When a Coldplay concert turned into an HR nightmare, the internet couldn’t look away.
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, sparked a frenzy online after they appeared together on the kiss cam during Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop in Boston. The camera found them mid-snuggle, until Byron, who is married, panicked and dropped his arm faster than a bad stock. Cabot spun away awkwardly, and the moment quickly became internet gold.
Chris Martin tried to lighten the mood with a cheeky “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” but the damage was done. The couple’s dodgy reaction only fanned the flames, and within hours, the footage had gone viral across X, TikTok, and Instagram. Commenters pointed out the poor judgment, the irony of the HR chief being involved, and expressed sympathy for Byron’s wife, who has since removed his last name from her social media accounts.
What could’ve been a cute concert moment became a case study in how not to handle PDA. And while the straights spiral in scandal, we’d like to redirect your attention to the kiss cam moments that actually make us smile: the queer ones.
Kiss Cams That Got It Right (AKA: Not an HR Violation in Sight)
While that Coldplay kiss cam gave us viral chaos, the LGBTQ+ community has long been delivering public affection that’s joyful, affirming, and drama-free. Sports arenas and concerts across the country have slowly but surely started reflecting that reality, placing queer couples front and center in kiss cam traditions once reserved for hetero PDA.
Over the past few years, teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, LA Dodgers, New York Knicks, and even the Lakers have featured same-sex couples on the big screen, often during Pride Nights. And unlike that awkward Coldplay footage, these moments are met with cheers, not cringes.
What sets these moments apart isn’t just the lack of scandal. It’s that they’re about actual love, not secrecy. There’s no PR fallout, no LinkedIn damage control, and certainly no HR chief looking like they just saw a ghost. It’s just people being seen, and celebrated, for who they are and who they love.
In a world where straight people keep getting caught in 4K doing the absolute most, queer couples are showing how it’s done. Public affection doesn’t need to end in a breakup, or a board meeting. Sometimes, it just ends with applause from the crowd and a few happy tears.
So while the Coldplay tour rolls on, and the internet continues to roast one CEO’s decision-making skills, we’re keeping our eyes on the jumbotrons lighting up with actual heart. The kind that doesn’t go viral for the wrong reasons.
Scroll down to see the kiss cam photos that actually gave us joy.
