Instagram/@michellebuteau
Michelle Buteau and Normani brought to life an instant viral moment on Tuesday night, with a new episode of Celebrity Family Feud airing on ABC. The clip was shared on Instagram by the official Celebrity Family Feud account, with Buteau giving a jaw-dropping answer to a question posed by Steve Harvey that stunned the room and subsequently frenzyed over online.
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The question went simple, “Besides a bird, what creature can fly?” Without any hesitation, Buteau leaned toward the microphone with disparagement and blurted out, “Big old pussy.” After a pause with hogged gasps and laughter, she withdrew, almost as if she was embarrassed, “Sorry, a cat.” That set a record: Harvey said so much in his expressions about how no one was expecting it. Buteau and Normani can be seen laughing at the end, with Buteau saying, “Now we even.”
The Instagram promo became a gathering place for shocked and amused reactions. One user basically summed up the feelings of the masses: “‘Sorry! A cat!’ 😂😂😂😂 @michellebuteau The deliveryyyyy 🙌🏽🙌🏽,” meaning that because of Buteau’s comedic timing, what could have been an awkward moment was comedy gold.
Some, however, were not quite amused. That one answer bombarded the comment section with confusion and debate. Another user said, “she said that just to say that. Which takes away from the shock and in turn the humor (cats dont fucking fly. Even stupid people know that).” This sentiment was doubly affirmed, with yet another voice expressing, “So she wanted to say that? Because I’m almost positive cats can’t fly 😭😭😭,” practically asking if anyone was serious.”
Which also proved to be an unanticipated gift to some viewers. One parent commented, “I should have watched this on mute….now my kids are asking what’s PUSSY😂😂😂,” highlighting a somewhat borderline family moment considering the title of the show.
Amidst the attacks across the internet, the support for Buteau kept pouring in with “Lord the way she said that’s shit 🥵” one of them praising her boldness. Another took the answer seriously in another way: “I kinda agree with her pussy can fly yes lawd,” going right ahead with the double meaning.
That incident also sparked additional spotlight on the game, with another viewer giving her views on the category. “To me that category was fixed, but 🤷♀️. Who would know or think to guess a pterodactyl. And wasn’t that a dinosaur? Normani’s team guessed dinosaur.”
Meanwhile, others chimed in with what would be more typical answers in direct opposition to the likes of the one Buteau flippantly disregarded: “Flies, mosquitoes, bees and wasps” or “Bat, squirrel, fish, butterfly. She could’ve picked any of these but a cat😂.” This beautifully literal interpretation is a perfectly constructed comment on the ridiculously absurd choice of going with cat- an animal so famously known for being earthbound.
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Indeed, the segment holds all the ingredients of becoming another one for classic Family Feud moments, enshrining Michelle Buteau’s statement within a long history of unforgettable and bizarre responses from the show. It is a tribute to how live, unscripted television can make comedy in the instant, triumphing solely on unpredictability and the brave mise-en-scène of its performer. Whether considered an incredibly brilliant comedic stroke or genuinely confusing, Michelle Buteau’s “Flying Cat” moment instantly took over everybody’s attention: the wrong answers are sometimes the right ones when it comes to pure entertainment. The episode aired on ABC on Tuesday, August 21, and is now up for streaming on Hulu.