‘Coldplaygate' is a stark reminder that cameras are everywhere
'Oh, look at these two,' Martin said, prepared to sing another sweet song. Then things became awkward.
Get Love Letters: The Newsletter
A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Coldplay's Chris Martin accidentally exposes astronomer CEO Andy Byron having an affair with his HR chief Kristin Cabot.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave)
When Cabot noticed her face on the screen, she immediately jumped out of Byron's arms, covered her face and turned around. He ducked out of view. A woman standing beside them was seen cupping her face in disbelief, her mouth wide open.
Martin, realizing what was happening, said: 'Wow, what? Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do.'
The identities of Byron and Cabot were confirmed by a spokesperson for Astronomer on Friday night after the company issued a statement saying Byron had been placed on leave and that the company's chief product officer, Peter DeJoy, would serve as interim CEO.
Advertisement
On Saturday, Astronomer announced that Byron
The incident, which has dominated social media, was a stark reminder of how quickly things can spread thanks to social media and how cameras are surrounding people at all times. That is especially true at large concerts where fans are often recording snippets or streaming them on social media. Case in point: The video of Wednesday's interaction was posted by a concertgoer with a modest TikTok following. But thanks to the power of that app's algorithm, it had more than 77 million views as of Friday evening.
It took only a few seconds of video for Byron and Cabot to thoroughly dominate internet discourse and become an instant meme, which many have called 'Coldplaygate.'
As the video circulated, some shared their advice for the couple, suggesting they could have covered themselves in a blanket or thrown on a pair of shades. Others pointed out how awkward things would be at their office the next day.
The moment proceeded to be shared, and joked about, by politicians, corporations and even New York City's sanitation department.
From there, it turned into a broader discussion of privacy and why they had been wrong to assume they would not be seen and, potentially, recorded.
As stated previously, 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, and recently, that standard was not met.
Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and…
— Astronomer (@astronomerio)
'If you're in a public place, there is absolutely no expectation of privacy,' said Charles Lindsey, an associate professor of marketing at University at Buffalo School of Management. 'When you're in a public place, whether it be a public park, a store, a concert, there are cameras, and if it's on camera, you can't take it back.'
Advertisement
That lesson had been learned by plenty of people before this incident.
There was the time in May when the door of a plane carrying French President Emmanuel Macron had just been opened by staff in Hanoi, Vietnam, when his wife, Brigitte Macron, pushed him in the face. When he looked up and noticed a camera filming the scene from outside, he waved. The video quickly gained traction online, leading to a flurry of interpretations.
In 2024, there was a great deal of debate over a woman posting videos on TikTok in which she assumed she was witnessing an extramarital affair taking place on a plane.
And there was the infamous Met Gala elevator incident in 2014, where Solange Knowles was seen attacking Jay-Z while her sister, Beyoncé, stood watching and a bodyguard tried to restore order. The security-cam footage leaked to TMZ, and it became fodder for the public.
'We live in a very intrusive world, in terms of cameras and digital footprints,' Lindsey said. 'It can take 10 or 20 years to build a reputation, and you can lose it in a moment.'
This article originally appeared in
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
13 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Parents Share Biggest Lies They Tell Kids
Sometimes a parent's got to do what a parent's got to do. Whether their kiddo is throwing a seemingly endless temper tantrum or refusing to eat their veggies, parents have to occasionally get a little creative with their version of the "truth..." That's why when TikTok user (and former NFL quarterback) @mattleinartqb said, "I'm bored. Tell me the biggest lies you tell your kids. I'm not talking about Santa or the Easter Bunny. I want the ones that you're taking to the grave," thousands of parents took to the comment section to share the weirdly useful and wildly creative "mistruths" they tell their children. Without further ado, here are 23 of their best stories: "When my daughters were six and three, they both slept with my partner and me, so I had them start sleeping on the floor instead. A couple of days in, they got the flu, so I told them they were allergic to carpet and they started sleeping in their own beds!" "I forgot all about it until my oldest was 21 and called to let me know she was not allergic to the kind of carpet in her boyfriend's house.I finally told her the truth. I didn't mean for them to believe it that long — I just forgot. I then got a call from my other daughter telling me that she couldn't believe I lied to them like that!"