July 21, 2025 • 38 mins
By now, most of the known world or at least anyone not living under a rock, knows who the “Coldplay Couple” is, that was outed at a Coldplay concert for having an affair after getting caught on the jumbotron with their arms wrapped around each other. The last thing Astronomer CEO Andy Bryon and Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief of HR, probably ever thought, would be that for one, their love affair would be laid bare for the world to see and two, that it would be turned into such a viral sensation via memes and reenactments. While the two were morally in the wrong, do you think they are entitled to privacy? Did their lives deserve to be so publicly outed the way they were? Matthew Gasda, columnist for UnHerd joined the conversation to share his take!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Nightside with Dan Rays Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you very much, Kyle, appreciate you taking the time
to join us tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Everyone who is listening here on Nightside.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It is a Monday night, July twenty first, And I
think there was a big story last week that probably
most of you have heard about. It was it's called
the Coldplay couple. This was a Coldplay concert at Chillette Stadium.
(00:35):
And you know, sometimes you if you've been at the
ballpark somewhere for a baseball game, they have the kiss
cam or something like that where it shows people or
if you go to, oh, for example, a Celtics game,
you'll see kids dancing or people dancing or whatever. Well,
(00:58):
I think everyone knows about the story.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
And and let me just say that there were two people.
One was a CEO of a company, UH in the
firm's human resources chief UH. And at the cold Play
concert they were sort of canoodling, UH and the camera
caught them and they reacted in horror, and he kind
(01:27):
of dove out of the camera and she put her
hands across her face and turned her back in the camera.
And then the coplay frontman UH made a made a
comment and it went viral.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I mean, it just went viral.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
And everyone wanted to know who was it. But they
weren't famous people they were they were people who obviously
were doing something that.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
That I assumed their spouses was were unaware of.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
And I read an article over the weekend written by
Matthew Gasta, who is a playwright and he's a writer.
He's written a novel, and I thought it was very
well thought out and constructed and probably the most civil
(02:21):
thing that had been written about this whole embarrassing situation
with us now is Matthew Gasta. Matthew, welcome to night, said.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah, I'm good, happy to be here doing doing great.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
You're you're a playwright, and you've you're a writer, you're
a graduate of Syracuse. You're a young guy. You're in
your I guess you're your mid thirties. You you wrote
a book which was unrelated to this, But I wanted
to give people an opportunity to, oh, it's okay, good,
(02:59):
go ahead.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
Well, well, the character is I mean, the character is
kind of subject to public shaming in the book, although
that's a bit of a coincidence. So it is about
people behaving badly and cheating. So now again, that's not
why I wrote this piece, but there's a bit of overlap.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, I just want to read the opening paragraph because
I think it is so well written. It said, I
wish I didn't know who Andy Byron and Kristen Cabot
are as you no doubt know by now. The astronomer
CEO and his firm's HR human resources chief were caught
(03:38):
on the JumboTron and a Coldplay concert. He meaning the
CEO Andy Byron, tried to sneak away while she covered
her face.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
But it was too late.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Someone posted the footage online, a pile up of sued
and their lives were turned upside down. I just thought
that was a really brilliant way to open up the conversation.
So we'll open up the conversation now. Again, it's very illiterative.
This is a Cold Play con couple who were canotling,
(04:12):
I guess would be one way you could put it.
And their lives have been turned upside down, and you've
taken an, if not a sympathetic view, an empathetic view
towards the set of circumstances they found themselves in. As
a result, I want to just turn it over to
you and make the case, because it almost sounds as
(04:35):
if you were, and I think rightfully so, chastising us
as a society for somehow delighting in the horrific consequences
that these folks now and their spouses and their children
are probably now facing.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
I mean, we're talking about people who didn't commit a
crime or anything approaching a crime, or didn't take anything
from society. I mean, you can judge them, but there's
no reason to judge them because we don't know them,
or of the ten million people have probably commented in
the story, maybe two or four know them. The point
is it has nothing to do with us, And I think,
(05:15):
but again I begin with saying, I don't really want
to actually talk about these two people, but when I
want to talk about the social mechanisms that underwrite the
permission that interesting like people on social media give themselves
automatically to engage in scorn, I think, in the larger
assay kind of makes the case that you wouldn't want
(05:39):
to live in a society where this happens, because in
so far as we all do bad things, sometimes do
non crime bad things, we don't want to live in
surveillance we shouldn't want to live in a surveillance society,
and we shouldn't want to participate in a shame based society.
