An HR executive who went viral after being caught on a stadium screen cuddling her boss at a Coldplay concert has spoken publicly about the personal and professional fallout, describing the experience as relentless and life-altering.
In an interview with The Times, Kristin Cabot broke her silence months after footage from a July Coldplay concert in Boston showed her embracing Andy Byron, then CEO of tech firm Astronomer. The pair were seen swaying to the music before quickly ducking out of view when they realised they were being shown on the big screen.
The clip spread rapidly online after Coldplay frontman Chris Martin joked that the couple were “either having an affair or just very shy,” turning the moment into a global viral sensation.
Cabot, 53, who served as Astronomer’s chief people officer, resigned shortly after the incident. Byron also stepped down after being placed on leave, with the company announcing an internal investigation.
Speaking to The Times, Cabot said she is now looking for work but has been told she is effectively “unemployable,” adding that while the internet may have moved on, the consequences for her have not.
“I became a meme. I was the most maligned HR manager in HR history,” she said, adding that the alcohol-fuelled incident led to doxxing, harassment and severe trauma for her family.
Cabot said she was separated from her husband at the time of the concert, and that he was also in attendance. In a separate interview with The New York Times, she denied having a sexual relationship with Byron, saying they had never kissed before the concert, though she acknowledged having had a “crush” on him.
“I made a bad decision,” she said, admitting she had been drinking and behaved inappropriately.
“I took accountability and I gave up my career for that.”
Explaining why she chose to speak out now, Cabot said the abuse has continued long after the headlines faded.
“It’s not over for me, and it’s not over for my kids. The harassment never ended,” she said.
She added that her two children are now too embarrassed for her to collect them from school or attend their sports events, saying: “They’re mad at me — and they can be mad at me for the rest of their lives. I have to take that.”
Cabot also questioned whether her former boss faced the same level of scrutiny, suggesting the backlash was disproportionately directed at her.
“As a woman, I took the bulk of the abuse,” she said, noting that she was labelled a “gold-digger” and accused of “sleeping her way to the top,” claims she strongly rejected.
At the height of the controversy, Cabot’s appearance and clothing were widely scrutinised online, with celebrities weighing in. Actor Whoopi Goldberg commented publicly on the saga, while Gwyneth Paltrow, who was previously married to Chris Martin, later appeared in a tongue-in-cheek promotional video for Astronomer, further fuelling public attention.
