Ex-Astronomer HR head Kristin Cabot speaks on Coldplay kiss-cam scandal, says children feared for safety

Kristin Cabot, the former chief people officer at US tech firm Astronomer who went viral after appearing in a kiss-cam moment with her then-boss Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert, has spoken publicly for the first time about the personal toll of the controversy, according to an interview with The New York Times.

Cabot, a 53-year-old mother of two, said the incident in July triggered an intense wave of online harassment, public shaming and death threats that deeply affected her family, particularly her children, who became fearful for their safety. She informed the publication that the scale and severity of the backlash left her struggling to cope with the emotional impact and concerned about the wellbeing of those closest to her.

She told The New York Times that she was separated from her husband at the time of the incident and acknowledged that she acted inappropriately after consuming alcohol, adding that the moment, captured during a concert kiss-cam segment, had long-lasting professional and personal consequences. Cabot said she accepted responsibility for her actions and confirmed that she ultimately stepped away from her career following the controversy.

According to Cabot, the fallout escalated rapidly after the clip circulated online. She said her personal information was exposed, leading to sustained harassment that included threatening messages and repeated phone calls. She informed the publication that at the peak of the backlash, she was receiving hundreds of calls daily and dozens of death threats, with some messages referencing her personal movements and locations. She also said paparazzi camped outside her home for extended periods, creating an atmosphere of constant fear.

The impact on her children, a teenage son and a 14-year-old daughter, was particularly severe, she said. Cabot informed The New York Times that they became distressed after overhearing a threatening voicemail played on speakerphone for a family member, which intensified their fear that she could be harmed.

She said her decision to speak publicly now was motivated by a desire to show her children that while mistakes can happen, no one should be subjected to threats or violence as a result, adding that accountability should never come at the cost of personal safety.