A company has spoken out after a video featuring its CEO went viral for all the wrong reasons—publicly denying a statement circulating online that was allegedly made by him in response to the incident.
If you’ve somehow missed what’s been lighting up social media recently, let’s rewind. During a recent concert, as part of the event’s typical crowd camera antics, the big screen zoomed in on a man embracing a woman. At first glance, it appeared to be a harmless, even sweet moment between a couple enjoying live music. The pair swayed gently to the beat, wrapped in each other’s arms, with smiles that suggested they were fully in the moment.
But what seemed like innocent concert PDA took a sharp turn when the clip made its way online—and some eagle-eyed viewers identified the man as the CEO of a well-known company. The issue? The woman he was with wasn’t believed to be his partner. What followed was an internet firestorm of speculation, finger-pointing, and meme-making, all focused on the identity of the couple and the fallout for the man involved.
Then came a so-called “statement” from the CEO. It started doing the rounds online, with a message that many initially took as his official response. “I want to acknowledge the moment that’s been circulating online, and the disappointment it’s caused,” the statement read. It continued, “I also want to express how troubling it is that what should have been a private moment became public without my consent. I respect artists and entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the impact of turning someone else’s life into a spectacle.”
The statement seemed polished and remorseful—but there was just one problem: it wasn’t real.
According to Taylor Jones of Astronomer, the company associated with the CEO, the statement is “not a real statement.” Speaking to Men’s Journal, Jones dismissed the viral text as fake and confirmed that no official statement had been released by either the CEO or the company. This only added fuel to the speculation online, as people questioned who created the fake apology and why it gained so much traction so quickly.
Meanwhile, the CEO in question—believed to be named Byron—and the woman allegedly involved, known as Cabot, have not made any public remarks. Social media users, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), have taken the silence as a cue to dig even deeper, analyzing LinkedIn profiles, matching images, and flooding comment sections with theories and reactions.
Memes about the couple, the concert moment, and even the “fake statement” have spread like wildfire. Some users mocked the attempt to control the narrative, while others expressed concern about online privacy and how quickly lives can be affected
