Kristin Cabot said she had acted inappropriately after drinking “a couple of High Noons” and acknowledged that the moment had lasting consequences.
Kristin Cabot, the human resources executive who went viral after being caught in a kiss-cam moment with her then-boss Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert, has spoken publicly for the first time, describing the incident as a “bad decision” that has upended her life and career.
Kristin Cabot, a 53-year-old mother of two and former Chief People Officer at US tech firm Astronomer, broke her silence months after a 16-second clip from a Coldplay concert sparked widespread online backlash and ultimately led to her exit from the company.
Speaking to The New York Times, Kristin Cabot said she had acted inappropriately after drinking “a couple of High Noons” and acknowledged that the moment- captured during a kiss-cam segment at the concert- had lasting consequences.
“I made a bad decision,” she said, adding that she had “taken accountability” and “given up” her career as a result.
The incident involved Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, with whom Kristin Cabot was seen embracing on the stadium screen. The clip quickly went viral, turning both executives into internet memes and triggering intense scrutiny of their professional conduct.
Kristin Cabot said that the scale of the backlash had been overwhelming and disproportionate.
“I’m not some celebrity. I’m just a mom from New Hampshire,” she said, adding that the episode had become a “scarlet letter” that erased years of professional achievement.
She said she had become “unemployable” in the aftermath of the scandal and described herself as “the most maligned HR manager in HR history”.
Kristin Cabot said that both she and Andy Byron were amicably separated from their respective spouses at the time of the concert. She acknowledged developing feelings for Andy Byron after learning he was also in the process of separating from his wife, but said she had not anticipated the fallout.
Recounting the moment, Kristin Cabot said she had not realised the stadium camera was focused on them until their image appeared on the jumbotron. She also said she was aware that her soon-to-be ex-husband was somewhere in the crowd, which added to her distress.
“I was worried I would embarrass him,” she said, adding that her thoughts quickly turned to the professional implications of being seen with her boss in public.