While the company announced a formal internal review and began damage control, Pete DeJoy himself responded in a way that resonated with the moment’s absurdity. DeJoy, it turns out, has seen (and liked) the memes. He reacted to Zachary Hensley, a former staffer’s tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn post about the drama, signaling that he, like much of the internet, can’t help but see the humor in the situation.
Former VP, Zachary Hensley, wrote: “I’ve encountered the memes (and shared quite a few myself), reconnected with acquaintances I haven’t spoken to in years, and experienced a peculiar mix of pride, nostalgia, and disorientation.”
DeJoy liked the post, a small gesture that was quickly flagged as an acknowledgment of the viral storm enveloping Astronomer.
The Coldplay concert that changed everything
It all began earlier this week at a Coldplay concert. The stadium’s Kiss Cam landed on Andy Byron, then CEO of Astronomer, and his Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. As the screen spotlighted the duo, Byron wrapped his arms around Cabot in a close embrace. Both looked startled and quickly ducked out of view. Even Chris Martin riffed on stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy” — a quip that ignited social media speculation overnight.
Within hours, the pair were identified, and the video clip sent off a digital firestorm across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. Google Trends documented a skyrocketing 15 million searches in a 24-hour period related to the incident and the Astronomer leadership team.
The internet did what it does best: turn scandal into spectacle. Memes depicting Byron, Cabot, and hapless executives squirming under corporate spotlights flooded social channels. From Simpsons parody stills (debunked as AI-generated by showrunners) to animated GIFs of Chris Martin’s confused reaction, every angle was mined for comic gold.
Leadership turbulence: Byron out, DeJoy in
Astronomer’s Board of Directors took swift action. Byron was placed on leave by Thursday, and by Saturday, he had officially resigned amid mounting scrutiny. In a statement, the company doubled down on accountability: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met”.Co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy was named interim CEO. In the words of the company’s release: “Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave”.
Meanwhile, Astronomer’s former leadership faces personal upheaval. Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan, dropped his surname from her social media before deleting her accounts, a move widely noted by online sleuths. Kristin Cabot’s marriage to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, is reported to be under strain, though neither Cabot nor Byron has issued a public comment.
In an internal memo, Astronomer’s leadership stressed that the company’s mission remains unchanged, despite the viral meltdown:
“While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems”.
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