‘Chris Martin strikes again?' MLB broadcaster roasts Coldplay 'kiss cam' scandal live on air"

A Major League Baseball (MLB) broadcast took an unexpected turn Friday night, July 18, when Tigers announcer Jason Benetti joked about the recent viral Coldplay concert moment that led to the resignation of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron. The remark came as Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin took the mound, a namesake of Coldplay’s lead singer, who was at the center of the original incident.

"CEOs beware… Chris Martin is here," Benetti said on-air, referencing the controversy with a playful tone.




The joke follows this week's most viral 10-second video that triggered speculation, resignation, and social media buzz of online discussion after Coldplay frontman Chris Martin joked about a couple caught on a "kiss cam" during a Toronto concert.

The couple, later identified as Andy Byron, CEO of the data company Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the firm’s Chief People Officer, appeared uncomfortable after the camera zoomed in on them.

Martin, unaware of their identities, teased, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” setting off a wave of speculation and memes online.

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron steps down

Byron resigned from Astronomer on Saturday, as announced by the company on July 19, following the viral incident. The company statement said it was committed to workplace values and that the board had accepted Byron’s resignation.

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and, recently, that standard was not met,” the company said.

Meanwhile, the unrelated Chris Martin, the Rangers’ relief pitcher, struck out a batter in his Friday night appearance as his team won 2-0.