Why we can't look away from the Coldplay couple scandal

Chris Martin of the band ColdPlay perform on stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2024 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2024 in Glastonbury, England. Founded by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury Festival features around 3,000 performances across over 80 stages. Renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and iconic Pyramid Stage, the festival offers a diverse lineup of music and arts, embodying a spirit of community, creativity, and environmental consciousness. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Chris Martin of the band ColdPlay perform on stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2024 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2024 in Glastonbury, England. Founded by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury Festival features around 3,000 performances across over 80 stages. Renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and iconic Pyramid Stage, the festival offers a diverse lineup of music and arts, embodying a spirit of community, creativity, and environmental consciousness. Photo credit (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)

Most of you have probably heard about the viral kiss-cam moment at a Coldplay concert that outed an alleged affair by now. It’s spawned endless memes and has us all reconsidering just how much privacy we have.

Andy Byron, former CEO of tech company Astronomer and the company’s former head of HR, Kristin Cabot, were the couple caught in an embrace (and then scrambling to get out of it). They have resigned from the company, which brought on Coldplay front man Chris Martin’s ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow as its temporary spokesperson.

“Something Offbeat” decided to tackle the scandal of the summer and got in contact with Paul Keable Chief Strategy Officer at Ashley Madison, a site that offers to pair up people looking to have extramarital affairs, for some insight.

“In reality, the internet is in a sense, replicating the NASCAR world – and people just love a good crash,” Keable said. “And that’s what we’re seeing here. It just has so many different elements. Wildly successful, good-looking people, doing bad things and getting caught. It’s a bit of schadenfreude, and the world loves it.”

Listen to Keable and host Mike Rogers unpack the whole story here.

Each week, “Something Offbeat” takes a deeper look at an unusual headline. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.

Featured Image Photo Credit: (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)