It's really turning out to be a banner week for public officials who can't figure out how to operate video calls.
First, there was a lawyer who couldn't figure out how to get rid of his Zoom cat filter during a court hearing. Now we have Republican Representative Tom Emmer who can't figure out how to not appear as a disembodied upside-down head during a House of Representatives committee call.
What a time to be alive!
You can check out the proceedings below complete with the good-natured ribbing Emmer received from his colleagues until someone walked him through how to fix the problem.
"At least you're not a cat!" WATCH: GOP Rep. Tom Emmer has video stuck upside down during House Committee on Finan… https://t.co/wHUpLUulNf— The Hill (@The Hill) 1612988397.0
The incident came during a House Financial Services Committee meeting on Wednesday.
As he addressed his fellow committee members, Representative Emmer, who hails from Minnesota and is the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, seemed to have no idea anything was wrong as his head floated upside down in space. He simply forged ahead (heh) talking about small business owners as if everything was normal.
Until Democratic Representative Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the committee, could not help but interject.
"Mr. Emmer? Are you okay?"
Laughter could be heard erupting from the small crowd gathered in the House chamber.
Someone else from the meeting let Emmer know he was upside down, but he had no idea how to fix it. As his fellow committee members tried to help him, the wise cracks from other House colleagues continued rolling in.
One referenced this week's earlier viral Zoom gone wrong by quipping:
"At least you're not a cat."
Another joked:
"Is this a metaphor?"
Other members suggested he stand on his head.
Another said Emmer was about to go viral—a prediction that turned out to be absolutely correct.
In the end, Emmer was able to get his head right side up and reattached to his body.
But that didn't stop Twitter from having a field day laughing at the absurd moment.
@thehill Old people and technology.....— Rick Cooper (@Rick Cooper) 1612988547.0
@thehill Glad to see the incompetence of our elected officials on full display.— A2 (@A2) 1612994020.0
@thehill an "I don't know how to fix it" guy in congress.🥴— Daniel UP (@Daniel UP) 1612988892.0
Rep. Maxine Waters said “are you OK” https://t.co/pVx948qgWV— Mike Oakenshield (@Mike Oakenshield) 1613055954.0
“Are you ok””?” “Can someone get him right side up?” “At least he’s not a cat.” I needed that laugh today! https://t.co/MJOkO4OwnE— Jennifer Ney (@Jennifer Ney) 1613047390.0
@JudithResists Zoom meeting bloopers are the silver lining of the pandemic. Did you see Tom Emmer’s detached upside… https://t.co/NTYxsV6Edf— Rebecca Lodahl (@Rebecca Lodahl) 1613016401.0
BEHOLD THE UPSIDE-DOWN FLOATING HEAD OF @TOMEMMER https://t.co/u795xT1EYO— Andrew Feinberg (@Andrew Feinberg) 1613007926.0
We're glad to see @tomemmer fixed his upside-down Zoom image. Now, he should do the same with his upside-down polit… https://t.co/1V8riFNpNX— Minnesota DFL Party (@Minnesota DFL Party) 1613062023.0
So compassionate, Auntie Maxine! https://t.co/9JcuQM2oxu— Brian Hooker (@Brian Hooker) 1613059626.0
It's nice to know even amidst so much turmoil, charming customs like tech novices battling current technology continue to stay the same.