So I find that and I think moreover, there's a
(06:02):
chilling effect on just being natural in public, like having fun.
So maybe even even someone thinks, well, you know, I'm
not committing adultery in public, Well that doesn't really matter,
because you might just dance funny or like look stupid
or say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and
you can still be subject to these mechanisms. I think
it's there's something thoughtless and inhuman about about attacking someone
(06:26):
through a screen for something that hasn't personally affected you.
And this is also the kind of thing that does
lead people to kill themselves. I don't and hope these
two people won't, but there's a non zero chance that
their lives are obviously tremendously affected, way out of proportion
with what they did. But again, they're not in court,
(06:47):
so they shouldn't have to be no one. They didn't
commit a crime, so why are they being judged as
if they are. Because they're basically facing the equivalent of
civil lification through the mob, and there's a you know,
this does these kinds. We know that internet bullying leads
people to kill themselves, so it's like it's a really
dark thing if you really think about it. And I
(07:09):
thought it was odd that nobody was talking about this
at least three days ago. And of course this isn't
the only example of this. There are a lot of
examples of basically private citizens being captured doing the wrong
thing at the wrong time and then their lives just
being forever up ended.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, there are horrible stories which don't didn't have the
legs of this story.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I mean, there was a guy a couple of weeks
ago who murdered.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
His own three children in some way, and that story
has sort of disappeared off the map. You understand, you know,
speaking about Ole. You have the story out there of
the guy who now has pled guilty to going in
and killing three young women and a young man I
(08:00):
guess you know, student housing. So you understand the the
the feeling that that you have towards those situations.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
But here these.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Are even even there are even the revelations about uh
Russia Gate, and like Tulcy Gabbert released really h damning
public records to the public, internal government documents, but should
have been a much bigger story. But instead we're talking
about the Coldplay concert. I mean, and I sort of
(08:33):
mentioned this, like there's there are stories of real national
and global consequence, about really powerful people doing bad things
and really and and like you know, things like murders aside,
and yet yeah, this is the this is our focus.
It seems really out of out of proportion to me.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Does it make the people who can jump on the computer,
does it make them feel better by by psychologically be
something here? I mean, back in the day, we were
you know what, before computers, which I remember because I'm
older than.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
You are, substantially older than you are.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
We we's back you know, in the fifties and I
don't remember really the fifties, but the sixties and the seventies. Uh,
you always had these sort of stories about you know,
which Hollywood star was breaking up with another Hollywood star
and remarrying or marrying you know, another Hollywood star, and
that was sort of you know, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn
(09:38):
Monroe and and more modern you know examples you know
of that, you know, Princess Diana and uh and Prince
Charles and the breakup of that. Those were news stories
which had some because in that case you talk about
the future king of England and maybe would have been
(09:59):
the future QUI mean of England, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And I can.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Probably pick many of those up. But these are two
people who very few people knew before this story occurred,
and yet people were gleeful that somehow was it something
about them being in positions of authority?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Yeah, I think vaguely. I think I saw I saw
a tweet that seemed actually pretty accurate that said it
can the story combined a lot of things. You have
permission to hate coldplay, h R and your boss or
the CEO, And I think that's true.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Like it.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Clearly there's something about this that felt like it It
clearly people observing the story felt like they had the
right to judge it and that there was nothing, nothing
redeeming about it. And yeah, I think because these people
are affluent, rich. They're both rich from what I've learned,
(11:04):
and maybe they don't look very like there's nothing, there's
nothing charming about them. They acted oddly, they overreacted. I
know they are fumbling.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Well, the funny thing, The funny thing about it was
that if they had just stood there and held their
ground for four seconds, it would have moved on to
another person.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Yeah, and I would say I've seen the argument that
where people say, okay, say that, well they could have
just avoided this. But the whole point is that because
we live in a surveillance society, people are unnaturally on
edge at all times. So they knew what was going
to happen. That's why they reacted that way. So we
shouldn't have to feel like we're gonna be screwed if
the camera turns on us. So the whole reason they
(11:47):
act as suspicious is because we live in a society
of suspicion and shame. So it's a bit of a
closed loop. Like, the whole point is, we live in
a low trust society when it comes to our personal information,
and that was born out by how that these people reacted. Again,
was it noble behavior? Was it admirable behavior?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
No? But no one's no one's suggesting that.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
The other thing is that the other thing which I'd
like to mention is that I think that no one
knows what goes on in the personal lives of.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Marriages.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
We like to think we do, I guess, but but
but again, we generally are thinking about the celebrities. Uh
you know, you know, how wonderful would it be married,
uh to if you're a woman to Brad Pitt, or
if you were a guide to Angela Jo Lee or whatever,
you know, whomever you wanted to, or if you're a
woman to Tom Brady or whatever. Let's do this if
(12:44):
we can, Matthew, I want to open up phone lines
and give people an opportunity to make a couple of
points if they would like.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Do you have a few minutes to stick with.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Us or I'm stepping I told you off off air
that I'm playing poker with my friends.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
But well we should criticize you, probably for pay for
gambling here.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I mean, you know, there's almost.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Sort of a biblical aspect of this, and it's funny.
