What started as a romantic moment at a Coldplay concert quickly turned into a full-blown corporate crisis when Astronomer’s CEO, Andy Byron, and Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, were caught in an awkward and very public moment by the stadium’s Kiss Cam.
The viral video showed the pair in what appeared to be an intimate embrace — sparking immediate speculation about the nature of their relationship, especially given that both were married… just not to each other.
The backlash was swift.
Social media sleuths quickly identified the couple, and the internet exploded with commentary, memes, and heated debates about workplace relationships, leadership accountability, and how public figures handle their personal lives.
In response, Astronomer released an official statement on X and LinkedIn, confirming that Byron had officially resigned and that the Board had accepted his decision.
The message read:
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability — and recently, that standard was not met.”
Byron’s resignation comes after both he and Cabot were placed on leave pending internal investigations. The company also announced that Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s co-founder and Chief Product Officer, will serve as interim CEO moving forward.
However, the statement gave no official update on Cabot’s current status with the company — leaving many to speculate whether she would also be leaving or if Astronomer would issue further consequences.
As news of Byron’s resignation spread, the internet had plenty to say — and not all of it was about accountability.
Some users questioned the severity of the fallout, especially given the nature of the incident:
- “Maybe unpopular opinion, but this statement is way too serious — it’s actually funny. If the company policy forbids romantic relationships, fine — especially with HR involved — but this feels like overkill.”
- “Ok, I’m sorry but this is wild. Cheating is bad, sure, but losing your job over it? Wait… he got cancelled for cheating? That’s insane.”
- “This whole story is a MESS. They should’ve just played it cool.”
Others speculated that the company was reacting not because of moral outrage, but because the situation had become meme-worthy and damaging to the brand.
“They probably knew anyway, they’re just doing this because the cheaters went viral.”
Shortly after the video went viral, a fake apology purporting to be from Byron began circulating on X — posted by a parody account posing as the CEO.
In the fabricated message, the imposter Byron supposedly apologized for the incident, calling it a “deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage.” The note even ended with a lyric from Coldplay’s Fix You , adding a poetic — and ironic — touch to the fake statement.
“Lights will guide you home… and I will try to fix you.”
The post was quickly debunked by Astronomer, who clarified that Byron had not issued any public apology and that the statement was entirely fabricated.
The account behind the hoax was later suspended.
In their official statement, Astronomer confirmed that no other employees were involved in the incident — clearing the name of Alyssa Stoddard, who some fans had speculated was present in the background.
“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 incorrect.”
This came after initial confusion and speculation that Stoddard had been seen next to the pair as they tried to hide from the camera.
The fallout highlights how quickly personal scandals can become professional crises — especially for executives in high-profile roles.
While some defended the company’s decision to take swift action, others questioned whether this was an overreaction fueled more by public pressure than actual company policy violations.
Regardless of where people stood, one thing was clear:
When a CEO becomes the star of a viral scandal, the consequences go far beyond the office walls.
And sometimes, all it takes is a moment on a concert screen to change everything.