Astronomer slams ‘fake' Andy Byron apology after CEO caught in Coldplay ‘kiss cam' scandal
New York-based AI firm Astronomer told The Post that the statement circulating on social media – which claimed to be written by Byron himself with intimate apologies to his wife and children – is 'fake.'
The imposter statement took a somber tone but ended with a cheesy nod to Coldplay's 2005 hit 'Fix You': 'As a friend once sang: 'Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.''
Advertisement
4 Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and head of HR Kristin Cabot at the Coldplay concert.
Grace Springer via Storyful
4 The faux statement quickly gained traction online.
Neither Byron nor Kristin Cabot, the company's chief human resources officer, have spoken publicly about the Coldplay scandal – when they were caught in a loving embrace on the concert 'kiss cam.'
Byron quite literally ducked out of frame while Cabot covered her face and turned around, putting her back toward the camera.
Advertisement
Chris Martin, the band's frontman, initially thought the camera had found a sweet moment, saying: 'Look at these two.'
But their panicked reaction soon had him speculating on a much less savory situation.
'Oh, what?' Martin can be heard saying on stage in a TikTok video that has racked up more than 50 million views and over 5 million likes.
Advertisement
'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' Martin quipped.
The faux statement posted late Thursday quickly gained traction on social media, with many users tearing into the fake Byron.
'I also want to express how troubling it is that what should have been a private moment became public without my consent,' the forged statement said.
'I respect artists and entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the impact of turning someone else's life into a spectacle.'
Advertisement
4 Andy Byron ducked down while Kristin Cabot turned her back toward the camera.
Grace Springer via Storyful
4 Cabot serves as chief people officer at Astronomer.
Astronomer
A social media user on X pointed out fishy behavior from the account that posted the so-called statement.
'The 'statement from Astronomer CEO Andy Byron' that's going around originated with a 50-follower account called 'Peter Enis.' As in 'P. Enis,'' the user wrote.
That account had included 'CBS News' in its username, seemingly trying to pose as a reporter for the Tiffany Network.
The company has not posted on its social media accounts since the scandal made headlines on Wednesday.
Astronomer did not respond to inquiries about whether it was planning to issue a statement on the matter.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bethenny Frankel Slams Astronomer CEO Andy Byron For Coldplay Concert Fiasco: 'The Heck Were You Thinking?'
Former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel recently shared some choice words for Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, who has been embroiled in controversy since being seen cuddling his company's HR Chief, Kristin Cabot, on the "kiss cam" during a Coldplay concert. Bethenny Frankel Had Choice Words For Astronomer CEO Andy Byron After Being Seen Cozying Up With HR Chief During A Coldplay Concert On TikTok, Frankel, 54, slammed Byron for his lack of discretion at a concert for a "mainstream" band. 'What's wrong with a Motel 6? Who could you not run into at a Coldplay concert?' the reality star asked her followers, referring to the viral clip of Byron ducking behind a fixture when Coldplay's "kiss cam" landed on him and his alleged mistress. 'Who could you not run into at a Coldplay concert? Your third-grade teacher, your gynecologist, your college fraternity brother, your daughter's cheerleading captain. It's not like it's a Metallica concert," she continued. Frankel drove her point home by saying that Byron and Cabot could have also run into "Dan from accounting" and "Jane from [human resources]" there as well. 'Like, what the f-ck were you thinking?' she asked, adding, "Dude, Astronomer, the 'Sky Full of Stars' that's for shizzle. What the f-ck?" Fans React To Frankel's Comments About Astronomer CEO And His Alleged Affair Under Frankel's TikTok video, her followers joined her in commenting on the fiasco, with one writing, "Baby, she WAS Jane from HR." Someone else commented, "Coldplay haven't made a single in years, last night, they made 2." Another one of Frankel's followers agreed with her, adding that going to "a Coldplay concert is like going to the neighborhood grocery store." A fourth fan echoed that sentiment, writing, "I literally ran into a coworker I hadn't seen in a decade at a Coldplay concert." Coldplay's Lead Singer Seemed To Regret Calling Byron And Cabot Out During The Concert In the viral clip, Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, can be heard seemingly regretting the incident in real time. At the beginning of the clip, when Byron and Cabot hid their faces from the camera, Martin told the audience, "Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy." Later, Martin told the crowd, "I don't know what to do" before adding, "Oh sh-t, I hope we didn't do something bad." Astronomer CEO Praised Cabot For Her Leadership Skills In A November 2024 Press Release Ironically, in November 2024, Byron, whose previous employment history includes high-level leadership positions at companies such as