Amazon Pulls Melania Documentary After Oregon Theater’s Hilarious Marquee Jabs

A small independent movie theater in Oregon found itself in the middle of a funny little drama with Amazon recently. The Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego decided to screen the new documentary about Melania Trump during a quiet week. They figured it would be amusing to show this glossy, authorized film at their quirky, anti-establishment spot.

The theater’s manager, Jordan Perry, explained in a blog post that he booked it partly because he thought it would be hilarious. Who really wants a movie all about Melania? And showing it here, of all places, felt like the perfect ironic twist.

They got creative with their famous marquee signs to promote it. One read: “Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday.” Another took a swing with a twist on Sun Tzu: “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. Melania starts Friday.”

People had mixed reactions—some locals emailed or left voicemails wondering why they were even showing it, while others seemed to get the joke. But the fun didn’t last long.

After a few days, Amazon MGM Studios called them up. The higher-ups weren’t thrilled with the cheeky marketing and told the theater to pull the film. Sunday would be the last showing.

The theater updated their marquee with a perfect comeback: “Amazon called. Our marquee made them mad. All ‘Melania’ showings cancelled. Show your support at Whole Foods instead. Join Amazon Prime for Free Two-Day Shipping.”

Jordan Perry told local reporters he wasn’t surprised the studio didn’t appreciate his spin on promoting their own movie. He insisted showing it wasn’t about endorsing anyone or any policies—it was more about curiosity and filling a slow slot with something unexpected.

Online, reactions poured in. Some called the theater childish for the jokes, while others loved the sass and said it made them want to visit. One person joked Amazon was being petty, and another praised it as “my kind of patriotism.” A few even said they’d drive hours just to support the place.

In the end, the theater got a few extra laughs out of it, but probably not the kind of attention Amazon was hoping for with their big documentary release. Classic case of a small local spot poking a giant and getting a quick slap-back.