How tech firm CEO Andy Byron and his HR chief Kristin Cabot must wish they could go back in time.
In the 12 days since they were famously caught in a clinch by the ‘kiss cam’ at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, their lives have been turned upside down.
No doubt they thought it would all be fine. In a crowd of tens of thousands, no one would notice them as they kissed and cuddled. How wrong they were.
The footage of them snuggling up to one another, then attempting to hide their faces after realising their images were being beamed on a giant screen, has been viewed 119million times on YouTube alone.
A second video of them appearing to kiss passionately has emerged, too.
I bet they both wish that rather than looking horrified and guilty, they had simply smiled, waved and sat down. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? They knew what they were doing was wrong. It was written on their faces.
Both have now resigned from their jobs. Their careers, reputations and no doubt personal lives are in tatters.
Of course, we can’t say for certain that they were conducting an affair. But we do know that Mr Byron’s wife has gone into hiding while Mrs Cabot has been photographed without her wedding ring.
Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot have seen their lives been turned upside down after they were caught in a clinch by the ‘kiss cam’ at a Coldplay concert in Massacusetts two weeks ago
What I can say for certain, however, is that true extramarital affairs require the participants to put the time in.
It takes effort to maintain a second relationship – a persistent, planned, premeditated action. There are usually plenty of opportunities to come to your senses and stop the affair, but most people just don’t think.
Humans have an extraordinary capacity not only to suspend their sense of right or wrong when it suits a psychological or physical urge, but also to think of the short-term gain, rather than the long-term pain it will cause if they are found out.
I suspect many people who are currently conducting affairs saw the video and felt a little bit sick at the thought it could have been them.
Yet the implosion of this couple’s lives is just a very dramatic and public version of what happens time and time again when people cheat.
They might not be called out by rockstar Chris Martin in front of 65,000 people, but most people who are having an affair will eventually get caught. A receipt in a coat pocket, an overheard phone call or a late-night text message.
For some, it is this very risk that provides a thrill and frisson of danger that is otherwise missing in their hum-drum lives. But craving excitement is no excuse for an affair.
These flings destroy so many lives – not just for the couple and their wronged spouses but their children, grandparents and the friends and work colleagues who can find themselves dragged into the lies too.
The footage of them attempting to hide their faces after realising their images were being beamed on a giant screen, has been viewed 119 million times on YouTube alone
I’ve seen a lot of people who have had affairs that caused more grief and heartbreak than they ever anticipated.
But it’s often not the spurned partners who end up the most wounded and unable to rebuild their lives…it’s the adulterous couple.
An illicit affair soon loses its thrill. People who are initially addicted to the adrenaline rush, suddenly lose interest in the other person. They get divorced and end up alone, lamenting their choices, wishing they had sought to understand and address the real issues in their marriage.
Affairs are particularly unforgivable when children are involved. As a doctor, I am sick and tired of seeing children who are bearing the brunt of their parents’ chaotic love lives.
On and off over the past 20 years I have worked in A&E covering mental health as well as working in child psychiatry. I have seen the results of affairs and bitter marriage breakdown countless times: young children and teenagers with emotional and behavioural problems (self harm, eating disorders) with unexplained physical illnesses that are really emotional distress manifesting itself.
These are the worst cases, of course. But speak to any teacher and they will tell you of the low- level, insidious damage that that never makes it to the doctor’s waiting room.
I understand that marriages fail for all sorts of reasons, but having an affair is a selfish and spineless response.
How dare doctors go on strike?
How can resident doctors – previously known as junior doctors – justify going on strike when the nation’s finances are in the state they are?
The economy is on its knees. National debt is 96 per cent of GDP and is heading toward 100 per cent before 2030. The annual interest will rise from today’s £110billion, which is already 8 per cent of all state spending, to £130billion, the biggest expenditure after the NHS.
I fear we are in a fiscal doom-loop and all the strike will achieve is to speed up the collapse of the NHS.
Maybe resident doctors don’t care about this? It makes me wonder whether the younger generation of doctors have any sense of loyalty or duty towards the health service.
I suspect history won’t judge them kindly. We’ll look back and see their greed caused untold patient suffering.
The Covid pandemic ‘significantly’ accelerated brain ageing, a study reveals.
Irrespective of whether people were infected, the researchers revealed that the decline was likely to be a result of lockdown and lack of social interaction.
Those, like me, who expressed concern at the government’s response to the virus were shouted down.
Many branded us ‘granny killers’ for urging a reconsideration of the strict rules.
Yet it was clear to many of us that lockdown would pose a serious threat to mental health. Five years on, our concerns have been shown to be valid.
This new research proves how vital social interaction is for our brain development and the dangers of public hysteria. How easily we can be manipulated when we are scared and confused.
Preventative mastectomies could cut thousands of breast cancer cases, a study shows. Risk-reducing mastectomies are offered only to women with the BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 genes.
They should be offered to any who might benefit.
DR MAX PRESCRIBES… HPV VACCINE
GP surgeries are sending out invites to 16 to 25-year-olds who didn’t get the HPV jab (which protects against the viruses that can cause cervical and other cancers) at school
The NHS is urging young people to get this vaccine to protect against the viruses that can cause cervical and other cancers.
GP surgeries are sending out invitations to 16 to 25-year-olds who didn’t get the jab at school.
It is particularly important for youngsters going to university this autumn to get protected.
Do encourage any children or grandchildren you have to contact their surgery to arrange vaccination if they are eligible.
