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The Kelly Clarkson wooden bird feud continues to soar as the New York City novelty shop accused of disrespecting the “Voice” star sets a whopping $15 million price for the hand-cranked singing automata bird.

The one-of-a-kind chirping bird, known as Molly, is at the center of a media frenzy after shop owners at Art of Play — a high-end “curiosity shop” in Brooklyn that sells luxury playing cards, puzzles and other amusements — refused to part ways with the permanent fixture after a sale inquiry from Clarkson led to an alleged un-pheasant interaction she later called out online.

Now it appears that shop owners are changing their perch — and price point — with shop co-owner Adam Rubin confirming to NBC News that Molly is now valued at $15 million.

Rubin told the news outlet that if the business parts ways with the wooden puppet, store employees will receive a $15,000 bonus and the bird’s artist, Bliss Kolb of Seattle, will receive $1 million. The store would also use the profits to build a display dedicated to Molly.

But it appears that the bickering feud is not over yet.

Rubin was seen speaking to an unnamed individual about the incident in a video obtained by the California Post, originally published Tuesday.

“If it is this intense to be mentioned by Kelly Clarkson, imagine how intense it is to be Kelly Clarkson every single day,” Rubin said of the music artist. “I have sympathy for her … but it’s so hard to forgive her actions after she walked out the door.”

Clarkson did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Ruffled feathers

The interaction involving Clarkson first came to light on Saturday after the “Because of You” singer took to social media to call out a distasteful experience she had at Art of Play, which she compared to the scene in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman” where Julia Roberts’ character is treated poorly by retail workers.

“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson wrote on X. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out.”

Many fans sympathized with Clarkson’s shopping experience and took to social media to denounce the actions taken by the shop.

In response, Art of Play later shared in a Sunday Instagram post that the item the “Since U Been Gone” singer had expressed interest in was Molly, a singing and dancing bird which plays an important role in the magic shows hosted at the shop.

“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale,” the Sunday post on Instagram read. “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.”

After the boutique’s statement, Clarkson doubled down on her claims on her Instagram stories with photos featuring a price tag on the bird that contradicted the shop’s first statement.

“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with,” Clarkson wrote in a post shared to her Instagram Stories Sunday. “[S]o the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’ That all never happened and now it’s not for sale.”

“Okay, cool,” the post continued. “So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it.”

Although there are some online social media photos that show no visible price tag next to Molly, internet sleuths were able to locate other images with a visible sticker price to the side.

While the singer said that she loves and supports small businesses, she added “but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business.”

“It’s not that hard to be kind,” Clarkson wrote. “I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”

Art of Play responded to the former talk show host by issuing another statement on Instagram Sunday, which included additional details about “the 5 minutes [Clarkson] spent in the store.”

According to Art of Play, it had explained to Clarkson that Molly “is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot” for the shop and while the piece is not for sale, “a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines.” Its artist, Kolb, told owners that “he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000.”

The shop also claims they offered to show Clarkson another model made by a Germany clockmaking shop that was available to take home the same day for about $2,000 but “[s]he did not stick around long enough to see it.”

“We’ve reached out to Kelly directly to try and clear the air,” the post added. “We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”

Fowl play

Clarkson knew her millions of fans would “weaponize themselves” and “debase themselves on behalf of a millionaire they’d never met,” Rubin said in the video clip published Tuesday.

According to Rubin, online criticisms against the store emerged 15 minutes after Clarkson left the store.

“People way more famous than Kelly Clarkson have come in here and been treated just the same as everybody else,” he added.

The incident is “a perverse distortion of reality” after the store received thousands of hateful online comments and phone calls calling for an apology, Rubin said, who added that the singer’s actions have resulted in online attacks to store employees’ personal social media accounts and the doxxing of neighboring businesses.

“We didn’t know this was going to happen but Kelly Clarkson did it,” said Rubin. “And she needs to be held accountable for her actions.”

Rubin also added that what upset Clarkson was that “she didn’t get special treatment,” and that every person who enters the store is treated equally, even if they are a celebrity.

