Astronomer CEO resigns after viral Coldplay video
During a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, the jumbotron zoomed in on a man and a woman embracing in the stands. File photo: @calebu2/TMX
The CEO of an American tech company resigned Saturday after a video of him embracing an alleged colleague at a Coldplay concert went viral and fuelled relentless memes.
"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met," New York-based Astronomer said in a statement shared on LinkedIn.
"Andy Byron has tendered his resignation," the firm said, after previously launching an investigation.
During a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Wednesday, the jumbotron zoomed in on a man and a woman embracing in the stands.
But the canoodling pair appeared shocked and horrified when they spotted themselves on the big screen, with the man ducking out of frame and the woman hiding her face.
"Uh-oh, what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," joked Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
Within hours, internet sleuths tracked down the man as Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and said the woman was the company's chief people officer, Kristin Cabot, alleging that the two were having a not-so-discreet affair.
The video has garnered millions of views on TikTok and other social media, giving rise to memes discussing everything from the folly of having an affair at a Coldplay concert, to the hypocrisy of an HR representative seemingly caught in a workplace relationship.
"The craziest thing is about the Astronomer CEO cheating scandal is it was the HR lady," said one X user. "The person who would warn you against fraternizing with co-workers."
Furry mascots of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team jumped on the trend and recreated the scene for the jumbotron at a game after the video went viral.
However an apology statement attributed to Byron which spread rapidly online was fake and appeared to have originated from a parody account. (AFP)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Meet Helen J. Shen, the rising star set to appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2
Helen J. Shen, who first gained recognition for her performance as the helperbot Claire in Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending, is set to star in The Devil Wears Prada sequel alongside Meryl Streep , Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt – further solidifying her rising star status. Helen J. Shen plays Claire in the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending. Photo: @maybehappyending/Instagram The recently confirmed follow up to 2006's film The Devil Wears Prada is reportedly scheduled for release in spring 2026, and sees Miranda Priestly – editor-in-chief of the high-fashion magazine Runway, played by Streep – contending with the decline of print media, per The Hollywood Reporter. As for whether Anne Hathaway 's Andy is still working as a journalist at the fictional New York Mirror, as she was at the end of the first film, remains to be seen. Advertisement Helen J. Shen will appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Photo: @helenjshen/Instagram While we don't yet have details about her role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, we do know that Shen was recently nominated for outstanding lead performance in a musical at the 2025 Drama Desk Awards for Maybe Happy Ending, and won a 2025 Theatre World Award for her outstanding debut performance in the same show. Here's everything you need to know about the rising young star. She's a musical theatre actress Helen J. Shen has acted in multiple stage productions including Teeth and Sunset Boulevard. Photo: @helenjshen/Instagram In 2022, Shen appeared in The Lonely Few's world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, staring as JJ, and reprised the role at the MCC Theater in New York in 2024. That same year, she also appeared in Anna Ouyang Moench's Man of God at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Helen's regional theatre credits also include playing Keke, the Promise Keeper Girl, in Michael R. Jackson's off Broadway musical Teeth, and portraying Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard at ACT of Connecticut in 2023. She originally set out to be a pianist Helen J. Chen is classically trained in piano. Photo: @helenjshen/Instagram Born in Bernards Township, New Jersey, Shen began learning classical piano at the age of five, continuing through high school, while taking part in community theatre. Shen believes that piano taught her self-discipline and focus, as well as the ability to handle pressure, per an interview she gave to Vogue last year.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
ONE Championship signs up world's top women's jiu-jitsu prospect
Helena Crevar's meteoric rise in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has already made her a stand-out name – now, the teenage sensation is set to bring her talents to the global stage with ONE Championship. Advertisement The 18-year-old Las Vegas native has officially signed with ONE and is an exciting addition to the submission grappling roster. But what makes her arrival even more significant is the nature of her deal: a rare non-exclusive contract that allows her to continue competing in other events around the world. 'It's really important that athletes get to compete wherever possible,' Crevar told the Post. 'It helps both the athletes and the promotions to be more open, have more options, and get the most experience.' Crevar is widely viewed as one of the top prospects in the sport. She became the youngest ever podium placer at the ADCC World Championships in 2024, claiming silver at just 17 years old. That same year, she also captured the Polaris 70-kilogram title and continued collecting IBJJF World and Pan-American titles across multiple belt levels. A product of the famed New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team under legendary coach John Danaher, Crevar moved to Austin, Texas, at the age of 15 to train full time. She was promoted to black belt in June 2025, marking 10 years since she first stepped onto the mats. 'To be John Danaher's first female black belt is a huge honour,' she said. 'He's incredibly smart; he knows the answer to any position or scenario. I've never trained under anyone like him.'
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Meet Gwyneth Paltrow's childhood best friend, filmmaker Mary Wigmore
Author Amy Odell, who has previously written a biography on Anna Wintour , shifts her focus to Gwyneth Paltrow in her latest book Based on over 220 interviews, Gwyneth: The Biography comes out on July 29. It dives into Paltrow's success in Hollywood and also looks at the controversies surrounding the wellness mogul. Gwyneth Paltrow met her friend Mary Wigmore back when they were in kindergarten. Photo: @gwynethpaltrow/Instagram Advertisement The book promises a look into the Emma star's friendships and eventual fallouts with Winona Ryder and Madonna, as well as her romantic life with exes Brad Pitt , Ben Affleck and Coldplay's Chris Martin. But what do we know about one of Gwyneth Paltrow's longest relationships – her friendship with Mary Wigmore? Mary Wigmore is a filmmaker Gwyneth Paltrow called Mary Wigmore 'the best person in the whole universe' on the latter's birthday two years ago. Photo: @gwynethpaltrow/Instagram Wigmore graduated from the Columbia University School of the Arts with a masters in fine arts for directing. She made her debut with a 2003 documentary on yoga, with appearances by Paltrow and Willem Dafoe . The filmmaker has gone on to direct episodes for TV shows including American Horror Story and Scream Queens. Despite the Goop founder and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin's 'conscious uncoupling' in 2014, Paltrow remains on good terms with her ex – and so does Wigmore, it seems. In recent years, Wigmore has directed several of the band's music videos: most recently, she directed the 2024 music video for the song 'All My Love'. They have known each other since kindergarten
