When a Medical Call Turns Into Comedy Gold

In a world where calls from medical offices typically trigger anxiety, Hailey Giamarino experienced quite the opposite when she received a voicemail from her dermatology clinic. What started as a routine call about test results transformed into an internet sensation that captured the hearts of millions. Hailey, who shares content on TikTok as @haileybalailey, posted the hilarious voicemail that has since amassed nearly 6 million views. The video begins innocuously enough with Hailey smiling in a halter dress by a window before transitioning to the audio clip that would soon have the internet in stitches. Little did she know that this ordinary medical follow-up would become a moment of pure, unscripted comedy that resonated with people worldwide.

The voicemail begins professionally as a clinic staff member sweetly introduces herself and starts explaining the results of a bacterial culture taken during Hailey’s recent appointment. “So, the culture came back as a bacteria called Pantoea species,” the woman explains calmly. For context, this bacteria can range from a harmless environmental contaminant to a potential pathogen causing infection, according to the National Library of Medicine. What makes this message extraordinary isn’t the medical information itself, but what happens when the staff member attempts to spell out the bacterial name using her improvised phonetic alphabet. “That is spelled ‘p’ as in… ‘pork,'” the woman says, followed by a telling silence. This unusual choice of word triggers the first crack in her professional composure, as muffled laughter erupts in the background with another staff member incredulously repeating, “Pork?!” From this moment on, the voicemail transforms from medical information to an exercise in maintaining composure against mounting giggles.

The clinic employee valiantly tries to recover and continue with her spelling: “‘A’ as in ‘apple,’ ‘n’ as in… ‘new.'” But with each letter, her battle against laughter becomes increasingly difficult. The casual, improvised nature of her phonetic choices—departing significantly from the standard NATO phonetic alphabet—only adds to the charm of the message. “I’m so sorry,” she interjects between stifled laughs, clearly aware of her crumbling professionalism but powerless to stop it. She hurries through the remaining letters: “‘T’ as in ‘tree,’ ‘o’ as in ‘orange,’ ‘e’ as in ‘earth,’ ‘a’ as in ‘apple’…” By this point, laughter has completely overtaken her voice, creating a contagious moment of joy that would soon spread to millions of viewers. Despite the fit of giggles, she admirably attempts to complete her medical duty, asking about potential drug allergies and conveying the necessary information before ending the call.

The TikTok community embraced this moment of unexpected humanity in what would typically be a sterile medical interaction. Comments flooded in from viewers who found themselves laughing along with the clinic staff. “‘E’ as in Earth has me dying,” wrote one user, while another observed, “Once you get the giggles, you can’t stop.” Many viewers particularly enjoyed the background commentary, with one commenting, “The other girl in the back repeating ‘pork?'” The voicemail struck a chord with audiences because it reveals the human side of healthcare workers—the spontaneous laughter, the imperfect moments, and the genuine connections that happen behind the scenes. In a healthcare system often criticized for feeling impersonal and cold, this warm moment of shared laughter offered a refreshing glimpse of authenticity.

Beyond the immediate humor, the viral voicemail sparked an unexpected conversation about phonetic alphabets. Many viewers were surprised to learn that there’s an official NATO phonetic alphabet (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc.) designed specifically for clear communication over telecommunications. The clinic employee’s creative “pork” for “p” highlighted how most people improvise with whatever words come to mind rather than using standardized terms. This relatable aspect of the video—the human tendency to wing it when put on the spot—added another layer of connection for viewers who recognized their own communicative habits in the staff member’s improvisation. The phonetic alphabet discussion became a secondary theme in the comments section, with many sharing their own embarrassing or funny examples of on-the-spot word choices.

In a social media landscape often dominated by carefully curated content, Hailey’s viral moment stands out for its genuine, unplanned nature. The voicemail captures a slice of everyday life where professional boundaries momentarily dissolve into shared humanity and laughter. For Hailey, what could have been a forgettable medical follow-up has instead become a treasured memory and a source of joy for millions. The clinic staff’s inability to maintain composure while simply doing their job reminds us that behind every medical procedure, test result, and clinical interaction are real people with the same capacity for spontaneous laughter as the rest of us. In a healthcare context often fraught with stress and anxiety, this moment of levity provides a welcome reminder that sometimes the best medicine is indeed laughter—even when it comes unexpectedly from your dermatologist’s office in the form of “p” as in “pork.”