Whoopi Goldberg faces flak for defending Astronomer's ex-CEO Andy Byron amid Coldplay concert scandal

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Whoopi Goldberg is facing backlash online after defending Andy Byron, the former CEO of Astronomer, who was caught in an awkward situation at a Coldplay concert. 

The 50-year-old executive was seen on the stadium’s jumbotron wrapping his arms around the company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot, as the band played to a crowd of thousands at Gillette Stadium in Boston last week.

Whoopi Goldberg expresses sympathy toward Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot

The kiss-cam scandal took center stage on Monday’s episode of 'The View', with Whoopi Goldberg, 69, expressing sympathy toward the embattled duo.

“Sometimes you can't help who you want to get on with,” she remarked. “Sometimes you just can't help it. Because she's not the head of HR in the bed."

Addressing her co-hosts Ana Navarro, Alyssa Farrah Griffin, Sara Haines, and Sunny Hostin, Goldberg hinted that perhaps the pair might have even wanted to be caught.

“I don’t know what this is,” she admitted. “I don't know if he was happily married, if she was happily married. I don't know any of that. But I do know that if you don't want people to know what you're doing, don't take them to concerts."

She continued, “You don't know who's in this giant stadium of people. If you're doing that and you don't want people to know, what the hell? It's just too dumb.”

According to Goldberg, the couple may have unwittingly, or even intentionally, created a way out of their situation. The EGOT winner added, "You got inadvertently what you might've been looking for, which was your out."

Meanwhile, Haines expressed compassion for the families affected by the scandal.

“There are people that are looking at these two individuals and obviously not wanting the damning part for the family,” she said. “I do say my heart goes out to the children and partners of these people who are having to watch this all play out, but the bigger thing people aren't talking about is how a CEO of a company should never be dating the head of HR."

The former Astronomer CEO is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, with whom he shares two children. Kristin Cabot is also married. Her husband, Andrew Cabot, serves as the CEO of Privateer Rum, a distillery based in Massachusetts.

Whoopi Goldberg's wild take on the Coldplay concert kiss cam video sparks outrage

Many viewers took to social media to criticize Whoopi Goldberg’s stance, accusing her of having a “wobbly moral compass” in her defense of the pair.

An X user wrote, “Whoopi is a mess. The CEO shouldn't be sleeping with the head of HR.”'

One person added, “Whoopi has a wobbly moral compass. 1) It's not OK to cheat on your spouse. 2) It's not OK for a CEO to cheat with a subordinate.”

“They never fail to be on the wrong side of things,” one scoffed. 

A tweet declared, “Another terrible take from Whoopi, whose moral compass seems completely broken.”

A Facebook user added, "So she just says the opposite of whatever is right." One commenter took a jab at her, writing, "You can see how she appreciates high morals!" An enraged user said, "Yeah ..ya can! That it’s ok to cheat on your spouse if you 'can’t help it'?"

A user questioned, "OMG.....does she really enjoy being on the wrong side of every friggin issue????!" while another added, "Quit giving her air time !!!!!!" A disappointed user mocked, "Whoopie, Whoopie, Whoopie, wrong again 😕 This man did a horrible thing; purposely betraying his family."

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.