What began as a blurred moment on a concert Jumbotron has found new life on a baseball video board.
When Coldplay‘s stadium love cam captured Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, and they both recoiled, it sparked wide speculation.
That hesitation turned into fodder for the Philadelphia Phillies, who tapped their beloved mascot to lampoon the incident during a recent game at Citizens Bank Park.
The original scene unfolded midJuly at a Coldplay concert. The jumbotron caught Byron and Cabot in an apparent affectionate gesture, but as soon as they realized they were being broadcast, they scrambled to cover their faces, drawing roars of laughter and suspicion from the crowd.
As Coldplay‘s frontman Chris Martin quipped, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” the clip went viral, with audiences and commentators dissecting the moment through a prism of corporate ethics and public embarrassment.
The backlash reached beyond entertainment outlets. Newsrooms and social feeds buzzed with commentary, identifying the pair as senior executives at Astronomer, a tech firm whose cofounder had publicly praised Cabot as “a perfect fit” within the company hierarchy.
Within days, the story escalated into a fullblown crisis: Astronomer announced Byron had been placed on leave, an internal investigation had commenced, and an interim CEO was named.
While the future of Byron and Cabot‘s roles is uncertain, their moment has cemented itself in popculture lore.
Phillie Phanatic recreates the viral moment
In a lighthearted twist during a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels, Citizens Bank Park’s video board rolled out its very own “Love Cam.” As Coldplay‘s music played in the background, the camera panned to couples in the stands sharing a kiss, until a clever fan held up a sign proclaiming, “This is my wife,” echoing the Astronomer saga.
Then came the pièce de résistance: the Phillie Phanatic teamed up with another green mascot to recreate the viral moment, one mascot covering its face, the other ducking, prompting uproarious laughter from the crowd.
This playful recreation underscores how sports teams today lean into trending cultural moments to entertain fans. The Phillies didn’t mention Astronomer or personal names, yet the allusion was unmistakable.
The moment resonated online, with the video shared on X (formerly Twitter), amassing millions of views.
One fan on X remarked: “Lol this is hilarious. The Phillies had a kiss cam and had the Phillie Phanatic reenact the Coldplay affair,” while another called it “absolutely insane” that a baseball team would ride the popculture wave in front of a full stadium.
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