Woman at Center of Viral Coldplay Jumbotron Incident Breaks Silence, Reveals Personal Toll
NEW YORK, NY — Months after a fleeting moment at a Coldplay concert became an internet sensation, Kristin Cabot, the woman caught in the viral jumbotron video, has come forward to share her side of the story. The incident, which occurred last July during a kiss cam segment, showed Cabot and a man identified as Andy Byron, CEO of tech company Astronomer, abruptly moving away from the camera, sparking widespread speculation and rumors about their relationship.
Cabot, who serves as Chief People Officer at Astronomer, revealed in an interview with the New York Times that both she and Byron were separated from their spouses at the time of the concert. She described how feelings developed between them while working closely together, and that she had invited Byron as her plus one to the show alongside friends. “I was like: ‘I got this. I can have a crush. I can handle it,’” Cabot said, emphasizing that they had only kissed once — that night.
When the kiss cam spotlighted them, Cabot admitted to feeling a wave of embarrassment and horror, especially given her role in human resources and Byron’s position as CEO. “Andy’s my boss… I was so embarrassed and so horrified. I’m the head of H.R. and he’s the C.E.O. It’s, like, so cliché and so bad,” she said.
What began as a private moment quickly spiraled into a public ordeal. The video went viral, and the identities of the pair became widely known, fueling rumors of an affair since both were reportedly married. The fallout was swift: Byron resigned from his position at Astronomer, and Cabot faced intense scrutiny.
Cabot disclosed that the viral exposure led to severe personal consequences, including death threats and public confrontations. The stress deeply affected her children, who feared for their mother’s safety. “They were already in really bad shape, and that’s when the wheels fell off the cart,” she explained. “Because my kids were afraid that I was going to die and they were going to die.”
Taking full responsibility for her actions, Cabot said, “I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss. And it’s not nothing. And I took accountability and I gave up my career for that. That’s the price I chose to pay.” She expressed a desire to impart a valuable lesson to her children: mistakes can happen, but no one should face threats or violence for them.
The incident has also highlighted the broader issue of online harassment and its real-world consequences. Resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provide confidential support for those affected by mental health crises. The Trevor Project offers specialized assistance for LGBTQ youth facing similar challenges, while international help lines are listed at befrienders.org.
This episode serves as a stark reminder of the power—and peril—of viral moments in the digital age, and the human stories behind the headlines.
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