Finding a job these days is hard enough. With the permanence of the internet, it’s even harder — especially for someone trying to move on from a moment they never expected the world to see.
Kristin Cabot, who overnight became the subject of memes, speculation, and public ridicule after a “kiss cam” of her and the then-CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert garnered billions of views on social media in July, has said she is struggling to find a job.
“I have so much gas left in the tank. I’m dying to get back to work,” Cabot said on Oprah Winfrey’s podcast, which aired on Tuesday.
In July last year, Cabot and her boss, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, were caught on camera embracing. A clip of the Jumbotron went viral, particularly surrounding intense speculation about whether the two were cheating on their respective partners.
Cabot was doxxed and said she received “vile” text messages and voicemails, including death threats. Astronomer turned off comments on its company X and LinkedIn pages during the social media storm.
Cabot said in the interview with Oprah that she and her partner had separated at that point, and that Byron and his wife “were living apart.”
Cabot has struggled to get back on her feet
Cabot said she has been unable to find work since stepping down as chief people officer at Astronomer in July.
“I felt like it would put everybody in such a bad situation, and it just wasn’t fair to the employees,” she said, referring to her decision to resign.
But now, eight months after the frenzy, Cabot says she still can’t find a job. “I’m raising my kids alone. I’m financially responsible for my kids alone, and I need to get back to work,” she said.
Byron, who was CEO of Astronomer at the time, also left the tech company in July.
Cabot said in the Oprah interview that Byron has been receiving “lots of interest” for job offers. Business Insider was unable to reach Bryan for comment in order to verify this.
Since the viral “kiss cam” moment, Byron has not given a public statement.
“I think he has the luxury of staying silent, and he can go back to work when he’s ready. I don’t,” said Cabot.
“In order for me to get back on my feet, I have to come out and explain. And I think that’s a stark difference between the man and the woman in this situation,” she added.
The viral moment, along with Cabot’s interviews in the media, has since sparked a conversation around misogyny and how the personal lives of two non-celebrities became the subject of widespread public scrutiny.
