Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” reimagined for the second (through @memequeen and @esixus on Instagram, all screenshots Hyperallgic)
As all of us vie for a distraction from the world’s woes, an alleged affair uncovered through the Jumbotron at a Coldplay live performance has turn into the meme of the summer season.
Over the previous week, the web has been reveling in poking enjoyable at a viral clip from the band’s sold-out gig at Gillette Stadium exterior Boston. The footage, taken through the live performance’s “kiss cam segment,” appears to have unshrouded a potential extramarital rendezvous between Andy Byron, the chief government officer of New York-based knowledge agency Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the top of the corporate’s HR division — not less than primarily based on the couple’s embarrassed response when the digital camera panned over to them. Instantly, Cabot covers her face and turns round; Byron merely geese down out of the body.
Coldplay unintentionally uncovered an alleged affair between Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his colleague Kristin Cabot at one among their latest concert events. pic.twitter.com/hsJHV2u5UM
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 17, 2025
“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” lead singer Chris Martin stated uneasily into the microphone.
Two days after the incident, Astronomer introduced Byron had been positioned on depart, and someday later, he had “tendered his resignation.” Cabot, who sits on the corporate’s board of administrators, has additionally eliminated her LinkedIn profile. Coldplay has now begun issuing pleasant warnings to concertgoers concerning the Jumbotron.
Positive, it’s a reminder that we stay in a relentless surveillance state, but it surely’s additionally chef’s kiss-level meme fodder, yielding every thing from recreations of Edvard Munch’s The Scream (1893) and new interpretations of Greek antiquity to a resurgence of years-old viral moments. Persons are evaluating the caught canoodlers to different scandalous pairings, from Fleetwood Mac lead vocalists Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham to … sure, Vice President JD Vance and his sofa.
At all times a chance to resurface the disguised Taylor Swift fan (through @DerekNeverFails)
Not JD Vance and the sofa once more … (through @20gimsack and @madrid_mike)
Many on-line jokes middle on the connection between convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump, which has been beneath intensifying scrutiny amid his administration’s alleged mismanagement of the so-called Epstein recordsdata. Others have centered on speculations that Katie Miller, the spouse of White Home Deputy Chief of Employees Stephen Miller, is having a romance with billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk after she adopted Musk’s departure from the White Home.
Others have drawn connections between the incident and different meme-ified occasions involving the downfall of rich company executives, from the suspicious string of orca yacht assaults in 2023 to the catastrophic implosion of the OceanGate submersible.
“Coldplaygate” coincided with renewed requires Trump to launch the Epstein recordsdata. (through @LePapillonBlu2)
We don’t make the foundations. (through @boredwriter1)
Fortunately, it’s not all so morbid. There’s loads of light-hearted jokes drawing comparisons to Tony Soprano’s ceaseless infidelity, Carrie Bradshaw’s annoying romance with Mr. Massive, and an imagined romance between Elmo and Miss Piggy — proving that “Coldplaygate” actually lends itself to something. One labor group from the UK even seized the second as a chance to unfold their union message.
The second, which has been immortalized in every thing from crochet artwork to portray, has additionally turn into a well-liked reenactment throughout sports activities stadiums and even spawned a free laptop sport referred to as Coldplay Canoodlers. The purpose-and-click sport created by songwriter Jonathan Mann invitations customers to look the stadium’s 65,000 viewers members for Cabot and Byron. As a result of, as we are able to all in all probability agree, The place’s Waldo? is method too healthful for 2025.
Under, we’ve rounded up a few of the better of this sudden however extraordinarily pleasant viral deal with. Bon appétit!
Nathan Fielder kicking himself for not developing with this (through @charliewrich)
Even Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham received roped into the meme pattern. (through @wittyotter_)