“The fact that anyone thinks we owe her an apology,” Rubin said, “when she threw a Molotov cocktail into our store and wallets on fire — they’re saying we owe her an apology? This is asymmetrical social warfare.”

EAMONN Holmes’ girlfriend Katie Alexander stripped off to a bikini and posted about ‘knowing her worth’ after moving out of the star’s flat.

Just days ago The Sun exclusively revealed that the relationship counsellor had cleared out her things of his rented £1.3million property in Surrey.

The pair started dating back in May 2024 and within a few months we reported how Katie had moved into Eamonn’s home.

But Katie has since moved out as Eamonn recovers from a stroke.

Katie recently took to Instagram to share some stunning selfies with her followers.

One included her looking out into the distance in a plunging blue top, and some others from her travels.

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Katie wrote: “There is a quiet kind of strength in becoming comfortable with who you are.

“No longer needing to prove, explain or seek validation – just choosing peace, protecting your energy and finding beauty in the life you creating.

“Softness is strength. Peace is luxury. And knowing your worth changes everything.”

She captioned the post: “Starting with yourself.”

It is understood that Northern Irishman Eamonn’s family is now looking after his financial affairs.

The revelation comes days after it was reported that Eamonn would not be returning to his job hosting GB News’ breakfast programme, although the channel’s bosses have denied the claims.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Katie is still very much together with Eamonn and in love, but she’s moved out of the flat.

“It’s an incredibly sad situation — she loved it there and the time they spent together making it home.”

“Katie has been Eamonn’s rock and lifeline since he fell ill. She’s willing him to get back to full fitness and get their lives back on track.”

It is not clear where wheelchair-user Eamonn will be staying when he leaves hospital.

Mum-of-three and relationship counsellor Katie lives in West Yorkshire but has been splitting her time between there and the Surrey flat.

Eamonn was previously married to Ruth Langsford between 2010 and 2024.

Naderi now has three goals in his past two league games, having scored the winner in Rangers’ 1-0 league win away to Celtic before the break.

That alone elevated his status among an initially sceptical support who had watched the 23-year-old struggle to make an impact after singing from German third-tier side Hansa Rostock in February.

Just one league goal – and two in a League Cup trouncing of Queen’s Park – followed last season, with observers unconvinced he had the attributes to be a starting striker at the club.

Such assessments seem to have dissipated as he has surged to the fore in the absence of injured team-mates Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti.

Six goals and three assists, often key interventions, have elevated his status as he adds end product to his physical prowess.

A crucial assist in the late win over St Mirren when Bojan Miovski scored a vital winner was notable.

Naderi has netted winners against Motherwell and Celtic and his two goals against Kilmarnock proved decisive.

His manager agrees Naderi, who made his Czech Republic debut last week, has stepped up to the plate for Rangers at a good time.

“Yes, and fair play to him,” McInnes said. “He’s always such an honest boy, he’s willing to put defenders under pressure.

“I’ve always felt as a striker that if the ball goes in the box, he’ll score his goals. He’s not the type of striker that creates a lot for himself, so he needs that service.

“If we put the ball in the box, as we did in the first half, then he looks a threat.

“He’s had such a good few weeks. Everybody’s so pleased for him. We need someone who would regularly be the goalscorer here at the club.”

Gaspar founded Gaspar Insurance in 2008 and sold it in 2021 after he built it into one of the largest independent insurance companies in the Valley, and worked with several nonprofit and community groups: Discovery Cube Los Angeles, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Viewpoint School‘s board of trustees and the West Valley/Warner Center Chamber of Commerce.

He would bring a pro-business perspective to City Council and help it make decisions that support business owners and residents alike.

Gaspar came in first during the primary election with 46.1% of the vote. He is running with support from groups including the Valley Industry & Commerce Assn. and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, a union representing LAPD officers. He’s also been endorsed by Blumenfield, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, real estate developer Rick Caruso and former Democratic state Assemblymember Bob Hertzberg, Worth Girvan’s former boss.

Worth Girvan meets voters during a neighborhood event in Canoga Park’s Lanark Park.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Worth Girvan is a longtime city and county employee, with nearly 20 years working in public service. Prior to running, she was L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s district director for three years, handling constituent services on the Westside and in the Valley.