Fuze and BMC Software, spoke highly of Cabot, who was appointed to her position as Chief People Officer at Astronomer. In his statement, Byron boasted about Cabot's "exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management [and] employee management." Byron continued, calling Cabot a "proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies" and highlighting her "passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces." In that press release, Cabot also commented on her new position and said, 'I prefer to think of my role as people strategy versus traditional human resources, as the real magic happens when you align the people strategy with the business strategy." She continued, 'There are plenty of companies out there where a leadership team doesn't recognize the value that a strong people leader and people team can bring to a company. It's not just about benefits or catered lunches. There's so much more to it, and I was energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.' Byron Is Under Investigation And Has Been Placed On Leave According to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Astronomer has since confirmed that Byron has "been placed on leave," with other employees stepping into interim roles for the time being. In a statement shared on their social media pages, Astronomer also confirmed the company has launched an official investigation into the matter. '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 company said on Friday, July 18, 2025. 'The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.' The company also addressed different claims that state other Astronomer workers were present at the concert, adding, "... no other employees were in the video." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Morgan Wallen And Luke Bryan Mock Astronomer CEO During Concerts: 'I Don't Condone Cheating ... Anymore'
Country singers Morgan Wallen and Luke Bryan are the latest celebrities to publicly poke fun at Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, whose viral "kiss cam" moment during a recent Coldplay concert has been widely interpreted as him being caught in an affair. Country Singers Poke Fun At Astronomer CEO Andy Byron During Latest Concerts Wallen, who's been involved in his own string of scandals throughout the years, threw a little shade at Byron and Astronomer's HR Chief, Kristin Cabot, during his July 18 show at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. During a segment of the concert, Wallen joked with his fans that even if they were there with a "side chick," they were in a "safe" space. Of course, Wallen's comments caused a bit of chaos online, with several users calling him out for seemingly making light of infidelity. However, others fiercely defended the father of one, writing, "Y'all gotta understand he's trolling." Someone else agreed and wrote, "Everyone taking this comment to heart, it's called 'Morgan humor'!" Luke Bryan Joins In The On The Fun And Mocks Astronomer CEO For Reckless Behavior "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" singer Bryan also jumped in on the trend while performing at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in South Carolina as part of his "Song Came On Tour," warning the audience that his production crew would soon be shining their cameras on everyone. He then joked, 'Who's here with their secretary tonight? Hey, it's gotta be someone way up there.' And he didn't stop there. Bryan continued, 'Oh, yeah! There they are." 'Don't get caught tonight!' he joked. 'Do not get caught tonight.' What Happened To The Astronomer CEO? Bryan and Wallen's latest stunts come days after Astronomer CEO Byron became a trending topic over his alleged affair with a colleague. During a Coldplay concert, the couple were highlighted on the band's "kiss cam," and instead of embracing, Byron ducked behind a fixture, while Cabot turned her back to the camera. Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, could sense the trouble in the air, joking, "Oh, what ... either they're having an affair or they're very shy." Public records note both Byron and Cabot are married to other people and live at separate addresses from their spouses. Following the viral clip making the rounds online, Astronomer announced the pair was officially under investigation, saying in a statement, '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." Byron And Cabot Boast About One Another In A Company Press Release Adding a layer of irony to the situation, in November 2024, Byron and Cabot were quoted in a company press release praising each other for their accomplishments in the workplace. After Cabot was appointed to Chief People Officer, Byron called her a "proven leader" and noted she had a "passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces." Cabot was also quoted in the release, saying, 'I prefer to think of my role as people strategy versus traditional human resources, as the real magic happens when you align the people strategy with the business strategy." She went on to say, "There's so much more to it, and I was energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.' Byron Resigns From His Post After Backlash Byron and Cabot's fiasco sent shockwaves across the internet, prompting many people to share their opinions, including former "Real Housewives" star Bethenny Frankel. 