The Chief Executive of a U.S. technology firm stepped down on Saturday following the widespread circulation of a video depicting him and an alleged coworker embracing at a Coldplay concert, which led to a flurry of memes.
During a Coldplay performance in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, the big screen focused on a couple in the audience showcasing affection. The two seemed taken aback and distressed upon realising they were being broadcast, with the man quickly moving out of view and the woman covering her face.
Within a few hours, online investigators identified the man as Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer, and claimed the woman was Kristin Cabot, the firm’s Chief People Officer, suggesting the two were involved in an apparent affair.
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” a New York-based Astronomer said in a statement shared on LinkedIn.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation,” the firm said, after previously launching an investigation.
The clip has received millions of views on TikTok and various social media platforms, spawning memes that addressed topics ranging from the absurdity of having an affair at a Coldplay concert to the double standards of an HR leader seemingly caught up in a workplace romance.
Furry mascots from the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team also jumped on the trend, recreating the moment for the jumbotron during a game after the footage gained traction.
Nonetheless, an apology statement falsely attributed to Byron that circulated widely on the internet was a hoax and appeared to have come from a parody account.