—tori_jones_ "I used to tell my son that oil or chewing gum spots in the parking lot were kids who didn't hold their mommy's hand when they were walking in traffic." "Whenever I don't want to watch one of my daughters' shows, I tell her the characters are sleeping: 'Sorry, Paw Patrol are sleeping!'" "My son was a picky eater and would never eat homemade pizza. When he was about three, I made a pizza and told him it was Batman's special recipe. He ate that sh*t up. He still asks me for Batman pizza today and he's SEVENTEEN." —eunice38350 "I told my kids that the hazard button in the car was an ejection button for the passenger seat and that it would shoot them straight through the roof! They never touched anything around it and believed me until they were around 10." "For every bite of vegetables they ate during dinner, they could stay up five minutes later. They didn't know how to tell time, so it worked." "I told my niece that if you break a pinky promise, your pinky will fall off. When she eventually lied, she went wild trying to hold her pinky on because she thought she was going to lose it." —cass_a_bration "My parents told my sister the ice cream man was actually the music man. He plays music to make people happy, and he only has his music on when he's out of ice cream." "I told my daughter when new teeth grow in, they create new tastes. Now she tries to figure out which new foods she will like every time a new tooth comes in." "I told my kids that all mommies have eyes in the back of their heads. We were at a rest stop once, and I asked the woman ahead of us in line if it was true, and she said, 'Yes, it's true.' ALL of the moms around us agreed." "It was an unspoken support group and my daughter wholeheartedly believed it!"—npe2021 "My husband used to tell our kids that if they picked their noses, the boogers would bite their fingers and make them crooked. Then he would show them his old broken finger and say, 'See!'" "I made up a fictional character called Mr. Bugs, and when my son is behaving badly, I always tell him, 'I'm calling Mr. Bugs to deliver bugs to your bedroom, so when you wake up, you'll have them all over your room.' He shapes up real quick." "My son choked on bacon when he was six and refused to eat after that. When we were going on day four, I decided I had to do something to get him to eat, so I introduced him to anti-choking medication (watered-down syrup) in a medicine bottle with a legitimate-looking label that had his name on it." "He is 15 now and still reminisces about how that medicine saved him."—ffdh509 "We live in a semi-rural area, so there are wild rabbits all around the house. I told my son they're all Easter Bunny spies who report back daily, all year." "I'm not a parent, but when I was learning the difference between left and right, my parents told me if I put my shoe on the wrong foot, I'd grow an extra toe." "I told my daughter the only man she could trust was her daddy because he graduated from 'man school' and got a diploma (a homemade wallet-size 'man card'). Only certain men can get such a prestigious award, and he's legit because he has the card in his wallet to prove it." — "If we go somewhere that has a playground or a bounce house and we don't have time to play, I tell my kids that we didn't buy tickets like the other children, and they're definitely sold out by now." "I text 'Santa' with pictures of toys my kids like; that way, we don't have to fight about toys at every single store. Closer to Christmas, we text Santa again with the top two or three toys they wanted all year. It helps with Christmas shopping too!" "Our family went to Disney parks often when we were kids. My dad told us that he knew Mickey Mouse personally and if we went to sleep early, he would take our autograph books to him before he went to bed and get them signed, so we never had to wait in long lines." "It took 25 years for us to realize that my dad just used his left hand to sign 'Mickey's' name."—carlymathes12 "When you pee in a pool, you have to raise your hand to let others know what you are doing, so they know to stay away." "We have a family gnome. He lives in the kitchen or pantry. We even have a house just for him. If my kids don't clean up their things, he'll take them away and give them to kids who will take care of them." "He also magically fixes/replaces things when they get broken if you ask him really nicely and do good deeds. When you're extra good, he'll randomly leave trinkets, candy, etc."—sapphirecailleach "They think the car doesn't start unless their seatbelt is fastened. Facts." "My son has a scar on his arm, and I told him that is where I put a tracking device in him so I always know where he is." "He will be 15 this year, and I still tell him that — he still doesn't know if it's true or not.—lmt8310 Which one of these lies was your favorite? Parents, what's the biggest lie you've ever told your kid(s)? Tell us in the comments or answer anonymously using the form below!
