In mid-July 2025, a claim circulated online that Andy Byron, CEO of tech company Astronomer, issued a statement addressing allegations that during a Coldplay concert he was exposed as having an affair with colleague Kristin Cabot, the company's chief people officer.
The alleged revelation, of which Snopes was unable to confirm the veracity prior to publication, came after the pair were unwittingly filmed holding each other on a jumbotron at the July 16 show near Boston. Moments after they appeared on-screen, the duo let go of each other and hid their faces, which matched photos of them available online.
Videos circulating online of the incident showed Coldplay singer Chris Martin responding to the pair hiding their faces by saying: "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do. Did we rumble you?"
Footage of their embrace went viral on social media and was followed by an influx of internet memes, along with the rumor that Byron had released a statement apologizing for what occurred. For example, one X user posted (archived) a screenshot allegedly showing the Astronomer CEO's response. It read:
New York, New York — July 17, 2025 — "I want to acknowledge the moment that's been circulating online, and the disappointment it's caused.
What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage. I want to sincerely apologize to my wife, my family, and the team at Astronomer. You deserve better from me as a partner, as a father, and as a leader.
This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build. I'm taking time to reflect, to take accountability, and to figure out the next steps, personally and professionally. I ask for privacy as I navigate that process.
I also want to express how troubling it is that what should have been a private moment became public without my consent. I respect artists and entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the impact of turning someone else's life into a spectacle.
As a friend once sang: 'Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.'"
-Andy
The claim appeared on numerous platforms, including Facebook (archived, archived, archived) and X (archived), prompting other social media users to respond critically with comments like, "CEO drama guy blaming Coldplay," and, "CEO #AndyByron blaming Coldplay for his irresponsible and disrespectful indiscretion, instead of owning his philandering ways."
The story's popularity and Byron's alleged statement caused an influx of website searches and messages from Snopes readers looking for clarification on whether the CEO issued the purported response.
However, despite how convinced people were by the alleged statement, it actually originated from a satirical X account's post (archived) that has since been removed after the profile was suspended. The user, who was named Peter Enis (or P. Enis), claimed to be a CBS News reporter; however, unsurprisingly, Google search results produced no evidence that such a reporter exists at the broadcaster. One X user was quick to point out the misdirection (archived).
Astronomer's press team dismissed the message circulating online, pointing Snopes to an authentic statement the company released on X and LinkedIn. It read:
Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.
The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.
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 all incorrect.
(Some social media users have claimed Stoddard, an Astronomer vice president, also was seen on the jumbotron (archived, archived).)
On July 19, Astronomer released another statement announcing Byron's resignation. It read, in part:
As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.
Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.
DeJoy posted a statement of his own on LinkedIn.
"The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter," DeJoy's statement read. "The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name."