In case you somehow missed what felt like the only thing anyone talked about online this week: yes, that viral Coldplay concert Kiss Cam saga — the one that turned Astronomer’s CEO and head of HR into reluctant internet micro-celebs — is still unfolding.
For those just tuning in or still piecing together why your feed was full of “HR nightmare” memes: last week, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot were caught arms-around-each-other at a Coldplay concert in Boston. Internet sleuths lost their collective minds because Byron is reportedly married, and Cabot, recently divorced, was his direct report.
The concert camera zoom-in, that magical equaliser, made sure the moment trended far beyond typical workplace drama.
24 hours after the footage went viral, Astronomer finally acknowledged the situation.
Their official statement posted to X read: “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.
“The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”
A stray online rumour even suggested staffer Alyssa Stoddard was in the crowd, but Astronomer shut that down swiftly: “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect.”
Byron, who’s been in the CEO chair since 2023, and Cabot, hired in 2024 to spearhead the people-side of Astronomer, are reportedly suspended while the investigation plays out.
An insider note from Axios claims that much of Astronomer’s response delay was due to CEO exit package negotiations.
And if you’re wondering about Megan Kerrigan Byron, the CEO’s wife and mother of his two children — she’s dropped the ‘Byron’ handle from her social media pages and wiped her accounts since the video broke.
In the middle of all this? The woman who filmed and uploaded the video that started it all, Grace Springer. Speaking with the US Sun, she said:
“I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it.
“A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but play stupid games… win stupid prizes,” she continued.
“I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them. I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise.”
Stay tuned, because something tells us this is still only the beginning of this story.
Lead image: TikTok / X
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