Coldplay kiss-cam scandal: Lawyers weigh in to devCan Andy Byron sue band?
This week has undoubtedly been chaotic for former Astronomer chief executive Andy Byron.
The married technology boss landed himself in hot water when he was caught on the kiss-cam at a Coldplay gig at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, getting cosy with Kristin Cabot, Astronomer's head of HR - and crucially, not his wife.
After the footage went viral, Astronomer released a statement and Byron stepped down from his role, shortly before Martin made a statement warning fans what to expect at his next concerts.
Amid the resulting furore, rumours emerged that Byron might pursue legal action, despite Martin cautioning supporters what they could expect at his upcoming show.
The Mirror US consulted two barristers about Byron's possible legal position against the British rock band.
"Any legal claims from Byron would be dead on arrival," stated Ron Zambrano of West Coast Employment Lawyers in Los Angeles. "He has no grounds to sue.", reports the Mirror US, reports the Express.
Zambrano explained further: "First, it would immediately be struck down as a restriction on creative speech and Coldplay's ability to be artistic during their performances. Second, Byron and Cabot waived their right to privacy when they decided to attend a public event, so their public display of affection is on them, not on Coldplay. They just got caught."
Supporting Zambrano's view, Tre Lovell of the Lovell Firm, who specialises in civil and entertainment law, agreed: "CEO Andy Bryon has no legal recourse against Coldplay for putting him on the big screen."
Lovell remarked, "When you are out in public, you have no right to privacy for your actions. People are free to photograph you and video you."
He clarified, "What people cannot do is use the video or photographs to violate your right to publicity in terms of using your image for commercial purposes or defame you and depict you in a manner that is false or untruthful."
Expanding on the implications, Lovell said: "The fact that the big screen caught the CEO doing something embarrassing or immoral in public is on him."
To date, neither Byron nor Cabot have commented on the footage.
However, Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin seemed to allude to the event with a bit of playful banter during his next show.
Without directly mentioning the incident, he jokingly cautioned the crowd about the possibility of being displayed on the big screen, advising: "Please, if you haven't done your makeup, do your makeup now!"
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Queen Elizabeth II's gowns including her wedding dress go on display to mark her 100th birthday
The Royal Collection cited evening wear as a 'vital component of the Queen's wardrobe' GOWN JEWELS Queen Elizabeth II's gowns including her wedding dress go on display to mark her 100th birthday Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) QUEEN Elizabeth II's wedding dress forms part of a majestic display of her outfits to mark the late monarch's 100th birthday. In the largest exhibition ever of her clothing, 200 items will go on show at Buckingham Palace — many for the first time. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress has gone on display to mark the late monarch's 100th birthday Credit: PA 4 The Queen married Philip in 1947 in this Sir Norman Hartnell gown Credit: PA 4 A stunning evening gown worn by the Queen in 1956 is also on display Credit: PA 4 The Royal Collection cited evening wear as a 'vital component of the Queen's wardrobe' Credit: PA It will include dresses worn in every decade of her life before she died aged 96 in 2022. As well as the one from her 1947 marriage to Philip, key pieces will be a bridesmaid outfit she wore at eight, her 1953 coronation dress and a range of evening gowns. Caroline de Guitaut, exhibition curator and Surveyor of The King's Works of Art has also written an accompanying book, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style. She said: "Over the course of Queen Elizabeth II's remarkably long reign, her distinctive style became instantly recognisable around the world, bolstering the British fashion industry and influencing generations of designers and couturiers. "Only now, as the late Queen's fashion archive comes under the care of Royal Collection Trust, can we tell the story of a lifetime of thoughtful style choices - from her hands-on role and understanding of the soft power behind her clothing, to the exceptional craftsmanship behind each garment." "In the year that she would have turned 100-years-old, this exhibition will be a celebration of Queen Elizabeth's uniquely British style and her enduring fashion legacy." The Royal Collection cited evening wear as a "vital component of the Queen's wardrobe", with members of the public able to see "stunning examples that reflect the evolution of fashion trends throughout the Queen's long reign". Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King's Gallery from spring to autumn 2026, with tickets on sale this November.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Coldplay couple who were caught on infamous kiss cam are hilariously mocked by darts fans in Blackpool at World Matchplay tournament
The now-infamous couple who went viral after being caught cuddling at a Coldplay concert have been hilariously mocked by darts fans at the World Matchplay in Blackpool. Andrew Byron, the head of the AI startup Astronomer, was broadcast on the big screen at Boston's Gillette Stadium with his arm around the company's HR chief Kristin Cabot during the band's gig on Tuesday night. They rapidly covered their faces, with Byron diving out of view and Cabot turning her back to the camera. But despite their efforts to avoid the limelight, their apparent awkwardness caught the attention of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. 'Oh look at these two!' the singer said mischievously as they spun around. 'Oh what? Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy.' Public records suggest both Byron, 50, and Cabot, 56, are married - but that they live at different addresses to each of their spouses registered abodes. Caught out at the darts! 