Hook paragraph
## The Viral Moment
In July, a clip from a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, captured Kristin Cabot standing in front of her then-boss, Andy Byron, as they embraced on the massive jumbotron. Cabot scrambled to hide her face while Byron ducked out of frame, prompting frontman Chris Martin to comment, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
## Personal Consequences
Cabot says the video set off a wave of harassment that has persisted online, over the phone and in person. She told The New York Times she received “50 or 60” death threats. She also revealed that she had never had a physical relationship with Byron until that night, though they had kissed once. She had told Byron she was separating from her husband-a fact her husband confirmed in a previous statement to People-and he said he was dealing with the same thing.
Cabot told The New York Times, “I got 50 or 60,” referring to the death threats.
Cabot admitted the encounter was a “bad decision” and that she “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,” she said. “That’s the price I chose to pay.”
## Corporate Fallout
Within days of the incident, Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, resigned from the company. Cabot, who had served as the HR chief, stepped down about a week later. The departures were widely reported as a direct consequence of the viral clip.
Cabot has spoken about the lasting impact on her family. She avoided public appearances for months, fearing further harassment or embarrassment for her children. She recalled a woman calling her “the lowest form of human” while she was pumping gas, and a time when her daughter cried because strangers were taking pictures of them.
She decided to speak out now to share her side before rumors about her character or marriage-such as claims she was “sleeping around” to advance her career-were set in stone. Cabot also noted she has worked since she was 13 and has, at times, “supported my family entirely on my own.”
She added, “I want my kids to know that you can make mistakes, and you can really screw up,” and “But you don’t have to be threatened to be killed for them.”
## Public Response
Chris Martin, who performed at a concert in August, expressed concern for the pair. He said, “Anyway, we send pure love to those people, and I wish them so well.”
## Key Takeaways
– The viral jumbotron clip from July’s Coldplay concert led to harassment, death threats, and resignations at Astronomer.
– Cabot acknowledges the embrace was a mistake and has faced personal and professional fallout.
– Byron resigned as CEO days after the incident; Cabot resigned as HR chief a week later.
In the end, Cabot’s story highlights how a single moment can ripple across personal life, corporate structures, and public perception.