Before that, she spent eight years as an aide to Hertzberg, who failed to take Horvath’s seat in 2022.

Worth Girvan secured 42.5% of the vote in the primary, only 4% shy of her opponent.

Worth Girvan said her two decades of experience at the city and county levels have helped her build relationships and gain deep knowledge of the communities she works with.

“It allows me to be able to make a phone call and to be able to know how to bring about the change that we need,” she said.

She’s been endorsed by the L.A. County Democratic Party and labor unions including the local chapters of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Service Employees International Union. She’s also been endorsed by Horvath and former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans say the US-Israeli war is not worth fighting, marking a significant spike since July.

Approximately 70 percent of US adults in a new nationwide poll say the US-Israeli war has not been worth fighting, a five-point spike since July.

“Seventy-one percent of adults disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran and 69 percent say the war in Iran has not been worth fighting,” said the survey released on Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 adults in the US, also suggested that Americans are deeply frustrated with US President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy and rising prices, with only 17 percent of US adults polled approving of his handling of the cost of living. Just 26 percent approved of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.

Public angst over fuel costs has surged, with about half of respondents now deeply concerned about being able to fill their tanks —up from 39 percent in July. Roughly half of respondents are also highly concerned about being able to afford food.

The data comes as Trump kickstarts his midterm campaign trail in an all-in effort to galvanise the Republican base, stumping first in Texas and Oklahoma amid widespread voter anxiety surrounding the war on Iran’s mounting economic fallout.

The poll also indicated that, despite their frustration, two-thirds of Republicans surveyed said that higher than usual prices are due to factors outside of Trump’s control, with about one-third saying it was directly related to Trump’s policies.

The sombre numbers suggest the president remains deeply unpopular nationally, with some Republicans also faulting him for failing to deliver on promised relief.

‘Pollsters are corrupt’

Overall, more than half of adult respondents said the national economy and the country as a whole are worse off since President Trump took office again in 2025.

In an interview with TIME magazine, published on Thursday, Trump was asked if the deeply unwanted war would threaten his party’s chances in November, to which he initially responded, “It’s possible,” before adding that “it should help, because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”

Confronted with sliding poll numbers, Trump said that the “pollsters are corrupt” and that the bad polls “are fake”, adding that he would beat anybody running today “by 20 points”.

A GALAXY of stars flocked to the L’Oréal show at Paris Fashion Week — and proved they were definitely “worth it”.

Models, actresses and singers with a combined net worth of well over £2billion descended on the French capital for a string of shows.

L’Oréal Paris — whose slogan is “because you’re worth it” — kicked things off on Monday with a multi-billion-pound runway.

Guests striding the catwalk included British model and actress Cara Delevingne, US reality star and entrepreneur Kendall Jenner, Desperate Housewives’ beauty Eva Longoria and German supermodel Heidi Klum.

There was also a surprise performance from Canadian singer Celine Dion, who belted out her 2002 hit I’m Alive in the show underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Dion, worth an estimated £500million, is currently in a run of sell-out shows in Paris after suffering from a devastating neurological disorder.

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The annual L’Oréal display was followed by an equally lavish spectacle yesterday afternoon for the Dior show.

Barbadian singer and businesswomen Rihanna — worth an estimated £1.2billion — topped the bill, wearing a slashed black dress and shawl combo as she sat in the front row.

She was joined by Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence, The Queen’s Gambit actress Anya Taylor-Joy and Australian model Miranda Kerr — worth around a combined £200million.

British fashion legend Kate Moss was also in attendance, snapped in a pale green dress and large sunglasses as she left The Ritz for the VIP event.

The star has £55million to her name thanks to deals with countless global brands over the years including TopShop and Rimmel.

Taking place at Le Bassin Octogonal in the Jardin des Tuileries, the show saw British designer Jonathan Anderson display his spring/summer womenswear collection.

In a quirky twist, guests received a pair of polished walnuts as their invitation.

The move was a nod to Chinese culture, where rotating them in the palm is meant to bring good health, calmness, and high social status.

Bosses were no doubt relieved that nine-time Grammy winner Rihanna made it on time for the bash.

