On July 25, 2025, Kristin Cabot, the Chief People Officer of tech startup Astronomer, resigned from her position following a viral incident at a Coldplay concert that sparked widespread controversy. The scandal, which unfolded on July 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, involved Cabot and then-CEO Andy Byron being caught on the concert’s “kiss cam” in an intimate embrace, prompting speculation about an extramarital affair. Days after Byron’s resignation, Cabot’s departure was confirmed by Astronomer, with a spokesperson stating, “Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer. She has resigned.” Notably, recent sightings of Cabot without her wedding ring have fueled rumors about the state of her marriage to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, raising questions about whether her husband has left her in the wake of the scandal.
The Viral Kiss Cam Moment
The incident that thrust Cabot and Byron into the spotlight occurred during Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop in Boston. As part of the band’s interactive “kiss cam” segment, the jumbotron panned to a couple in a corporate box, revealing Byron with his arms around Cabot, who leaned into him, smiling. The moment turned awkward when they noticed themselves on the big screen. Cabot quickly covered her face, while Byron ducked out of frame, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to quip, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” The crowd erupted in laughter, but the clip, posted on TikTok by user @instaagraace, exploded online, amassing over 30 million views and sparking a frenzy of memes and speculation.
Internet sleuths quickly identified the pair as Andy Byron, Astronomer’s married CEO, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR. Both were married to other people—Byron to Megan Kerrigan, an educator, and Cabot to Andrew Cabot, a prominent figure in Boston’s elite. The video’s virality was amplified by the couple’s panicked reaction, which many interpreted as evidence of guilt. Social media platforms, including X, buzzed with posts calling out the alleged affair, with some users identifying Byron’s wife’s Facebook page and flooding it with comments before she deactivated it. A fake apology statement attributed to Byron, referencing Coldplay’s “Fix You,” further fueled the chaos, though Astronomer clarified it was not authentic.
Corporate Fallout and Resignations
Astronomer, a New York-based data orchestration platform valued at over $1 billion, responded swiftly to the public relations disaster. On July 18, the company announced a formal investigation into Byron and Cabot’s conduct, emphasizing that “our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.” By July 20, Byron had resigned, with the board accepting his resignation and appointing co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO. The company’s statement underscored that “recently, that standard was not met,” signaling a breach of corporate values.
Cabot, who joined Astronomer in November 2024, initially remained in her role despite being placed on leave alongside Byron. Her LinkedIn profile once boasted her ability to “win trust with employees of all levels from CEOs to managers to assistants,” a claim that drew irony given the scandal. On July 24, reports noted that Cabot was still listed on Astronomer’s leadership page, prompting speculation about why she had not been fired. Legal experts suggested that liability concerns and ongoing internal investigations might have delayed her termination, with attorney Nicole Brenecki noting, “In a real-world big company, you can’t just fire someone because the headlines are ugly.” However, by July 25, Cabot resigned, and her name was removed from the company’s website, marking the end of her tenure as Chief People Officer.
Personal Ramifications and Marriage Speculation
The scandal’s personal toll has been significant, particularly for Cabot, who was recently spotted without her wedding ring, intensifying rumors about her marriage to Andrew Cabot. The couple, who purchased a $2.2 million home in Rye, New Hampshire, in February 2024, appeared to be a prominent Boston power couple. Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, hails from the storied Cabot family, a Boston Brahmin dynasty with a fortune historically tied to industries like soot for car tires. However, the viral video has cast a shadow over their relationship, with no public confirmation of a separation or divorce. Some reports erroneously linked Cabot to a previous marriage with Kenneth C. Thornby, but community notes on X clarified that the couple divorced in 2022, and Kristin has been married to Andrew Cabot since at least 2024.
Byron’s marriage also faced scrutiny, with reports indicating that his wife, Megan Kerrigan, removed his surname from her Facebook profile and later deactivated her account. The public nature of the scandal, amplified by Chris Martin’s onstage commentary and the viral spread of the video, has left both executives’ personal lives under intense scrutiny. Grace Springer, the concertgoer who filmed the moment, expressed mixed feelings to The U.S. Sun, saying, “A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but, play stupid games … win stupid prizes.” She added a hope that the video might be a “blessing in disguise” for the spouses, allowing them to seek happiness elsewhere.
Astronomer’s Response and Moving Forward
Astronomer has sought to distance itself from the scandal while capitalizing on its unexpected fame. Interim CEO Pete DeJoy acknowledged the “unusual and surreal” media attention in a LinkedIn post on July 22, noting that “Astronomer is now a household name.” He emphasized the company’s resilience, citing past challenges like scaling during the pandemic and navigating financial crises. “While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not,” DeJoy stated, redirecting focus to Astronomer’s role as a pioneer in DataOps and AI.
The company also clarified misinformation, such as rumors that Alyssa Stoddard, Astronomer’s Senior Director of People, was present at the concert. Astronomer confirmed that no other employees appeared in the video, dispelling speculation about broader team involvement. The incident has drawn comparisons to other tech scandals, though Vanity Fair noted that the “kiss cam” moment is relatively lightweight compared to issues like sexual harassment or violence at companies like Uber or Google. Nonetheless, the public nature of the incident and the swift resignations underscore the high expectations for corporate leadership.
Broader Implications and Public Reaction
The Coldplay kiss cam scandal has sparked discussions about privacy, workplace ethics, and the power of social media to amplify personal missteps. Posts on X reflected a mix of outrage and amusement, with users like @AmiriKing labeling Byron and Cabot as “pieces of shit” for their alleged infidelity, while others, like @DeepikaBhardwaj, noted Coldplay’s consideration of camera-free audience spaces to prevent similar incidents. The viral nature of the video, coupled with Martin’s lighthearted yet pointed commentary, turned a fleeting moment into a global spectacle, highlighting the risks of public exposure in the digital age.
Legal experts have pointed out the complexities of terminating employees over public scandals. Attorney Douglas Wigdor suggested that undisclosed details about Byron and Cabot’s relationship might have influenced Astronomer’s decisions, while William Cafaro speculated that Cabot’s resignation might have been part of a negotiated exit. The incident has also drawn attention to the personal lives of tech executives, with the Cabot family’s prominence in Boston adding a layer of intrigue. As Astronomer moves forward with its search for a new CEO, the scandal serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of personal conduct and professional responsibility.
Conclusion
Kristin Cabot’s resignation and her appearance without a wedding ring mark the latest chapter in a scandal that has rocked Astronomer and captivated the internet. The Coldplay kiss cam incident, while seemingly trivial compared to other corporate controversies, has had lasting consequences for both Cabot and Byron, whose resignations reflect the high stakes of leadership roles. As speculation about Cabot’s marriage continues, the lack of definitive evidence about her relationship with Andrew Cabot leaves room for uncertainty. For now, Astronomer is focused on rebuilding its reputation, while the viral moment remains a reminder of how quickly a private indiscretion can become a public crisis in today’s hyper-connected world.
