the interaction turned negative, she said in a
social media post, when she “was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it”
and went on to say the store had “just lost a huge sale.” She named the
store and gave it a thumbs down.
A back-and-forth ensued, with the store making its own posts saying
initially that the item wasn't for sale and then adding that they had
tried to find her an alternative. Clarkson said that wasn't true.
Since Clarkson's initial post, there's been a barrage of commentary
online — and, the store owners say, in the real world. There have been
hateful messages and reviews, and even someone showing up at the store,
said Adam Rubin, one of the partners.
“I don’t understand why these people are willing to debase themselves on
behalf of a celebrity they never met,” he said. Representatives for
Clarkson did not respond to repeated attempts to get comment.
The power of celebrity is potent
Celebrities have power in different ways. They can influence what people
feel as well as impact what they think or believe, said Alfred Archer,
assistant professor at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, who has
done research around the ethics and politics of fame.
In a situation like Clarkson's, the influence is heavily weighted in the
celebrity's favor as a result, he said. That doesn't mean celebrities
should be censored or barred from speaking, but they should be cognizant
of that reality in determining what they say and how they say it.
“You can’t hold the celebrity responsible for everything that their
followers do, of course,” Archer said, but those who have influence
should remember that their words can resonate widely and “be careful
about what they put on social media and what they communicate in public
for that reason.”
That power can also have positive ripples — like when Ms. Rachel, the
children's educator and YouTube star, asked people on social media for
Black-owned businesses to support. She gave recognition to small
businesses like a coffee shop in New Jersey, leading to a huge jump in
sales and popularity.
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A general view shows Art of Play, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in the
Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
 “I think really the responsibility
here is to use this power in a responsible way,” Archer said. “And
of course, what that looks like in any individual case is going to
be a decision for a particular celebrity to make. But they do have
to think about it a bit more carefully than an ordinary member of
the public does.”
Social media changed the equation
While everyday people have always been fascinated by the famous, the
explosion of social media and the glut of information — and the way
we follow our family and friends right along with our favorite stars
— means there's more of a likelihood that people can develop
parasocial, or one-sided, unreciprocated relationships with
celebrities. That can lead to the kind of harsh messages and bad
reviews that the Brooklyn store says it has experienced.
That aspect of modern life is baffling to Franchesca Ramsey, a
writer, podcaster, and content creator.
“I think social media itself has heightened people’s ability to feel
a connection to a celebrity or a public person that they don’t
know,” she said.
“Back in my day, you liked a musician, you put up a poster on the
wall. You read the magazine articles about them. You maybe went to
their concert. You watched their music videos. But beyond that, it
didn’t feel like a two-way relationship. It felt like I’m the fan
and this is the person that I really enjoy,” she said.
“Social media has ... kind of created this false sense of reality
where, I really think even the act of watching someone’s content on
your phone and it looks like they’re talking directly to you," she
said.
Asked what advice he would give another small-business owner facing
this kind of situation, Rubin didn't have any. “This is not
something that a small business owner has the capability to deal
with,” he said. “This is something that happens on a level of fame
and celebrity that I don’t have access to, (that) most normal people
don’t have access to.”
Watching the crowd of reporters from his plumbing supply store next
door to Art of Play, Daniel Graffeo couldn't believe the uproar was
still going on several days after the initial encounter, but wasn't
totally surprised. “Nowadays everybody's looking for something, you
know, publicity,” he said.
He hoped it would never find him. “I would not want to be in that
situation.”
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