A legal professional has outlined how former Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron, and Kristin Cabot might potentially consider legal action against Coldplay, following the recent jumbotron incident.
During a Coldplay concert in Boston, an intimate moment between Byron and Cabot was broadcast on the large screen. The pair quickly separated upon realizing they were being filmed.
Frontman Chris Martin expressed surprise at the scene, commenting to the audience: “Oh look at these two. Either they are having an affair or they’re just really shy.”
The peculiar reaction caught the internet’s attention, leading to a viral TikTok video with over 100 million views.
In the aftermath of the incident, Byron stepped down from his position as CEO. Astronomer released a statement affirming their commitment to their values and announcing Byron’s resignation. “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.”
To date, neither Byron nor Cabot have publicly commented on the video.
This situation has left many pondering the possibility of legal action against Coldplay for the footage being displayed on the big screen.
A legal expert has provided insight into what Byron’s potential legal action might entail regarding the video. “If we are getting creative, a possible claim would be for defamation, specifically as it relates to Chris Martin characterizing the two as having an ‘affair,'” attorney Camron Dowlatshahi from MSD Lawyers told Page Six.
For a defamation claim to hold, Byron would need to establish that Martin’s remarks were indeed defamatory, which involves proving that no affair occurred.
Given the lack of denial from Byron or Cabot thus far, this seems improbable.
Furthermore, Byron would need to demonstrate that Martin ‘knew or should have known’ the absence of an affair but proceeded to comment anyway.
“None of those elements will be met, so any claim against Coldplay would be frivolous,” Dowlatshahi added. “I also very much doubt that Mr. Byron would want further public scrutiny by bringing a borderline frivolous suit against the event organizers and/or Coldplay.”
Other legal specialists have also commented on the matter. Jayne Holliday, Legal Director at Higgs LLP, explained to UNILAD: “It’s highly unlikely they’d have a legal case against the person who shared the footage or Coldplay, as it was taken in a public place and appears to show real events, without manipulation.”
Holliday further noted: “… There’s very little expectation of privacy in a public venue like a stadium, particularly at a high-profile event where cameras and phones are everywhere. If you’re in public and being filmed without your consent, it might feel intrusive, but it’s generally not illegal unless it crosses into harassment, defamation, or breach of data protection laws – which this doesn’t appear to do.”
Meanwhile, Ron Zambrano from West Coast Employment Lawyers in Los Angeles commented to The Mirror: “Any legal claims from Byron would be dead on arrival. He has no grounds to sue. First, it would immediately be struck down as a restriction on creative speech and Coldplay’s ability to be artistic during their performances.” He added, “Second, Byron and Cabot waived their right to privacy when they decided to attend a public event, so their public display of affection is on them, not on Coldplay. They just got caught.”