Latest news with #RobertKelly
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Think twice before you mock the Coldplay kiss-cam couple
Something extraordinary happened yesterday. It was a viral moment to contend with Professor Robert Kelly's kids wandering into the room while he was in a BBC interview in 2017. And it could give Vanderpump Rules' Scandoval a run for its money. It all happened at a recent Coldplay concert in Boston, when a kiss-cam directed itself to a cosy-looking couple. Immediately, their stomachs dropped in horror to see their private moment projected onto the world stage, as they ducked out of the frame like criminals in CCTV footage. 'Ooh, look at these two,' said frontman Chris Martin, before acknowledging their dramatic reaction: 'Alright, come on, you're okay! Oh — what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy!' It turned out the latter is apparently more likely. Online sleuths did some digging and claimed the pair were married tech company CEO Andy Byron and his HR chief Kristin Cabot. It will go down in history as a meme-able viral moment. Don't get me wrong, I love that this has happened. I'm all for a global outbreak of schadenfreude. But as the rumour mill spins out of control about their private lives, I'm also left feeling uneasy about the power of a viral moment and the sheer global humiliation of being the subject of one. Yes, these two people were in a public place, seemingly open about their relationship. And concerts these days always have people on their phones filming throughout, so perhaps they absolutely deserved this. But most of the time at concerts, people on the big screen are willing participants. All lenses are directed at the stage and those who choose to be in the frame: it's often fans who queued literally all night to be on the front rail and crave the attention of their own big screen moment. Sometimes, proposals are even made. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Enter the kiss-cam: a largely US phenomenon that's the real-life version of some sickly TV show where women are expected to smile, giggle coyly, and have their big rom-com moment on the big screen. Dare I say, it feels pre-Me Too to trap what is often a woman under a mountain of public pressure to comply with the expectation of a kiss. In March, an NBA fan was caught on kiss-cam with a woman. She appeared to swerve his advances, and the internet expressed their sympathies for him. Not for the poor woman who was faced with either a forced kiss or being responsible for publicly shaming a friend. In November there was another viral basketball game moment, when a man and woman were caught on kiss-cam. She leaned in for a kiss, but he pushed her head down to his lap. While she did laugh, it was awkward and uncomfortable to watch. So now, because of the dreaded kiss-cam, we have two people who are being heavily criticised by the whole world for allegedly doing what roughly a quarter of all married people have also done. There's no excuse for cheating, if it turns out that's what either of these suspiciously shy Coldplay fans has done. But there are things which explain it, that the internet's lack of nuance does not cater for. Like when a Taylor Swift fan was in floods of tears reacting to the song Exile, and the whole online world ripped her to shreds over it. We don't know what in her life has happened which triggered this response, and yet we are resolute in our bullying. While everyone will know the worst of these people and revel in it – perhaps for the rest of their lives – no one will care to wonder about the best of them. I worry about their mental health, and that of their immediate family, and of course the allegedly cheated-on partners. Although the coincidental gotcha is seen as a perfect slam-dunk moment by the rest of the world, it's embarrassing for Byron's wife – even though it shouldn't be. Of course, it should be embarrassing for him, not her. It's kind of evilly delicious just how embarrassing this is for him, if safeguarding concerns are put aside. But we know how the world works: when a man gets caught cheating, it's an almost joke-fuelled atmosphere, which I've seen in response to this scandal. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if the biggest cheater in this scenario was a woman. (It's reported Kristen is divorced, while sleuths claim to have tracked down his wife.) While there's been outrage at the CEO, comments of course turned misogynistic against her. I've seen X posts calling her a 'corporate s**t', a 'bitch', and 'f***ing whore'. If history tells us anything, it's that no one's laughing when a woman is the cheater. I love celebrity and reality TV show scandals as much as the next person, but just remember: these people aren't some desperate influencers strutting into the Love Island villa. More Trending They aren't signing up for the publicity. They haven't asked for virality or fame. Their success isn't shaped by their celebrity. They simply went to a concert. Yes, if it turns out either or both are cheating I'll be the first to call them selfish. But they are also just flawed people living their lives. Viral moments are an unnatural modern phenomenon, and leave no room for nuanced conversation or empathy. So let's just try and be a little sane about it, shall we? Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: The Epping unrest proves far-right violence never went away MORE: A weekly 'porn night' helps keep my relationship alive MORE: The BBC can't justify still showing Mrs Brown's Boys
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Arrest made in macabre ‘human flesh' teddy bear prank in Southern California
An arrest has been made after what appeared to be a teddy bear wrapped in human flesh was left outside a Victorville convenience store, prompting a law enforcement investigation Sunday. The bizarre incident unfolded just after 12:00 p.m. outside an AMPM store in the 1300 block of Bear Valley Road, officials with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department confirmed to KTLA. Deputies responded to the location on a report of human remains spotted outside the convenience store, which was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape, while a coroner's investigator examined the teddy bear before placing it in a pink-colored plastic bag for further examination at the department. The macabre story quickly went viral, catching the attention of a special-effects prop artist in Summerville, South Carolina whose company, Dark Seed Creations, specializes in making human-flesh like dolls, including the 'Human Skin Teddy Bear,' which sells on the popular online marketplace Etsy for $165. 'You can't make this sh*t up! One of my skin teddy bears has apparently been involved in a prank that brought police attention! This is f****** wild!' a Facebook post from Dark Seed Creations read shortly after the news broke. Assault rifle, ammo 'missing' from trunk of L.A. deputies' patrol vehicle The artist, Robert Kelly, told KTLA that the teddy bear and other similar props get their macabre look from their latex coverings and that he did, in fact, sell one of the teddy bears to a customer in Victorville last week. In a news release put out this after, SBCSD officials said a man identified as 23-year-old Victorville resident Hector Corona Villanueva was arrested in connection with the prank. 'Incidents such as this take up valuable emergency resources and put the public at risk, possibly delaying response time to legitimate calls for service. We would like to thank those that reported information that was helpful during the investigation of this case,' officials said. The 23-year-old was booked for causing the report of an emergency while knowing it to be false and intentionally and wrongfully planting evidence to falsely present as real. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Euronews
16-07-2025
- Euronews
Teddy bear artwork made from fake human skin leads to arrest in US
Warning: This article contains a photo of a teddy bear artwork that may shock readers. The Californian authorities were not amused by an artwork that was dubbed a 'macabre teddy bear" used in a "prank". A teddy bear made of fake human skin was discovered on Sunday in Victorville (130km northeast of Los Angeles) and the local community was worried that a serial killer was behind the grim find. According to the New York Post, the grotesque toy was placed in a sitting position on a pavement outside a petrol station, and its discovery led a witness to call the police to report that "a teddy bear made of what looked like human flesh was left in front of the business". A police investigation - and even a coroner's examination of the item - ensued. On Monday, the sheriff's office ruled the grisly creation was not made of any human body parts. They dubbed the toy a "prank". However, a 23-year-old man, Hector Corona Villanueva, was accused of planting false evidence and causing an emergency by leaving the bear behind. A statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's office did not mention a potential motive, and said the "investigation into who left the teddy bear at the business is continuing". Here is the teddy. Warning: you can't unsee this (remarkably intricate) toy: Une publication partagée par Robert Kelly (@darkseed_creations) The latest twist in this investigation is that a South Carolina artist named Robert Kelly has taken credit for creating the object. Kelly's work, which specialises in horror creations for exhibitions and movies, is available for sale online on Etsy. He confirmed that he had sold the teddy bear to a buyer in Victorville and identified his artwork. "Our work is pretty easily recognisable, and people were sending the articles (about the petrol station) left and right. I looked, and sure enough it was the bear I sent out last week," Kelly told People magazine. In a message later posted on Facebook, the artist explained that he had not been informed of the buyer's intentions. "No I did not have any knowledge of the (buyer's) intentions nor was I involved in a prank on the other side of the nation from me," he wrote. Regardless, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office did not find it beary funny. They released a statement which read: "Incidents such as this take up valuable emergency resources and put the public at risk, possibly delaying response time to legitimate calls for service."
