In her first interview since the incident, Cabot told The Times of London that she was deeply hurt by the way her humiliation became entertainment — not just online, but also for celebrities and TV hosts. She said figures such as Gwyneth Paltrow and the cohosts of The View used the moment for commentary, adding to what she describes as relentless public shaming.
The incident took place on July 16 at a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Cabot was in the crowd with then–Astronomer CEO Andy Byron when the stadium Jumbotron showed them embracing. The pair quickly pulled apart, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to joke, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Within days, the TikTok video racked up more than 100 million views. Once internet users identified both Cabot and Byron, the story exploded far beyond the concert.
Cabot said her first reaction was panic — not for herself, but for her estranged husband, Andrew Cabot, CEO of a rum distillery. “We were in the middle of an incredibly amicable separation,” she said. “I was worried I would embarrass him. He’s an amazing guy and didn’t deserve that.”
She then realized the professional consequences. “Andy’s my boss,” she recalled thinking. “Boston’s not a big town. There could have been investors or staff there. It was a bad look.”
The situation escalated further when Astronomer released a promotional video featuring Gwyneth Paltrow as a “temporary spokesperson.” The move appeared to reference the Coldplay connection, as Paltrow was married to Chris Martin from 2003 to 2016.
Cabot said the ad felt cruel and unnecessary. “It poured fuel on a raging fire,” she said. Once a fan of Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop, Cabot said she threw away all of its products in protest. “I thought her brand was about uplifting women,” she said. “Then she did this. What a hypocrite.”
In the video, Paltrow avoided addressing the incident directly and instead promoted Astronomer’s business, ending with a message about returning focus to customers.
Byron later resigned as CEO amid the controversy. Cabot revealed that Astronomer asked her to return to her role after completing its internal investigation, but she chose instead to negotiate her exit. Her resignation was announced on July 24.
Cabot said the public reaction was especially harsh toward her. “As a woman, I took the bulk of the abuse,” she said. Online critics accused her of being a “gold-digger” or of “sleeping her way to the top,” claims she strongly denied.
“The amount I sacrificed to get where I did in my career — the comments I had to swat away, the hands I had to take off me — people have no idea,” she said.
Now a mother of two and in the process of divorcing her second husband, Cabot says speaking out is not about reviving old drama. “People will say, ‘Why bring this back up?’” she acknowledged. “But it’s not over for me, and it’s not over for my kids. The harassment never ended.”
For Cabot, the viral moment may have faded from headlines, but its impact on her personal and professional life remains very real.
Tags:
News
