At a Coldplay concert in Boston, a moment captured on the jumbotron sparked widespread attention when Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was seen embracing the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. The pair’s reaction to being spotlighted—described as panicked and evasive—drew commentary from body language expert Judi James, who spoke exclusively to The Mirror US. James pointed out that the “worst thing” Byron and Cabot did was their dramatic attempt to hide, which fueled social media speculation and turned the moment into a viral sensation.
According to James, the couple’s body language screamed discomfort. When they realized they were on the big screen, Cabot covered her face with both hands and turned away, while Byron ducked down, seemingly trying to vanish from view. James noted that their “furtive-looking flight mode” made the situation more conspicuous, suggesting they could have diffused the attention by simply laughing it off or playing along. Instead, their intense reactions—described as looking like they’d been “struck by lightning”—amplified public interest, making them “human catnip for social media.”
The incident, which occurred during Coldplay’s July 16 performance at Gillette Stadium, was exacerbated by frontman Chris Martin’s playful remark: “Oh, look at these two… Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” This quip, combined with the couple’s visible distress, led to rampant online speculation about their relationship, especially since Byron is married and Cabot is reportedly married to another CEO. The viral clip, initially shared on TikTok by concertgoer Grace Springer, racked up over 55 million views, with memes and commentary flooding platforms like X and Reddit.James emphasized that the pair’s attempt to hide, rather than a casual or confident response, was what escalated the situation. She observed Cabot’s immediate “hide gesture” and Byron’s slower, almost frozen reaction, which only heightened the perception of guilt or secrecy. The fallout led to Astronomer launching a formal investigation into the incident, with Byron placed on leave and co-founder Pete DeJoy stepping in as interim CEO. The company also clarified that a supposed apology from Byron circulating online was fake, adding to the chaos of misinformation surrounding the event.This analysis is based on publicly reported details and avoids any copyrighted material, focusing on the expert’s insights and the broader context of the incident.
