They say everyone deserves a second chance, arguably. For Astronomer HR Head, Kristin Cabot, however, her attempt at rebuilding her public image has reignited controversy. The former HR executive who became a viral lightning rod after being caught in a Coldplay “kiss cam” adultery scandal is reemerging in the public eye, this time as a highly paid speaker at a crisis communications conference in Washington, D.C, and people are mocking her once more.
Kristin Cabot, 53, will apparently headline PRWeek’s 2026 Crisis Comms Conference on April 16 alongside veteran publicist Dini von Mueffling, whose firm she hired following the uproar. Further outrage came from the tickets for the event, which run as high as $875 per person, a price tag that has already sparked some rather harsh reactions.
Her 30-minute conference segment, titled “Kristin Cabot: Taking Back the Narrative,” will frame the episode as a case study in public shaming and online bullying, effectively making it an anti-bullying speech. Event organizers say Cabot will position herself as an advocate for combating digital struggles and will outline the strategy she and von Mueffling used to supposedly rehabilitate her reputation.
For those who are unaware, Cabot and her then-boss, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, resigned within weeks of being filmed cuddling on a stadium Jumbotron in a Coldplay concert last summer. The clip then proliferated like wildfire across social media and exposed their extramarital relationship; both adulterers were married and had families. While Byron has largely stayed out of sight, Cabot later gave interviews describing death threats, relentless paparazzi attention, and what she called a modern-day “scarlet letter.”
People online were quick with their jabs
The conference website promises attendees a new “playbook” for managing sudden reputational disasters in an era when scandals can erupt overnight. Still, critics have seized on the cost and optics. “Will there be a kiss cam?” one commenter joked, while another scoffed at paying nearly $900 to hear lessons drawn from a very public affair.
“I wouldn’t attend this event even if you PAID me $875,” argues another commenter, with another echoing the sentiment, “I guess high profile adultery can be a temporary big payday.” It’s not clear yet how many attendees have bought the tickets on account of Kristin Cabot’s upcoming speech.
Even so, some online users have given the former HR head the benefit of the doubt, “After the brutal fallout job loss, threats, family harassment she’s speaking out as an anti-bullying advocate at a pricey crisis event. $875 is steep, but if it sparks real talk on online shaming and kindness, maybe worth it for the industry.” That didn’t stop X users from shaming homewreckers.