She was said to have left guests waiting more than an hour on Monday night before she arrived at the Matières Fécales SS27 show.

Other stars at the Dior event included Wicked actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, South Korean rapper and singer Hyunjin, and American-Chinese Olympic skier Eileen Gu.

Fresh from Milan Fashion Week, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, worth around £300million, was also snapped out and about shopping in the French capital.

PAUL Gorton has revealed more awful details about his home being burgled, sharing how he’s lost thousands worth in personal possessions.

The star opened up about his home being robbed earlier this month and how he begged for the robbers to return what they have stolen.

Going into more detail now, Paul elaborated on how many items stolen from his home were expensive and/or irreplaceable due to sentimental value.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Paul said that his “pride and joy” was taken, a bicycle worth roughly five grand.

Paul also shared that his wife Kate’s jewellery box had been ransacked, with her grandmother’s ring missing.

He added: “It was costume jewellery, so it was only a couple hundred pounds worth of jewellery, but it did have Kate’s grandmother’s ring in there, it’s super sentimental.

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“Completely worthless but worth everything to Kate, and it’s now gone, I presume it’s just in a bin.”

The BBC One star, who featured on series two of The Traitors in 2024, took to Instagram to share the news of the burglary with his followers.

He penned: “Came home to find our house had been burgled.

“Presume we’ve been watched and the day after we posted that we were on holiday, they broke in. 29th August at 9:30pm.

“The robber or robbers cut the broadband connection (presumably to cut the ring doorbell and any CCTV) and in doing so, told us when they broke in so the police and CSI are on it.

“We’re fine. House isn’t too bad. Robbed my bike. Ransacked my office and wardrobes etc.

“Kate’s jewellery stolen including her grandma’s ring which is probably worth nothing but it was everything to her. All material stuff can be replaced.”

The reality star urged the robbers to seek help as well as to return the items they stole.

He continued: “To the robbers, get off this path you’re on. It goes nowhere and it’s never too late to turn your life around.

“You’ve committed a crime for an unsaleable bike and cheap jewellery.

“PS. If you did rob me, throw the jewellery back on our drive and the bike as both are worthless to you.”

The Foreign Office is urging UK travellers to ‘avoid’

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a stark warning to British holidaymakers, urging travellers to stay safe while abroad.

In a recent update on X, formerly Twitter, the FCDO said: “Free drinks aren’t worth the risk. To help reduce the risk of methanol poisoning abroad, avoid free cocktails or shots, unlabelled bottles, and unusually cheap or discounted drinks claiming to be brand-name alcohol.”

The FCDO is raising awareness following the deaths of several British travellers who consumed alcohol contaminated with methanol while overseas.

Simone White, 28, was among six fatalities following the consumption of free shots at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, in November 2024. Cheznye Emmons, 23, lost her life to methanol poisoning in April 2013 after unknowingly drinking tainted counterfeit gin in Bukit Lawang, northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Kirsty McKie, 38, died in 2022 after inadvertently ingesting the substance while at home with a friend in Bali, where she had lived for eight years. As little as 10ml of methanol can result in blindness, while 30ml can prove fatal.

TravelAware warns: “In some parts of the world methanol products are sometimes illegally mixed with ‘real’ alcohol such as spirit-based drinks and cocktails.”

Holidaymakers are advised only to buy alcoholic drinks from licensed venues, bars and hotels, to avoid homemade alcoholic beverages, check bottle seals haven’t been tampered with, and look out for poor quality labels or spelling errors.

You should also get urgent medical help if you or anyone in your travel group falls ill after drinking alcohol. Early symptoms of methanol poisoning include impaired judgement, loss of balance, and drowsiness.

Between 12 and 48 hours after consumption, you may suffer abdominal pain, dizziness, hyperventilation, breathlessness, blurred vision and/or blindness, coma, and seizures. If you or anyone travelling with you experiences these symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.

Visual problems are a particularly significant warning sign, especially blurred vision, sensitivity to bright lights, and in some cases complete blindness. “Snowfield vision” (seeing snowy static resembling an old television) or tunnel vision may also occur.

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek urgent medical help.