iStock / BBC ThreeWhen a ginger cat photo-bombed a serious TV interview
Meet Lisio, your new favourite internet feline
The internet has had a long, established love affair with cats. There has been Honey Bee, the blind cat from Fiji that likes to go on hikes (as you do). Then there's Banye the OMG cat, whose dark tuft of under-mouth hair makes him look permanently surprised. And, of course, there's Grumpy Cat, known for – well…
But scratch all that, because there's a new feline star going viral. Meet Lisio, a ginger moggy (not the cat in the top picture, to be clear) who set the internet alight when it leaped onto his owner’s shoulders live on Dutch television station Nieuwsuur - and then stayed there.
Dr Jerzy Targalski, a Polish historian and political scientist, was discussing the current situation in Poland, where the government has introduced controversial reforms to the country's supreme court. Mid-interview, Lisio, who had been hanging around on a nearby table, decided his seat wasn’t good enough. This cat wanted the best seat in the house, at which point he made a scene-stealing jump.
The cat did not get his owner’s tongue. But he did get his neck, his ear, and at times, using its tail, his eyes and forehead. The affectionate neck-nuzzling gave away the close relationship between them, potentially usurping the #relationshipgoals of Cape Town’s loved-up penguins.
This type of animal interruption would surely throw even the most seasoned television guest. But not Dr Targalski. Oh no, he handled things like a boss, making no attempt to remove his beloved pet.
This is not the first time Dr Targalski has been spotted with his feline friends:
And the love he has for these furry creatures may well have gained him an internet fanbase:
Alternative careers have also been put forward for Lisio:
Though not everyone was convined Lisio’s intentions were so innocent:
The video was initially shared by Dutch interviewer, Rudy Bouma, and at its current count has nearly 600,000 views. Though the cat has captured the world’s attention, Dr Targalski was discussing serious matters: a new law that forces Polish judges to retire at 65 rather than 70, which could force out up to 40% of Supreme Court judges.
But not even a ginger cat can outshine the world’s greatest ever live television interruption. That crown still remains firmly on the head of Robert Kelly, the political analyst who forgot to lock his office door while on live TV - and paid the price. His young daughter marched in, followed by his son, and the rest, as they say, will go down in internet meme history:
This went viral to the tune of 28 million views.
But for now, Lisio, the ginger photo-bombing cat, is enjoying the spotlight until someone - or something - else follows in his paws of greatness to viral internet fame.
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