San Francisco Chronicle
13 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘I've failed you': S.F. chef apologizes after viral clash with influencer
The San Francisco chef at the center of a viral social media controversy issued a public apology Sunday for a recent incident involving a TikTok influencer. Meanwhile, the restaurant in the dustup, Kis Cafe in Hayes Valley, announced its last night of service was Saturday and that it is now permanently closed, according to its Instagram account. Luke Sung was ousted as chef and co-owner of Kis Cafe last week after he drew widespread online condemnation for his treatment of a food influencer identified as @ItsKarlaBB. The incident is the latest to highlight the fraught relationship between restaurants and influencers, who can help promote them — or, in this case, close them. 'Hi everyone — I am Luke Sung,' began the apology posted to Kis Cafe's Instagram page. 'It was important for me to first apologize to Karla privately and step away from Kis Cafe before publicly apologizing.' Sung acknowledged being 'condescending, hurtful, and intimidating' to the influencer during her visit for a planned promotional dinner. @itskarlabb its a long video and not something i would normally upload but i feel like i had to talk about this experience. i basically ran out of there but i wish i would've stood up for myself. if you are a micro influencer i know it's easy to feel discouraged at times but don't let anyone make you feel small or unimportant!! ♬ original sound - itskarlabb Her emotional account of the encounter — shared Wednesday in a TikTok video that has since amassed over 20 million views — accused Sung of belittling her content and follower count, which stood at 15,000 at the time. That number has since surged past 350,000. According to the influencer, after briefly glancing through her TikTok profile, the chef dismissed her work. 'After scrolling, like, two times, he says to me that he doesn't think my videos are at the level at which he wants his restaurant represented,' she said in her video. He then criticized her audience, she said. 'He goes on to say that my audience and my followers are not the kind of people that are going to be at his restaurant,' she said. 'It seemed like he was insinuating that my followers would not be able to afford to eat at this restaurant.' The encounter escalated further when Sung asked if she knew who he was. She said she didn't. 'He says he's a James Beard Award recipient or finalist or something, and I'm like 'great, like, I don't know what to say to that,'' she said. Sung reportedly followed by citing his daughter's online presence, telling the influencer that she wasn't on the same level as his daughter, Isabelle 'Isa' Sung, who he said had 600,000 TikTok followers. 'I told him I felt disrespected and didn't want to collaborate anymore,' she said in her video. In his apology, Luke Sung stated, 'There are no excuses to be made. I've decided it's time for me to step away from Kis Cafe permanently and in all capacities.' The fallout has been swift. Kis Cafe, which opened in May, initially apologized on Thursday and confirmed Sung was no longer affiliated in 'any way.' 'I also want to be clear the responsibility of this whole situation is mine alone and my behavior should not be a reflection on anyone else who works there, or anyone who is related to me,' Sung wrote. 'I truly care about my staff and am devastated that my actions have impacted both them and their families.' Yelp and Google reviews of both Kis Cafe and Sung's former restaurant Isa, in the Marina District, have been inundated with one-star ratings. Sung also addressed his staff and family, notably his daughter. 'I am sorry I put you in this position,' he wrote. 'I've failed you in the worst way.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Coldplay Fan Addresses Posting Jumbotron Video of Astronomer Executives: ‘Play Stupid Games'
The Coldplay concertgoer who shared footage of Astronomer executives Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot on social media has no regrets about posting the now-viral moment online. 'I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it,' a woman identified as Grace told The Sun on Friday, July 18. 'A part of me feels bad for turning these people's lives upside down, but, play stupid games … win stupid prizes.' After quoting Taylor Swift's 'Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,' Grace added: 'I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them. I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise.' Grace and a handful of her friends attended Coldplay's Wednesday, July 16, concert in Boston. She filmed the band's 'Kiss Cam' segment, where a camera highlighted loved-up couples in the crowd, and shared it on social media. Stars React After Coldplay Jumbotron Seemingly Exposes Affair Between Astronomer Executives In Grace's clip, Byron and Cabot were spotted cuddling from their seats before they noticed all eyes were on them. In response, Byron swiftly ducked out of frame while Cabot turned around and buried her face in her hands. 'Whoa, look at these two. Alright, come on. You're OK,' Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do. Holy s***. I hope we didn't do something bad.' Neither Byron nor Cabot, who are reported to be married to other people, has addressed their relationship status. Us Weekly reached out for comment. As for Grace, she told The Sun that there was 'a lot of talk' about Byron and Cabot's identities inside Gillette Stadium. 'It was definitely a hot topic, but no one knew who they were,' Grace said. 'When I posted [my video] late last night before bed, it was picking up traction with a couple thousand views. I woke up to seven million. Now over 30 million. Overwhelmed to say the least.' Who Is Andy Byron? 5 Things to Know About Married CEO Caught on Kiss Cam at Coldplay Concert Byron and Cabot have worked together since 2024, when she joined Astronomer as its Chief People Officer. 'At Astronomer, our people are the most valuable asset in helping our customers do more to gain a competitive advantage with their data,' Byron, the CEO of the tech company, said in a November 2024 press release. 'Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory. She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.' Solve the daily Crossword