🙈 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 21, 2025 The couple were seen covering their faces, with Mr Byron, the head of the AI startup Astronomer, diving out of view and Ms Cabot turning away from the camera Now, two fans at the World Matchplay on Monday morning made the most of their 10 seconds of fame as they mocked the couple on Sky Sports' broadcast of the event. During Gerwyn Price's first round match against Daryl Gurney at Winter Gardens, two people in the crowd were caught by cameras holding up a sign that read: 'We love Coldplay.' Price was dominating the game at the time, leading 6-3, when the camera cut to the two people in the crowd. They were stood one in front of the other, both looking at the big screens to see when they were on television. When they realised they were, they dived out of shot, with the person at the back dipping low and the one at the front throwing their sign to the floor and covering their face. It triggered loud laughs from the crowd, coming just days after Byron and Cabot themselves were caught. The clip instantly went viral, racking up millions of views on TikTok, as fans flew into a frenzy at the uncomfortable moment. Memes abounded, with many thanking Coldplay for 'bringing the whole internet together for one day.' Byron, 50, meanwhile, stepped down from his role after being placed on leave on Friday. The billion-dollar company announced the CEO's resignation in a statement on Saturday. 'As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,' it read. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,' the statement said. 'Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.' Back at the oche, meanwhile, Price beat Gurney 10-7 in a heated affair that saw the players clash multiple times on stage.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Bill Cosby breaks silence over The Cosby Show co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner's death
Bill Cosby has spoken out following the tragic death of his The Cosby Show co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, saying the news reminded him of his son's murder Bill Cosby is responding to the devastating news of Malcolm-Jamal Warner's shocking death, revealing it brought back painful memories of when his own son was murdered. Malcolm-Jamal's sudden death from accidental drowning during a family holiday in Costa Rica was confirmed on Monday, July 21. Bill's representative, Andrew Wyatt, revealed to TMZ that when Bill received the call about Malcolm-Jamal's passing, it instantly reminded him of the moment he was told his son Ennis Cosby had been fatally shot during a botched robbery whilst he was in the studio filming The Cosby Show in January 1997 and in 2018 Bill also lost his daughter Esna at the age of 44. Andrew explained that Malcolm-Jamal's death had an identical impact on Bill as his son's murder. He also explained how the Resident star used to play with Ennis during their childhood and "were amazing together.", reports the Mirror US. Father and son Bill and Malcolm-Jamal collaborated on The Cosby Show as father and son. The publication reported they were informed that during Bill's final conversation with Malcolm-Jamal, the late 54 year old was thrilled about a major concert in Minneapolis and "felt like he was changing the world." Andrew revealed that Bill is reminiscing about the time Malcolm-Jamal visited the Cosby family's estate in Massachusetts and how he had Bill's relatives in stitches during his visit. According to Bill's representative, the Little Bill star believes that Malcolm-Jamal has made a profound impact on his life and acting career that will continue to shape the world. It's reported that Bill said every young man who grew up in the projects back then aspired to be like Malcolm-Jamal and have a family like the Huxtables. What is The Cosby Show? The Cosby Show depicted the lives of the Huxtables, an upper middle-class Black American family living in Brooklyn, New York. The fictional family's father and mother were portrayed by Bill (as Cliff Huxtable) and Phylicia Rashad (as Clair Huxtable), respectively. Malcolm-Jamal played one of the five children and the only boy, Theo Huxtable, on the renowned sitcom which aired for eight seasons from 1984 to 1992. Bill and Malcolm-Jamal shared a complicated relationship, particularly in the wake of the 88 year old's sexual assault allegations and conviction. In 2015, numerous accusations alleging Bill of sexual assault from a significant number of women became public. Did Bill Cosby do anything wrong? The shamed comedian was found guilty in 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault and was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. However, in 2021, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court overturned the conviction, leading to Bill's release from jail. Over the years, Malcolm-Jamal has shared his mixed feelings about the accusations levelled against Bill and his subsequent conviction. In 2015, when the allegations against Bill became public, he described the situation as "painful". "He's one of my mentors, and he's been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor," Malcolm-Jamal confessed to Billboard shortly after. "Just as it's painful to hear any woman talk about sexual assault, whether true or not, it's just as painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this." He continued, "I can't really speak on any of the allegations because obviously, I was not there. "The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of he's done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he's done for the black community and education has been invaluable. "That's the Bill Cosby I know. I can't speak on the other stuff." Final word His most recent public interview addressing the allegation was in 2023 with journalist Jemele Hill. When asked if he felt "resentful" that Bill's situation had affected the lives of The Cosby Show cast and the show's reputation, he responded: "No. Not resentment ... I get how this business works, for one. "And just that whole situation is so layered, man," he replied. "I can't defend him or his actions at all. But I also can't throw him under the bus completely," Malcolm-Warner went on to say. "Because I have an understanding of all the layers. "It's so complex and it's so many shades of gray, that most people will never get. There is the piece of the financial hit that we all took but also it hasn't really affected my career."
