Webcam 101 For Seniors

An internet newbie elderly couple from northwestern Oregon, struggling to learn how to use a webcam, has become accidental celebrities after a video of them went viral, thanks to their granddaughter who posted the fumbling footage online.

” Webcam 101 for Seniors” featuring Bruce and Esther Huffman has received over 3 million page views since it was uploaded on YouTube on August 21. The video shows the Huffmans trying to figure out how to take a picture of themselves using their new webcam, but they instead end up recording themselves on video.

Bruce and his wife Esther

The nearly three minute video captures Bruce making funny monkey faces, commenting on his wrinkles, singing, burping and at one point, during a moment of levity, he got a little flirtatious with his wife. “See how pretty your hair is?” he said. “Just drop your dress a little bit and see your boobies.”

Bruce Huffman, 86, and his wife, Esther, 79, of the Hillside Retirement Community in McMinnville, recently purchased their first laptop computer –- an aqua colored beauty with a built-in webcam.

Late last month, the couple sat down together and tried to figure out how to make a video with the webcam, something a granddaughter had painstakingly attempted to teach Esther a few days beforehand.

“We did not realize the camera was on at all, otherwise I would not have burped and groped,” added Bruce.”Well, I might have.”

“When I was 8 years old, my uncle paid me five cents if I’d make a monkey face and I’ve been working on it all these years. I never knew it’d make me famous,” Bruce said.

“I was trying to figure out how to do the videos and didn’t know the thing was actually running,” Esther said. “All the while, Bruce was kind of amusing himself because he was bored. He was being quite an actor.”

When the couple’s granddaughter later saw the video, she titled it “Web Cam 101 for Seniors” and uploaded it on YouTube.

“We certainly didn’t plan it, but there is so much bad news out there. We are glad we could put something fun out there. We like to have a good time and if it makes people laugh, that’s ok,” Esther said.

There is, however, one thing she would change going back.

“I wouldn’t have looked that way,” she said. “I guess I have to quit chewing gum. I look like a cow chewing gum so quickly.”