“I’m not a cat” was a legitimate statement argued by lawyer Rod Ponton during a Zoom court case in Texas that went viral.
In an unfortunate turn of events, a U.S. lawyer copped the sharp end of Zoom during a court hearing. When a cute kitten filter took over his screen, Ponton claimed he was in fact a human man, but the photo below is damning evidence that he may, in fact, be Rod Purr-ton.
This video just leaves us with one question. Will the real Rod Ponton please stand up?
“Mr. Ponton I believe you have a filter turned on in your video settings,” said Hon. Judge Roy B. Ferguson to the (adorably fluffy) lawyer. Ponton replied in a tone so earnest it could only be that of a lawyer’s, “I’ve got my assistant here and she’s trying to remove it but uh … I’m prepared to go forward with it. I’m here live. I’m not a cat.”
To which Judge Ferguson added, as if ripped from the end of a sit-com scene, “I can see that.” The mishap took place during a real case involving a real man trying to exit America with contraband cash.
Less than a minute-long, the Zoom video has received millions of views on the 349th District Court of Texas YouTube channel. Judge Ferguson also posted the video to his own Twitter account with a caption that praised Ponton for his professionalism and dignity, as the legal world keeps on turning despite the pandemic.
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
Alas, some sceptics have questioned the veracity of the “I am not a cat” statement… as that is exactly what a cat would say, wouldn’t it?
All cats have dignified old Texas lawyer accents in my head, so the video just seemed normal to me
— Whet Moser (@whet) February 10, 2021
The cat/not cat saga even grabbed the attention of Nigella Lawson. Although Ponton told VICE that he was initially unaware that the court had posted the video and was concerned to have his name attached, he eventually came around and said on the viral nature of the clip, “If I can make the country chuckle for a moment in these difficult times they’re going through, I’m happy to let them do that at my expense,” Ponton told The New York Times
This, and the responses below, have quite made my evening! https://t.co/Wr1U02SEvO
— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) February 9, 2021
Check out the hilarious Zoom video below:
