Initial thoughts about Coldplay-gate

Filming and sharing content about strangers

Would anyone have cared if it was not the CEO?

Will a private mistake affect work ethics?

Can the couple recover professionally?

If combining the words “kiss cam”, “Coldplay”, “Astronomer” and “affair” means nothing to you, you have managed to be blissfully unaware of the internet’s weekend meltdown over a very public spectacle.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.


Here’s the TL;DR recap: A couple, who were in a tight embrace, created a buzz among concertgoers – and later, the world – when they pulled a duck/hide move after they were featured on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in Boston.

Their reaction was so suspicious that the band’s frontman Chris Martin quipped: “Either they are having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

It turned out that Martin was right, and the cheating pair were colleagues at US tech firm Astronomer.

Internet sleuths uncovered their names and job titles – he’s Andy Byron the now-former chief executive at the company; she’s Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s chief people officer – as well as information about their other relationships.

People also found out who Mr Byron’s wife was, with some even sending her messages about what they thought of her husband.

Beyond the illicit affair being publicly exposed, the incident led to much introspection about what happens when private moments become public, and leadership credibility.

Also, what is our obsession with public shaming?

To answer those questions on this episode of The Usual Place podcast, I spoke with:


Stephanie Phua, founder of marketing and branding collective Duo Studio and co-founder of The Trampoline Club, a platform which pushes for compassion, understanding and mutual respect in conversations;


Pan Huiyan, a millennial leadership coach; and


Dr Sunny Johar, managing director for South-east Asia at digital experience agency KRDS.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:48 Initial thoughts about Coldplay-gate - would the moment have gone viral if the couple did not overreact?

13:07 What this incident tells us about filming and sharing content about strangers

19:41 Would anyone have cared if it weren’t the CEO and the head of HR?

22:46 Will a private mistake affect a person’s work ethics?

33:14 Post-viral moment, can the couple recover professionally?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

---

#tup #tuptr

If combining the words &ldquo;kiss cam&rdquo;, &ldquo;Coldplay&rdquo;, &ldquo;Astronomer&rdquo; and &ldquo;affair&rdquo; means nothing to you, you have managed to be blissfully unaware of the internet&rsquo;s weekend meltdown over a very public spectacle.
Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
 Here&rsquo;s the TL;DR recap: A couple, who were in a tight embrace, created a buzz among concertgoers &ndash; and later, the world &ndash; when they pulled a duck/hide move after <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/us-tech-ceo-in-viral-coldplay-concert-video-resigns?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a>they were featured on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in Boston.
Their reaction was so suspicious that the band&rsquo;s frontman Chris Martin quipped: &ldquo;Either they are having an affair or they&rsquo;re just very shy.&rdquo;
It turned out that Martin was right, and the cheating pair were colleagues at US tech firm Astronomer. Internet sleuths uncovered their names and job titles &ndash; he&rsquo;s Andy Byron the now-former chief executive at the company; she&rsquo;s Kristin Cabot, Astronomer&rsquo;s chief people officer &ndash; as well as information about their other relationships. People also found out who Mr Byron&rsquo;s wife was, with some even sending her messages about what they thought of her husband.
Beyond the illicit affair being publicly exposed, the incident led to much introspection about what happens when private moments become public, and leadership credibility. Also, what is our obsession with public shaming?
To answer those questions on this episode of The Usual Place podcast, I spoke with:
<ul>
<li data-testid="bulleted-article-list-item-test-id">
Stephanie Phua, founder of marketing and branding collective Duo Studio and co-founder of The Trampoline Club, a platform which pushes for compassion, understanding and mutual respect in conversations;
</li>
<li data-testid="bulleted-article-list-item-test-id">
Pan Huiyan, a millennial leadership coach; and
</li>
<li data-testid="bulleted-article-list-item-test-id">
Dr Sunny Johar, managing director for South-east Asia at digital experience agency KRDS.
</li>
</ul>
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:48 Initial thoughts about Coldplay-gate - would the moment have gone viral if the couple did not overreact?
13:07 What this incident tells us about filming and sharing content about strangers
19:41 Would anyone have cared if it weren&rsquo;t the CEO and the head of HR?
22:46 Will a private mistake affect a person&rsquo;s work ethics?
33:14 Post-viral moment, can the couple recover professionally?
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast">https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday: Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0lVWPuRyh5m8VD7V76OV1m">https://str.sg/5nfm</a> Apple Podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2gkqh0LEQ_ChzavW5BHf8F">https://str.sg/9ijX</a> Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1A48Vj69llfD3EPQP2ZvlM">https://str.sg/cd2P</a> YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a> Feedback to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#tup #tuptr

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media