The woman at the centre of a viral kiss cam scandal at a Coldplay concert has launched a stinging attack on actress Gwyneth Paltrow, branding her a 'hypocrite' for her part in amplifying the incident.
The Viral Moment and Its Aftermath
In July, at a Coldplay gig in Boston, former Astronomer HR executive Kristin Cabot and then-CEO Andy Byron were filmed in an intimate embrace on the jumbotron. The pair quickly separated upon realising they were on the 'kiss cam', a reaction that prompted Coldplay frontman Chris Martin – Paltrow's ex-husband – to jokingly call them out for 'having an affair'. The clip swiftly ignited a frenzy online.
In the ensuing days, the data firm Astronomer enlisted Paltrow as a 'temporary spokesperson'. She starred in a PR video where she humorously fielded questions about the alleged 'affair' saga, a move that Cabot claims worsened the scandal.
Cabot's Accusation of Hypocrisy
Now, Cabot, 53, has publicly condemned Paltrow's actions, pointing to what she sees as a stark contradiction. 'I was such a fan of her company, which seemed to be about uplifting women,' Cabot told The Times. 'And then she did this. I thought, "How dare she after the beating she got for all the conscious uncoupling stuff." What a hypocrite.'
Paltrow is widely credited with popularising the term 'conscious uncoupling' after her amicable 2014 split from Martin. Cabot expressed dismay that Paltrow would mock her situation while championing a philosophy meant to make relationship breakdowns more compassionate. In protest, Cabot revealed she has thrown away every product she owned from Paltrow's Goop brand.
A Costly Mistake and Severe Fallout
Breaking her months-long silence, Cabot admitted the encounter was a one-time, alcohol-fuelled mistake. 'I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss,' she told The New York Times. She insisted they were not having an affair, claiming the kiss at the concert was their first.
The consequences were severe and immediate. Both Cabot and Byron were placed on leave and subsequently resigned from Astronomer. Cabot faced a torrent of online abuse, was branded a 'homewrecker', and received over 60 threats on her life. She told the Times she believes, as a woman, she bore the brunt of the public shaming.
The personal fallout was also profound. Cabot, who was separated from her husband Andrew at the time, filed for divorce in August. Her teenage children feared for her safety and are now in therapy. Cabot herself described becoming 'unemployable' in her field.
Moving On and Picking Up the Pieces
Despite the trauma, Cabot reports she is beginning to heal, leaving her house more and resuming old hobbies. She and Byron remained in contact over the summer but agreed to cut communication in September to aid the healing process.
Meanwhile, Byron and his wife, Megan Kerrigan, appear to be attempting reconciliation. They were spotted together in Maine in late September, both still wearing wedding rings, after having quietly sold their New York apartment. Cabot's ex-husband, Andrew, has reportedly been 'nothing but a gentleman' throughout the ordeal.
Paltrow's representatives have been approached for comment regarding Cabot's accusations. The episode remains a stark lesson in the rapid and brutal power of viral notoriety.
