It’s been nearly a year since many of us became acquainted with remote working due to the coronavirus pandemic. While technology like Zoom is integral to enabling so many to perform their jobs at home, sometimes technical problems can still get in the way.
On Feb. 9, attorney Rod Ponton was attending a court appearance via Zoom, and he found himself unable to remove a filter that made him appear like a fluffy white cat. While it’s hard not to laugh at the situation, the Texas attorney was determined to conduct business as usual, even with big kitten eyes.
When Judge Roy Ferguson pointed out the filter, Ponton said he and his assistant were trying to turn it off. The attorney reassured the judge that he’s “not a cat” and was “prepared to go forward” with the hearing regardless. Keep calm and carry on!
Check out the whole funny incident in the YouTube clip below:
The video ends with the judge helpfully trying to provide some instructions on how to remove it.
“When I logged in to Zoom for the hearing, to my great surprise I was a cat,” Ponton told BuzzFeed News of the hilarious mishap. He was using a secretary’s computer, he said. “The judge figured out how to take the filter off and remove it, and miraculously my less humorous, old guy image appeared during the hearing.”
The clip was widely circulated on social media, and the judge, who it turns out is active on Twitter, posted about it. “These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!”
These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession's dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!
— Judge Roy Ferguson (@JudgeFergusonTX) February 9, 2021
Both Judge Ferguson and Ponton were glad the silly situation could bring a little levity during these stressful and uncertain times.
“This a time when people are down and depressed and lonely, angry at each other and at the government, and this has just been a small little glimpse, unintentional as it was by me, into what things need to be again,” Ferguson toldSky News.
“Everyone is enjoying it,” he continued. “The feedback is all positive. People are happy to see it. And they’re laughing. And I hear that’s something we need more of.”
Ponton echoed his sentiments, telling BuzzFeed, “If the country can pause for a moment and chuckle at a computer snafu at my expense, I’m glad. It’s been a stressful time.”
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
