The recent Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, became the unexpected epicenter of a corporate scandal when Astronomer's Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot and CEO Andy Byron were caught in an intimate moment by the stadium's 'kiss cam.' This incident, which occurred last Wednesday, led to a flurry of online activity and eventually to the resignation of both executives.
A spokesperson for Astronomer, a New York-based data and AI startup, confirmed Cabot's departure to the New York Post, stating, "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer. She has resigned." This statement came hot on the heels of Byron's resignation, which had taken place less than a week prior after the concert footage was publicly released.
The kiss cam footage showed Cabot and Byron embracing, and their reaction to being filmed seemed to indicate a desire to avoid further attention as they quickly ducked out of view. This moment caught the attention of Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin, who commented on the situation during the live show, humorously questioning if the pair were "having an affair or they're just very shy."
This footage, once posted online, rapidly gained traction, amassing millions of views and becoming the subject of widespread memes, parody videos, and commentary across social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. The viral nature of the clip transformed the incident into a high-profile matter, with the public gaze firmly fixed on the two Astronomer executives, who are both married to other partners.
The company reacted by placing Byron and Cabot on leave and initiated a formal internal investigation into their conduct, the results of which had not been disclosed as of Thursday. Prior to this controversy, Astronomer had a modest media presence, largely within the tech and venture capital communities. The startup specializes in developing tools for managing data workflows using Apache Airflow, an open-source data orchestration platform.
In the wake of the scandal, Astronomer co-founder Pete DeJoy has stepped up as interim CEO. DeJoy, previously the company's chief product officer, addressed the situation on LinkedIn, commenting on the unexpected attention and expressing his intention to lead the company forward despite the recent events. "The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team," DeJoy wrote, "and while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name."
The individual who filmed the 'kiss cam' moment, Grace Springer, disclosed that she did not know the couple but shared the video online after finding their reaction noteworthy. In the aftermath, the 'kiss cam' has seen a cultural shift, with some sporting events reportedly replacing it with the 'Coldplay Cam' as a humorous nod to the incident.
Both Cabot and Byron have remained silent on the matter, and there is no available information on the current status of their respective marriages following the incident. The properties and personal details of the involved parties have also been spotlighted, with Cabot and her husband owning a substantial New England home, and Byron's family details coming under scrutiny.
As of now, Astronomer is grappling with the consequences of the viral video, which has brought both unwanted attention and a certain level of infamy to the previously low-profile company.
