Astronomer CEO Andy Byron's divorce bill revealed following Coldplay kiss cam controversy with HR chief
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What happened at the Coldplay concert?
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, who was put on leave by his company, after his video canoodling with the HR chief Kristin Cabot at a Coldplay concert went viral, has resigned. Astronomer issued a statement Saturday announcing that the Board of Directors has accepted the resignation.Andy Byron might have to shed millions and his wife Megan Kerrigan could end up a very rich woman if she decides to dump him and take the divorce. This is because of Massachusetts's 50/50 marital laws and she could take home half of her husband's millions, estimated to be anywhere from $20 million to $70 million, reports New York PostMatrimony and family lawyer Nancy Chemtob, a partner at Chemtob Moss Forman & Beyda told NY post that Massachusetts law makes it mandatory for those married for more than seven years must split any assets they built together. 'It's obviously a long-term relationship,' she said of Byron and Kerrigan.The state rules mean ex-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, a firm he helped build, could have to shell out tens of millions to Kerrigan, Chemtob said. It is to be noted that Megan instantly switched to her maiden name on social media after word of her spouse's kiss-cam canoodling with his company's top human resources exec set the internet ablaze. While the Coldplay concert video could serve as evidence at trial, it's not necessary to dissolve the marriage in Massachusetts.However, Kristin Cabot might not have the same financial dilemma in the face of divorce, Chemtob noted. Reason? This is because she and her apparent husband Privateer Rum owner Andrew Cabot, seem to have been together a relatively short time. The details can get much dicier if either couple had prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, Chemtob noted.Still, if any marital funds were misused to finance an extramarital affair, it could significantly impact the financial terms of a future divorce, Combs pointed out.Ultimately, it's the couple's children who suffer the most in situations like this, Chemtob added. 'I think the worst thing in this case is the embarrassment factor for the kids,' she explained.'The problem here is that now, the kids are embarrassed, the families are embarrassed, and there's going to be a lot of expenses with regard to therapy for the children, getting separate homes, things like that.'Andy Byron and Astronomer's HR chief Kristin Cabot attended the Coldplay concert in Boston Wednesday night which captured them canoodling together, drawing the attention of the audience. When they saw themselves on the big screen, they ducked the camera and got awkward. Even Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin couldn't help but quip from the stage, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," and added, "I hope we didn't do something bad."The buzzworthy video that took TikTok and other social media by storm captured Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot as they swiftly dodged the camera at the stadium. The video snowballed into an unprecedented Internet frenzy as social media users looked them up and found out everything about their personal and professional lives. They were placed on leave as Astronomer announced an investigation into the issue and named Pete DeJoy as the acting CEO.
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News18
an hour ago
- News18
Comedian Roasts Man Attending Show With ‘Just A Friend' In Crowd: ‘Coldplay Part 2?'
Last Updated: A kiss cam moment between Astronomer CEO Andy Bryon and HR head Kristin Cabot has sparked a wave of memes, videos and viral reactions online. There was a time when hearing 'Coldplay" meant thinking of magical concerts, full of lights, music and emotion. That still holds true (kind of). But lately, the word instantly brings up the viral kiss cam moment from the band's recent concert. The one that sparked rumours of an alleged affair between Astronomer CEO Andy Bryon and HR chief Kristin Cabot. Since then, the Internet has exploded with memes, videos and whatnot. Now, comedian Max Amini has joined the fun in his own way. He recently shared a video from his Mumbai show last year that features a hilarious interaction with an audience member. 'I have this one guy here, such a gentleman here with the glasses and the baseball cap, yeah? I feel like you were hiding. Why are you wearing sunglasses inside the auditorium?" Amini says as he points to a man in the crowd. The man replies, 'I forgot to switch out the glasses." To which Amini adds, 'I'm glad I talked to you because you couldn't even see me. Now, you're like – 'Oh s***! I am at Max Amini show.' He forgot." Amini pauses, grins and goes, 'All you of Indians – Player! Player! Everybody's out with their friends." Then, with a playful jab, he adds, 'Naman, very beautiful friend. Does his wife know you're hanging out?" while the audience bursts into laughter. Amini ends the conversation with, 'Well, he puts on the glasses, he thinks nobody sees." The video was shared with the caption, 'If only the Coldplay couple knew sunglasses could keep them undercover! This guy came prepared." Watch The Clip: As the video gained traction, the comments section was filled with references to the Coldplay moment. One user wrote, 'Coldplay Part 2." Another joked, 'Coldplayed – but he didn't duck and she didn't hide her face." 'Now every show is turning into Coldplay," someone said while a viewer added, 'Coldplay of standup comedy!" 'Max did it before Coldplay," a person said. An individual jokingly questioned, 'Why should Chris Martin of Coldplay have all the fun?" Max Amini is a globally touring stand-up comedian who has appeared on popular shows like NBC's Heroes, Netflix's Real Rob with Rob Schneider and Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia. view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 28, 2025, 10:17 IST News viral Comedian Roasts Man Attending Show With 'Just A Friend' In Crowd: 'Coldplay Part 2?' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
5 hours ago
- Mint
Astronomer PR Pivot - Celebrity cameo turns crisis management into B-school Case
