One of the most entertaining aspects of most social media apps are the filters. Filters let us get “creative” with our appearance, and that’s putting it lightly.
Want winged eyeliner? There’s a filter for that. Flawless skin? Filter. How about a set of bunny ears & a sweet twitchy bunny nose? Filter for that, too. You can change your eye color, roll out a dog tongue, or even be a human potato. The Internet is a magical place, y’all.
We all have our favorite filters, don’t we?
As a crazy cat lady, I’m in a set of whiskers and a pair of cat ears every time if I’m online with my friends. Meow!
There’s even a filter that allows your entire face to be completely transformed into an actual cat face, complete with a kitten mouth that moves as you speak.
While morphing into a potato or a kitten while chatting with your pals on Zoom can be absolutely hilarious, it’s far less hilarious if you’re popping up -accidentally- as a kitten while on an VERY serious business call with professional colleagues… as one poor gentleman learned.
(Well, it’s certainly not hilarious to the kitten-man in question, but for the rest of us? Purrfection.)
A lawyer joined a judicial court Zoom session with a kitten filter accidentally turned on, & the ensuing conversation as his professional colleagues reacted to his CATastrophic career faux pas is comedy gold.
Texas attorney Rod Ponton was scheduled to participate in a live stream of virtual court proceedings of the 394th Judicial District Court of Brewster County on February 9.
As many of us parents know, sharing electronic devices with our children can be dicey. Sometimes kids manage to change computer settings, delete important files, or, in this case, apply a kitten filter for all live stream sessions.
So when Rod Ponton signed into this important legal meeting on his secretary’s (surely a parent) computer, he appeared before his colleagues looking a little less professional, and a little more paw-fessional.
As the Zoom session opened, judge Roy Ferguson (pictured not featured) begins to speak, then points out the elephant in the room.
(Or in this case, the CAT.)
Mr. Ponton…. I believe you have a filter turned on, in the video settings.
Note how the attorney to Ponton’s left, H. Gibbs Bauer, immediately puts his glasses on & leans in to get a closer look at Pussycat Ponton.
The “cat’s” facial reaction surely sums up poor Mr. Ponton’s own response at this moment:
Translation from cat-speak: “Oh SHIIIITTTTT.”
What comes out of Ponton’s mouth next (both the real off-camera one & the feline) is a stammer of panic as he tries to explain to the judge that his assistant is trying to remove the filter.
(And while Jerry L. Phillips above seems unimpressed by Ponton’s appearance, H. Gibbs Bauer is still fully invested & likely thinking, “Oh, please- Keep.It.ON.”)
The assistant has no luck in removing the filter, & Mr. Ponton decides, the hell with it- he’s in it to win it:
I, uh, I’m prepared to go forward with it.
Game on! Cat face or no, Ponton is willing to continue this live stream as a cat. While this is undoubtedly Ponton’s worst court appearance ever, this is surely H. Gibbs Bauer’s BEST.
And just to bolster his reason for continuing, Mr. Ponton assures the judge:
I’m here live… I’m not a cat.
To add to the absurdity of the statement, the virtual cat’s face crumples in pitiful sadness. And Ponton’s clarification that is in fact human, and not a feline legal prodigy, is what FINALLY lures Jerry L. Phillips in… with a catty smirk at his colleague’s predicament:
The brief clip ends with the judge pausing, then reassuring Ponton:
I can… I can see that.
Yup, we can all see it. Through tears of mirthful laughter, but we see you, Pussycat Ponton.
Although the judge was able to instruct Ponton on how to remove the filter & the proceeding continued, this short clip was shared by Judge Ferguson on Twitter to point out the obstacles that many professionals are having while working remotely as of late.
And while that’s a worthy point, Twitter was more focused on the whole CAT FILTER part, because it’s frigging hilarious.
(Or suspicious??)
All I know is “I’m not a cat” is exactly what a talking cat would say if it were trying to bum rush a legal proceeding.
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) February 9, 2021
A dog would never try to pull this off. In fact, dogs are too good to allow injustice & evil gain go unchecked:
Cat lawyer may have survived that zoom hearing but good luck with the jury. pic.twitter.com/sGdXmYqSS0
— Vic Vela (@VicVela1) February 9, 2021
Maybe PHILLIPS is the real cat, because this Chesire cat-like grim on his face as he watches his colleague’s discomfort says volumes:
Opposing counsel is relishing every moment of this. You can almost hear him thinking, “Just keep talking, Kitty” pic.twitter.com/CnTjtBIKCA
— Vekica (@Vekica) February 9, 2021
Some people think maybe Ponton’s assistant secretly set him up.
I mean, it’s possible- has anyone spoken to the assistant….
His assistant. pic.twitter.com/WYytjYtu97
— Audrey Ewell (@AudreyEwell) February 9, 2021
Oh. Makes total sense now.
“I’m here live, I’m not a cat” is a real thing said to the judge from counsel.
— ? ??????? ????? ? (@SayHeading) February 9, 2021
(Imagine if now video of this session existed? How confusing would that be to read in a transcript???)
I mean, you have to admire Ponton’s grit to persevere… it’s inspiring:
Frantically searching for a cat filter…. any tips? Bonus: my kid now wants to be an attorney. A cat attorney.
— Kim Coronado (@libartdesign) February 10, 2021
It may have been a brief moment in time, but the sum of all it’s glorious parts makes it’s truly comedic PURRfection.
This should not be making me laugh like this?. It’s not just the cat filter. It’s the filter, with the clearly confused old-man voice, the guy who is genuinely trying to help, and the other guy who clearly doesn’t want to contribute to this foolishness. pic.twitter.com/T6v67sn8dS
— Angela (@Nigeriangrl) February 9, 2021
To watch the clip in full, click below: