Kristin Cabot, the human resources executive who went viral after being caught on a Coldplay kiss cam with her boss, has finally spoken publicly about the incident that upended her life and career.
Cabot and then–Astronomer CEO Andy Byron were filmed embracing during Coldplay’s July 16 concert in Boston. When the camera landed on them, the two abruptly pulled apart and tried to avoid being seen — a moment that quickly exploded across social media. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin even joked from the stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
Within hours, the clip had racked up millions of views. Soon after, both Cabot and Byron were placed on leave and ultimately resigned from their positions.
In an interview with The New York Times, Cabot denied having an affair with Byron, stating that the pair shared only a single kiss. She admitted her behavior was inappropriate but said it did not go beyond that moment.
“I made a bad decision,” Cabot, 53, said, explaining that alcohol and poor judgment played a role. “I took responsibility — and I lost my career because of it. That was the consequence.”
Cabot revealed that the backlash was severe, including more than 60 death threats. While acknowledging she had a “crush” on Byron, she insisted there was no ongoing romantic relationship. She said the concert was meant to introduce him to friends and that nothing had happened between them prior to that night.
At the time, Byron was married, though reportedly separated. Cabot herself confirmed she was single, having already split from her husband, Andrew, who later verified their separation. Ironically, Andrew was also at the same concert that night, attending with another woman.
Cabot described the situation as a painful cliché: the HR head and the CEO, caught in a compromising moment. She and Byron informed Astronomer’s board immediately, but by then the video had already gone viral.
She said Byron treated her respectfully and that they stayed in touch briefly before cutting contact to allow everyone to move on. Astronomer later stated that its leadership failed to meet expected standards of conduct.
The incident reignited debate over privacy, viral outrage, and why Cabot appeared to face harsher public judgment than her male counterpart — a question many online are still asking.
