The Perfect Holiday Gift Gift Now

After Coldplaygate, the world of moral lynchings

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

|

July 27, 2025

Are we done with our thin-lipped moralising over what some are calling Coldplaygate? You do know what I'm talking about, the video of the man and woman, he's got her in a tight cinch at the Coldplay concert in Boston? As the camera zooms in, voila, they're on the giant screen and it's their reaction, instinctive and visceral that makes the moment viral.

- Namita Bhandare

He ducks, she covers her face. Uh-oh! Busted. Lead singer Chris Martin catches on: “Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.” In no time at all they've been ‘outed as Andy Byron, the married CEO of tech startup Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s HR manager, also married, just not to him.

It's Armageddon on the internet. Memes, jokes, OMGs, instant wisdom, and a near universal finger-wagging. Within days Byron puts in his papers, reportedly Cabot follows later, but the tut-tutting continues. On Etsy, “I took my sidepiece to the Coldplay concert” T-shirts go on sale. Leave aside the sexism of “sidepiece”, a country that has only months ago elected a legally defined sexual predator is now expressing horror at the moral lapse. Who would have thought? As the mainstream media examines Donald Trump's relationship with convicted paedo-phile Jeffrey Epstein, its readers are working themselves up into a frenzy over a kiss-cam in flagrante.

MEER VERHALEN VAN Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Slim, but a little shady

Thin is back in. Almond moms dominate the chat. Has the era of body-positivity come and gone, already? What a pity

time to read

3 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Maduro open to US dialogue on drugs, oil

President Nicolas Maduro Thursday dodged a question about an alleged US attack on a dock in Venezuela but said he was open to cooperation with Washington after weeks of American military pressure.

time to read

1 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Get flavour-bombed

Bamboo biryani from the Araku valley, omelettes from Surat and every bite in between. Delhi’s Street Food Festival champions talent from all over

time to read

4 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Between strategic autonomy and global opportunity

India stands at an inflection point — a country aspiring all-round growth navigating stormy global currents while staying true to an increasingly self-defined vision of national purpose.

time to read

4 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Glow up, please

2026 is looking good for Vir Das. He's directing a movie, touring, crafting new comedy. It can get even better, he believes. Less GRWM, more cuddling: less AI, more IRL moments. Here's what he's manifesting (and skipping) in the New Year

time to read

3 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Israel seeks to harvest Iran’s domestic unrest

n December 29, Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu visited the US to brief President Donald Trump on Iran's rebuilding of its missile capabilities after June 2025.

time to read

2 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Turns of the century

These 10 novels came out 100 years ago. They launched careers, caused scandals, changed literature. Read them now, they're still full of fire

time to read

3 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

India must speak out against the fringe’s attack on Christmas

The only way to stop bullies is to look them in the eye. Our condemnation should be unequivocal and immediate

time to read

4 mins

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

RUSSIA, UKRAINE TRADE BLAME FOR NEW YEAR CIVILIAN DEATHS

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies.

time to read

1 min

January 03, 2026

Hindustan Times Rajasthan

Taking on Trump, from the Big Apple

Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral stint will have a resonance beyond New York

time to read

2 mins

January 03, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size