Graham Cinema Faces Backlash After Offensive ICE Joke Appears on Voicemail
GRAHAM, N.C. – Graham Cinema in Graham, North Carolina is under fire after a voicemail message meant to list movie showtimes turned into what residents are calling an offensive and reckless mess.
Several callers say when they dialed Graham Cinema, located on North Main Street, they were met with a voicemail featuring an unidentified man making shocking claims — and an even more shocking “joke.”
According to the recording, the man claims to be U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr and alleges he’s friends with former Graham mayor and owner of the cinema, Jennifer Talley.
He then claims Talley asked him to record the message because the theater’s usual jokester, identified only as “Scott,” had jokes that were “lame.”
Racist ICE “Joke” Sparks Backlash Against Graham Cinema
The voicemail quickly crossed a line when the man told a joke targeting Mexicans and referencing ICE, a comment many callers found deeply offensive and inappropriate — especially for a public-facing business like Graham Cinema.
The unidentified man in the recording said that he had a joke that he had heard from a friend:
“Do you know why Mexicans like to drink hot drinks?, the man asked and then answered saying “because they can’t stand ICE.”
The man went on to say that if callers wanted to call “Scott” to tell him how funnier his “joke” was, they could before providing a phone number.
Voicemail Changed, But Questions Remain
The comment, widely viewed as an offensive and inflammatory reference to immigration enforcement, did not sit well with many callers — especially given the current political climate and heightened tensions surrounding immigration issues nationwide.
After backlash began circulating, Graham Cinema quietly changed its voicemail, removing the controversial recording. However, the business has not released a public statement explaining who recorded the message or addressing the claims made in the voicemail.
As frustration grows, residents are questioning how such a message was allowed to be used by Graham Cinema and why no apology or explanation has been offered.
Until then, the theater remains at the center of a controversy it has yet to publicly address.
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