'What's wrong with a Motel 6? Who could you not run into at a Coldplay concert?' the reality star asked her followers. 'Who could you not run into at a Coldplay concert? Your third-grade teacher, your gynecologist, your college fraternity brother, your daughter's cheerleading captain. It's not like it's a Metallica concert," she continued. 'Like, what the f-ck were you thinking?' she asked, adding, "Dude, Astronomer, the 'Sky Full of Stars' that's for shizzle. What the f-ck?" And Frankel wasn't alone. Social media has been packed with chatter on this topic, and even professional businesses and sports teams have gotten involved, from Aldi to the Philadelphia Phillies. The noise eventually led to Byron's resignation, which the company announced on Saturday, July 19, 2025. "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the board of directors has accepted," the statement read. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Experts Reveal If Astronomer CEO Can Sue Coldplay Amid Resignation As HR 'Mistress' Keeps Her Job
Days after Andy Byron resigned from his role as Astronomer CEO, lawyers have now weighed in on whether he could bring claims against Coldplay. Byron had gone viral alongside the head of HR of the company, Kristin Cabot, when the two were caught showing PDA at the band's concert in Massachusetts. The attorneys have now claimed that Andy Byron has no legal grounds for a lawsuit against the band while also citing reasons why such a step is unlikely. Why Astronomer's Former CEO Can't Bring Legal Claims Against Coldplay Despite Andy Byron's life being upended by his kiss cam incident at Coldplay's concert, legal experts have claimed that he can't take the legal path even if he wants to. Ron Zambrano of the Los Angeles-based West Coast Employment Lawyers told The U.S. Mirror that "any legal claims from Byron would be dead on arrival." He pointed out that the former CEO has "no grounds to sue," as any legal claim would likely be dismissed as a "restriction on creative speech and Coldplay's ability to be artistic during their performances." The attorney further emphasized that both Byron and his company's Head of HR, Kristin Cabot, voluntarily attended the public concert. As a result, being filmed while cosying up to each other did not constitute a legal violation, since they had effectively "waived their right to privacy" by being in a public setting. "Their public display of affection is on them, not on Coldplay," he added. "They just got caught." The Former CEO Has 'No Right To Privacy' In A Public Setting Civil and entertainment lawyer Tre Lovell also echoed Zambrano's sentiments, with particular mention of Byron having no right to privacy when in public. "CEO Andy Byron has no legal recourse against Coldplay for putting him on the big screen," he told the outlet. "When you are out in public, you have no right to privacy for your actions." Lovell added that anyone can be filmed or photographed in public without it breaking any laws. He then explained that legal recourse would only be possible if such footage were used for commercial purposes or to spread a false or defamatory narrative. "What people cannot do is use the video or photographs to violate your right to publicity in terms of using your image for commercial purposes or defame you and depict you in a manner that is false or untruthful." Lovell added, "The fact that the big screen caught the CEO doing something embarrassing or immoral in public is on him." Sources Claim Andy Byron's Resignation Was The Best Course Of Action Financially In the wake of the kiss cam incident, Astronomer released a statement revealing that Byron had resigned from his position as CEO. "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, and recently, that standard was not met," the company said in a statement, per the New York Post. "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted," they added. At the time, reports suggested that Byron negotiated an exit deal before stepping down, though the specifics remain unclear. Sources claimed the board had the option to fire him but chose not to, likely out of respect for his role as a co-founder of the company. They added that Byron's resignation was a smart financial move, as it ensured he wouldn't walk away empty-handed if he had fought to keep his role. Why The Astronomer HR Exec Has Kept Her Job Despite Kiss Cam Scandal Unlike Byron, who is now no longer associated with Astronomer in an official capacity, Cabot, with whom he was caught at the concert, still remains a staff member. She is currently on leave, likely until the controversy settles down or the company makes a final decision. According to attorney Nicole Brenecki, terminating Cabot's employment is difficult for a number of reasons. "In a real-world big company, you can't just fire someone because the headlines are ugly," she told the New York Post. "There are likely contracts, internal investigations, and legal issues involved." The HR Chief Could Still Get Fired In The Coming Days Despite the complications behind the scenes, attorney Brenecki believes that Cabot could still lose her job when the investigations are completed. "If HR greenlit what happened with Coldplay, and there is a supporting paper trail, heads will likely roll," the attorney stated. She added, "It just might take a few more days before the ax drops." Solve the daily Crossword