Mumbai: Little did Astronomer, the Boston-based digital solutions provider and cloud data platform, know that the way it handled the global backlash following its top CXOs being caught in a compromising position in public would eventually be taught in classrooms at some of the top business schools in India. The company's attempt to change the narrative by bringing in actor and lifestyle brand founder Gwyneth Paltrow as a 'temporary spokesperson" is now poised to become a discussion point in academic circles. Management students will debate whether wry humour (since Paltrow is the ex-wife of Chris Martin, lead singer of the band Coldplay, during whose concert the couple was caught on camera) will be enough. They will question whether this step was a 'clever or wise" form of crisis management, and whether shareholders and consumers are truly swayed by star power. 'I can envisage this becoming a massive case study in the coming days. The case illustrates the power of humour, irony, and sarcasm as tools to convey a strong message effectively, especially when facing negative PR," said Viswanath Pingali, who teaches economics at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. Pingali's research interests include digital markets and healthcare. 'The text clearly communicates what the firm stands for, and what its core business is. Everything else is ephemeral and should be treated as such. Sarcasm and irony, when used in the right amounts, can convey the message very effectively," Pingali pointed out. "The opening remark, 'I am hired on a very temporary basis,' is also highly suggestive of what Astronomer thinks, and what it wants us to think about the crisis." IIMs and other business schools regularly discuss case studies on the dos and don'ts of corporate governance, brand management, and, often, live cases — those that are ongoing. These could include global events, major mergers and acquisitions, or sectoral shifts during rare occurrences like a pandemic, which force firms to alter their operations and adapt quickly. Classes in Strategy, HR, Marketing, and Economics are where such cases are discussed to understand their impact on share prices, client perceptions, and business outcomes. For instance, last year, strategy management, business development, and market analysis were threads picked up while discussing the general elections in classrooms. Some case studies also get published. IIM Bangalore's case study on the use of digital media in the promotion of the film 1920: Evil Returns was published by Harvard Business Publishing. According to the institute's website, the case study is being used by students even in the US, Canada, Norway, and Slovenia. The IIM Bangalore study highlighted the social media marketing strategy of this smaller budget movie, and how it was targeted at an audience that knew about the franchises and watched the horror genre. Speaking about the inclusion of the Astronomer episode in the classroom, Debashis Chatterjee, director of IIM Kozhikode, said the students will be given open-ended questions. 'They will debate 'clever versus wise' crisis management. Will the image portrayed by the firm over the weekend become a case of perception management, and what would have been the 'right' thing to do?" On 26 July, a video on Astronomer's social media featured Paltrow sidestepping the controversy to speak about the work the firm does. 'I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300+ employees at Astronomer," she said. Barely a month ago, the company's chief executive officer (CEO) Andy Byron and the human resources head, Kristen Cabot, were caught on camera during a Coldplay concert 'Kiss Cam' moment. The firm then faced tremendous backlash regarding ethics and management challenges. However, the recent video once again turned online conversations toward whether the crisis might be averted, as the firm attempts to refocus attention on its core business. 'The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies--let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world--ever encounter. The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team, and while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name," said interim CEO Pete DeJoy in a note posted on the firm's website. A professor who teaches entrepreneurship at one of the IIMs said the question posed to students will be: 'How do you tell an audience that you and your firm are different from the episode?" 'You have to make fundamental changes and show the audience that you've addressed the issue, and detail what went wrong and why," said the professor, who wished to remain anonymous. The discussion could also veer around on how to convert a sticky situation into an opportunity. 'One needs to see if the funnel of talent and client will increase for the company in the long term since it is a B2B (business-to-business) firm and not a B2C (business-to-consumer), said Sourav Mukherji, who teaches Organizational Behaviour & Human Resources Management at IIM Bangalore. "The class may also discuss how no publicity, however infamous, is bad publicity," he said, wrapping it up.
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
AFC Toronto brings Coldplay kiss cam moment to soccer celebration: Watch
AFC Toronto, a professional women's soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, recreated the widely shared Coldplay kiss cam moment as part of their goal celebration this week. AFC Toronto recreate Coldplay kiss cam moment.(Instagram/tsn_official) AFC Toronto celebrates victory by reenacting viral kiss cam moment In the clip shared by TSN on Instagram, following the team's victory, the players gathered in front of the camera. Two teammates leaned close, pretending to hug, then quickly pulled back. One covered her face while the other moved out of the frame. The remaining players looked on and stepped back, mirroring the awkward reactions seen in the original Coldplay video. The celebration quickly spread on social media, where fans recognized the reference. The clip of their reenactment was shared across several sports accounts and received positive comments for its accuracy. The viral Coldplay kiss cam incident The Coldplay kiss cam video originated during a mid-July concert when former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron appeared on the screen with Kristin Cabot, the company's former HR chief. Byron had his arm around Cabot when the camera caught them. Cabot turned her head and covered her face while Byron moved out of the frame. Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin, noticing their reaction, joked, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' The audience laughed, and the clip went viral soon after. It has been widely discussed on social media and has been turned into memes and parodies across platforms. Other reenactments of viral kiss cam moment The Coldplay moment has been recreated by others in recent weeks. The Philadelphia Phillies' mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, acted out the scene during a baseball game, copying the ducking and face-covering movements, as reported by The New York Post. In Arizona, the Diamondbacks' mascot D. Baxter the Bobcat, and a fan performed a similar version on the stadium screen. SportsCenter anchors Gary Striewski and Randy Scott also reenacted the clip live during a broadcast, showing how widely the moment has spread. With AFC Toronto's recreation, the kiss cam meme has now crossed into soccer, adding another example of how this single concert moment has captured public attention across sports and entertainment. FAQs What did AFC Toronto do during their goal celebration? They recreated the Coldplay kiss cam moment by mimicking the couple's reactions. What is the Coldplay kiss cam incident? It was a viral concert clip of Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot reacting awkwardly on camera. Who else has recreated the moment? The Phillie Phanatic, the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot, and SportsCenter anchors have recreated it. When did the Coldplay clip go viral? It began spreading online after a mid-July Coldplay concert.
