Company puts CEO on leave after Coldplay concert video shows couple embracing
A New York tech company has placed its CEO on leave during an in-house investigation amid a viral video on social media that shows a couple caught on the Jumbotron in an embrace at a Coldplay concert.
Astronomer issued two statements on July 18 on the social media platform X saying CEO Andy Byron had been placed on leave and the company was conducting an investigation. The company statements, also posted on its Linkedin page, did not give a specific reason for taking those actions.
"Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability," one of the statements said.
One company statement referenced the video and stories related to it by pointing out incorrect information. The company said a woman named on social media in connection with the video "was not at the event and no other employees were in the video." The company also made note of a fake statement purporting to be from the CEO - "Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect."
The video shows a man and a woman quickly letting go of each other when a "Kiss Cam" shows them on the giant screen at the concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts. 'Uh oh, what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' Coldplay singer Chris Martin joked.
Over 76.5 million people have watched the video of the July 16 incident at Gillette Stadium.
Astronomer said it would share more details in the coming days. Company cofounder Pete DeJoy is serving as interim CEO "given Andy Byron has been placed on leave," according to the company statement.
Large media accounts like Pop Crave and Pop Base spread the incident to millions of followers on X, and social media posts have reported that the Astronomer CEO is the man in the video. USA TODAY has not confirmed the identities of the man and woman in the video and has reached out to the company for comment.
More: TikTok of couple caught on camera at Coldplay concert goes viral. The internet is determined to find 'cheaters.' Why?
Contributing: Alyssa Goldberg
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
The One Thing No One Seems to Be Talking About With That Coldplay Couple: Their Ages
A lot has been said about the Astronomer CEO who was caught at a Coldplay concert embracing a woman who was not his wife. But there's one detail in the kiss-cam kerfuffle that's gone largely unmentioned: their ages. Andy Byron is 50, according to public records; Cabot is 52.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
HR exec caught on Coldplay cam resigns after embrace with CEO went viral
The executive who was caught on camera embracing the CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert in a moment that went viral has resigned. The company, Astronomer, confirmed that its executive in charge of human resources has left. 'Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer, she has resigned,' spokesman Taylor Jones said in a brief statement.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kristin Cabot Spotted For First Time Since Astronomer Kiss-Cam Scandal
For the first time since the infamous Coldplay kiss-cam debacle, Kristin Cabot has emerged, ringless, somber, and no longer the HR chief of Astronomer. Once a respected executive, Cabot's quiet appearance outside her lavish New Hampshire home offered a stark contrast to the explosive scandal that cost her and her CEO their careers. The Fall Of Astronomer's HR Chief Cabot, 52, who helmed the people operations division at Astronomer, officially stepped down after being caught in a kiss-cam moment with CEO Andy Byron during a July 16 Coldplay concert at Boston's Gillette Stadium. 'Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer – she's resigned,' a spokesperson told TMZ. The steamy moment, recorded and widely shared, sparked internal investigations and external backlash. Both executives are married, making the clip's impact not just corporate but deeply personal. Byron had already resigned earlier in the week, leaving Cabot's fate to speculation until now. Kristin Cabot Seen Without Her Wedding Ring In exclusive photos obtained by the Daily Mail, Cabot was seen for the first time since the scandal outside her $2.2 million property in Rye, New Hampshire. Dressed in a pink athletic set and jacket, the once high-flying exec appeared subdued as she tended to her garden, hosing shrubs while dogs ran around. The wedding ring she had worn in social media photos and even at family events was also gone. Cabot appeared to be hosting a casual gathering, with about half a dozen guests seen playing soccer and swinging golf clubs in the yard. Still, her demeanor suggested a woman weighed down by more than summer heat. In addition, a new "No Trespassing" sign was mounted at the driveway, likely a message to deter curious persons from coming close. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron And His Wife In Hiding Cabot isn't the only one retreating from the spotlight. Byron, 50, is also married to Megan Byron, the Associate Director of Admissions at Bancroft School. Megan has since removed his surname from her social media accounts and fled their $1.4 million home in Massachusetts for a $2.4 million mansion in Kennebunk, Maine. She has been keeping a low profile, with her sister Maura and other family members rushing to her side. Joyful photos of the couple and their two sons have disappeared from Facebook, including one from a recent graduation. Megan has made no public statements about her husband's very public misstep. Astronomer Executive's Marriage In Question Meanwhile, Cabot's husband, Andrew Cabot, the CEO of Privateer Rum and a direct descendant of Boston's historic Cabot family, was reportedly in Asia on a business trip when the scandal broke. He returned Saturday to find his personal life in turmoil. He is yet to be seen at their home, and public documents reveal no divorce filings in Massachusetts or New Hampshire. The couple, listed as husband and wife in property records, bought their New Hampshire home in February using a $1.6 million mortgage from Morgan Stanley. The two-story, four-bedroom house sits on 1.42 acres and was described in listings as a 'fixer-upper' in need of rehab. Gardeners were seen on the premises recently, but it's unclear if renovations have truly begun. Meanwhile, the fate of the home and the couple's marriage hangs in the balance. Should they divorce, the property may need to be sold, or one spouse could refinance to take over sole responsibility. A Scandal That Ended More Than Just Careers The kiss that ended it all was anything but subtle. As Coldplay's kiss cam swept across Gillette Stadium, it lingered on Cabot and Byron, seated closely. Instead of pulling away, they leaned in. Chris Martin, the band's frontman, even called out the awkward pair during the concert. Both were placed under scrutiny, especially given their leadership roles at Astronomer. Cabot's LinkedIn profile, now deleted, had detailed her extensive career, including an advisory role at Privateer Rum since 2020. She joined Astronomer as Head of People in November 2024, with Byron once describing her as a 'perfect fit.' This wasn't Cabot's first marriage. She previously wed Ken Thornby in 2007 and finalized a divorce in 2020. The two share children, and court filings show she pursued Thornby for $186,176 in unpaid child support, alleging he lost his job and failed to meet his obligations. A judge ruled in 2022 that he must resume payments and alert Cabot upon re-employment. At a birthday party for Andrew Cabot's eldest daughter last year, Cabot looked every bit the integrated stepmom, posing with Andrew's kids, her own children, and wearing a wedding ring that was clearly missing in her Coldplay debut.