NDTV
15-07-2025
- NDTV
"Human Skin" Teddy Bear Found On California Sidewalk Sparks Panic, It Turns Out To Be...
A creepy teddy bear that appeared to be made of human skin was found on a sidewalk in California, US, alarming both residents and the police. According to the New York Post, officials launched an investigation into the bizarre incident that unfolded on Sunday at a bus stop next to a gas station on Bear Valley Road. At the scene, authorities found a teddy bear sitting on the sidewalk. It featured an almost leathery, human-like skin that had been stretched and pinned to its body. The creepy teddy bear reportedly also featured a humanoid lip, nose and sockets where eyes would typically be. According to the Post, everything appeared to be stitched on almost surgically, like someone had removed a person's skin and turned it into a teddy bear. The bizarre doll sparked panic among residents and local authorities. However, after the investigation, officials found that the disturbing find was likely part of an elaborate prank. Investigators "determined this doll was made of a fabricated material and was not of human origin" before a forensic pathologist also "confirmed that the object was not human and contained no human tissue," as per the coroner's statement. "Our investigation found these dolls being sold on a website with the claim that the dolls are 'made of human skin,'" the coroner said, according to NCB News. A South Carolina artist later also identified the toy as one of his creations. In a Facebook post, Robert Kelly of Dark Seed Creations said that he made the bear and sold it via the e-commerce site Etsy to a buyer in Victorville. "Yes I made the bear in the news video. Yes that's my etsy shop screenshotted on [the] news articles. Yes I did ship that bear to an etsy customer in Victorville CA last week. Yes you can still order one too. No I did not have any knowledge of the buyers intentions nor was I involved in a prank on the other side of the nation from me," Mr Kelly wrote on Facebook. In an interview with NBC News, he also revealed that his products are made of latex and he is tinkered with all kinds of dyes to replicate the look of human skin. "We've put skin on everything from guitars and teddy bears to couches. We use latex live castings. So we take live castings of actual human models, which adds to the reality of the item," he added. Officials have removed the teddy bear from the site. It is unclear if police will continue investigating the matter after the creator's revelation.
Los Angeles Times
15-07-2025
- Los Angeles Times
‘Human skin' teddy bear was left at a SoCal gas station as a prank. Suspected prankster arrested
A macabre teddy bear that appeared to be made out of human skin and was found outside a Victorville gas station over the weekend turned out to be a practical joke — and the suspected practical joker has been arrested — according to authorities. On Monday, Hector Corona Villanueva was arrested on suspicion of filing a report to authorities of an emergency, knowing it was false and intentionally planting evidence to falsely present it as real, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department news release. 'Incidents such as this take up valuable emergency resources and put the public at risk, possibly delaying response time to legitimate calls for service,' according to the release. 'We would like to thank those that reported information that was helpful during the investigation of this case.' On Sunday at 12:07 p.m., deputies from the Victorville Police Department responded to a call at the AMPM gas station on Bear Valley Road, officials said. Deputies found a teddy bear that was made of what looked like human skin. The San Bernardino County coroner collected the bear and determined it wasn't made of human remains. South Carolina artist Robert Kelly of Dark Seed Creations confirmed in a Facebook post that she was the creator of the bear and had shipped one of them to an Etsy customer in Victorville last week. The bears in the Facebook video Kelly posted were stitched together like a Frankenstein monster with 'human skin' and tinged with what appeared to be blood. 'No, I did not have any knowledge of the buyers intentions nor was I involved in a prank on the other side of the nation from me,' she wrote. The bear sells for $165 on the seller's Etsy shop and is now sold out.
