An HR executive caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert embracing her boss has described how 'the harassment has never ended' following the viral moment.
Kristin Cabot has spoken publicly for the first time about the video in which she was seen hugging Andy Byron, then-CEO of tech company Astronomer, at the show in July, before they abruptly ducked and hid from the camera.
Ms Cabot, 53, who was the company's chief people officer, stepped down following Mr Byron's resignation after the firm announced he would be placed on leave and investigated.
Speaking to the Times, Ms Cabot said she has been looking for another job but been told she is 'unemployable'.
The video, which showed the pair swaying to music at the concert in Boston, Massachusetts, quickly went viral after Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin commented, 'Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy.'
It gained millions of views, sharing, and became the subject of various jokes. However, for Ms Cabot, her ordeal had just begun. 'I became a meme, I was the most maligned HR manager in HR history,' she disclosed.
Ms Cabot, who was separated from her husband during the ordeal, clarified that she and Mr Byron were not in a sexual relationship and had never kissed prior to that night.
”I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced inappropriately with my boss,' she explained, taking responsibility for her actions.
She expressed that the situation had dire consequences for her children, who became embarrassed by the media coverage and faced bullying at school, stating, 'they're mad at me. And they can be mad at me for the rest of their lives - I have to take that.'
With the harassment and threats escalating, Ms Cabot received alarming messages, including frightening threats that made her children afraid for their safety. 'Women were the cruellest critics,' she noted, reflecting on the intensity of the backlash she faced.
As things begin to improve, she hopes to regain a sense of normalcy for herself and her children. While Ms Cabot has moved on from her past interactions with Mr Byron, she continues to navigate the repercussions of the viral incident.
