Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is facing backlash after being caught in a compromising moment on a Coldplay concert Jumbotron.
The viral footage shows Byron closely embracing Kristin Cabot, the company’s chief people officer. Both are married with kids. When they realized they were on camera, they awkwardly rushed out of frame.
Coldplay singer Chris Martin even joked on stage: 
"Oh, look at these two," Coldplay singer Chris Martin narrated, as Byron comically ducked out of view after realizing he was on screen. "Oh, what… either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy."
The incident blew up on social media Thursday, sparking intense criticism and speculation on Reddit and beyond. One user wrote:
"Serves them right tbh. Cheating catches up with you eventually."
Another pointed out a third woman in the clip, seemingly covering her face in disbelief.
"She knows them both and realizes her friends are cooked," the user added.
Cabot joined Astronomer, a New York City-based AI and machine learning startup, just last November. Byron had praised her leadership skills and people management in a press release at the time.
Neither Byron nor Cabot has commented publicly. But the fallout is already getting ugly. Byron’s wife’s Facebook page has been taken down after flooding with messages about the scandal.
Critics are joking that the entire debacle could have been avoided if Byron and Cabot just smiled at the camera.
"lol if they’d have just stuck it out and smiled for the camera this would never have surfaced as virally as it did,” one Redditor said.
Others warned about the cost of dodging the spotlight.
"Cost of a concert: Hotel $200, tickets $600, food/drinks $150, divorce attorney $50,000," joked an Instagram user.
And a Twitter user laid down hard rules:
"Two rules, never try to hide from the Jumbotron and never run from cops or dogs."
Astronomer is now bracing for fallout as this awkward scandal unfolds.
