‘Play Stupid Games… Win Stupid Prizes’: Coldplay Fan Speaks Out After Viral Kiss Cam Exposes Tech CEO

A Coldplay concert in Boston turned scandalous after a fan’s TikTok video helped to viralize the moment a tech CEO and his HR chief were caught by the kiss cam in an intimate moment.

The clip sparked a storm of online backlash as internet sleuths discovered they were both married — and not to each other. Now, the fan behind the video has spoken out about the overwhelming scale of the viral response.

Grace Springer is a 28-year-old Coldplay fan. When she attended the Coldplay concert at Boston’s Gillette Stadium on July 16, she never imagined that her videos of the event would create such an uproar.

“A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes,” Springer told The Sun.

“I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them,” she added. “I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise.”

The clip showed a man standing behind a woman, his arms around her, both enjoying the music. When they noticed the camera focused on them, she quickly turned away and he ducked behind the seats.

Seeing the couple’s reaction, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin quipped that “either they’re having an affair, or they’re very shy.” His first guess was correct — though no one at the concert knew that at the time, Springer included.

However, after Springer posted the clip to TikTok, social media users were quick to identify the pair: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot. Both married — to other people.

Criticism followed fast. “Sorry for the wife but glad they’re being exposed and embarrassed,” wrote one user. Another user joked that “Coldplay hasn’t made a single in years. Last night, they made two.”

Byron and Cabot aren’t the only ones upturned by the viral episode, though. For Springer, the experience has been shocking — going to bed with a few thousand views, and waking up to tens of millions.

In her Instagram Stories, Springer shared screenshots of the situation from her point of view. In one story, a screenshot of an outgoing message read:

“I uploaded a TikTok this morning and now it’s viral worldwide and I’m responding to emails from Huffington Post and NBC.”

A second story showed a screenshot of her TikTok page, with the video of Byron and Cabot showing more than 31.1 million views. As of July 18, that number exceeded 68 million.

In a third story, Springer shared an email from someone called Melissa, thanking her for sharing the clip: “It is a crazy world out there, and with everything going on politically and economically, we needed this storyline as an escape.”

“Of course, we feel bad that families are probably going to be torn apart from this, however, that’s on Andy and Megan!” wrote Melissa, before expressing her gratitude again.

Subsequent stories revealed Springer’s mother letting her know that voice messages and calls are flooding her home looking for her. Springer simply replied “Unplug it,” referring to the house phone.

Byron and Cabot work at Astronomer, a software firm valued at over $1.3 billion. Online sleuths deftly dug up their respective LinkedIn profiles and instances of the pair exchanging professional praises — viewed now through a more cynical lens.

As social media users began investigating the duo, they reignited public interest in Byron’s 2023 press release about Cabot’s executive appointment. In the statement, he said:

As footage of the moment quickly went viral, internet sleuths and social media users began investigating the duo, reigniting public interest in Byron’s 2023 press release about Cabot’s executive appointment. In the statement, he said:

“Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory. She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.”

Now, those remarks are resurfacing in a very different light. Online commentary on their rumored affair has ranged from humorous to incredulous. “This cheating scandal is the gift that keeps on giving… for the lawyers, that is! Their spouses should be thanking the tabloids right about now 😂😂😂,” one user wrote.

Others quickly noticed that the scandal may not be one-sided. “It looks like she also has a wedding ring on here?” an eagle-eyed viewer noted.

However, Massachusetts court records reveal that Cabot and her ex-husband, Kenneth Thornby, filed for divorce in 2018 and finalized it in 2022. It is unclear whether she has since remarried, though records show the former couple shares at least one child, as Thornby was ordered to pay child support.

As suspicions swirled, many zeroed in on Byron’s marriage. His wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, initially removed the name Byron from her Facebook profile before eventually deactivating the account altogether. Her Instagram profile has also been taken down.

Megan reportedly acted swiftly after her social accounts were flooded with comments referencing the viral video of her husband and his HR executive at the concert. Ultimately, netizens let Megan know that they were on her side.

Meanwhile, Byron has deactivated his LinkedIn page. “I know the company is going crazy today,” someone commented.

While Byron’s online profiles have vanished, Cabot’s remains publicly visible. Her professional bio reads, “An influential leader and fearless change-agent, I lead by example and win trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants.”

As the alleged affair garners public attention, scrutiny has returned to Byron’s professional track record, particularly during his time at cybersecurity firm Cybereason.

According to an exposé published by The Information in April 2018, titled “Fake Hire, Staff Departures Roil SoftBank-Backed Security Startup,” Byron was characterized by former employees as combative and toxic in leadership.

“Multiple former employees said Mr. Byron would lash out against employees who disagreed with him, including threatening to fire them,” the article noted. “You couldn’t challenge him,” one former employee said.

Byron served as Cybereason’s chief revenue officer starting in 2017 and worked there for over two years, according to his now-deactivated LinkedIn account. During that time, his management style allegedly drove many employees to quit. In response, he reportedly hired loyal sales staff from his former company, Fuze.

“We started off in the right direction and were very successful,” said one former team member, “but [with] the pressure to grow employees and revenue, it was never enough to just say we were a fast-growing company. We had to be the fastest-growing.” The employee described the environment as “sad.”

Another worker still employed at Cybereason at the time of the article’s publication remarked, “People loved the company. Now they hate it.”

Byron denied allegations of abusive behavior, stating that his decisions had simply disappointed some individuals.