I don't know who will be more charitable to this,
to this couple, you know, but obviously there's that there's
the story in the Bible of of h Jesus comes
across the woman who's a prostitute. I guess who was
being stoned and uh uh he basically was was being
(13:26):
almost being threatened to be and he basically uh sat
there and uh and and suggested that whoever's of you,
who's without sin, throw the first stone, and they all sort.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Of melted away.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
And I'll be interested to see if, if if people
respond to that. I mean again, these are people who
no one knew until this event.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, you know, in.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Terms of you know, everybody knows Tom Brady, everybody knows
Brad Pitt and those folks, and everybody knows uh, Donald
Trump and the what were these people known by maybe
a thousand people out of a out of three out
of three hundred and thirty million? Is that how the
number of people who would.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Have recognized them? It's you.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
You wrote a great piece and I would really suggest
it to anybody who wants to take it and look
at it from a pretty thoughtful critical point of view.
It's unheard. My guest is Matthew Gasta. He's a novelist
and a playwright, graduate of Syracuse University and a young guy.
If you like to join the conversation and a way
in six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty, six
(14:37):
one seven, nine, three one ten thirty coming right back
on night.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Side, night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
My guess there's a writer and a playwright, Matthew Gaisda.
He wrote a really thoughtful piece for a website called
Unheard U n H g R d uh. And I'm
bit of a contrarian, as I mentioned to Matthew today,
and I just think that his point of view is important.
Let me get to Jeff and Abington. I want to
get the phone lines going here, so Jeff will take
(15:11):
you before the newscast. Go right ahead, Jeff, you're on
with my guest, Matthew Gazda. What is your take on
the Coldplay couple.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
You guys are having a conversation and telling everybody else
we shouldn't be having this conversation. You're giving it more
legs by just talking about it instead. He made a
great point, We're not why aren't we talking about what
Telsey Gavitt's report said? Instead, you choose this subject to
talk about.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, I have chosen this subject to talk about your correct.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Hang up on me, Dan, because you hang up on me.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I'm not going to hang up on you yet.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
But if you get abusive, you've done it three times.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Well you know what, then you know what the plank
is all about. So keep the conversation civil and you
won't get hung up.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
On I am why are we talking about this?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
And I'm trying to answer your question, Jeff, And if
you listen to me, you don't have to accept my answer,
but I want to respond to your question. Would you
let me do that?
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah? Sure, okay, great, that's great. That's what's called the conversation.
And I want to get Matthew involved here as well.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, we could have avoided this story, but it's everywhere.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
And Matthew's point in this piece that.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
He wrote for Unheard, which I've had the advantage of
having read, is a very important piece because I think
that we covered too many of these stories and that
this is one that Matthew said, Look, this is not
a power couple. This is not Bill Clinton in the
White House with an intern in nineteen ninety seven, which
(16:45):
was a totally different thing. We were told back then, Oh,
don't pay attention to that because it's only about sex.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I said at the time that.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
If Clinton had been upstairs in the Lincoln bedroom with
Sharon Stone, who was one of the actresses of repute
back in the time, wouldn't bother me. But the fact
that as a chief executive he had an intern that
bothered me. I want Matthew to also respond to your
question here, because I think it's a good question.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Jeff.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Matthew, say hi to Jeff. He raises an issue about
why I'm talking about it. I'll turn the question to you.
Why did you feel you needed to write this? I
think I know why you did. But talk to Jeff.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Go ahead.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Well, yeah, I'm talking about behavior that millions of people
are engaging in, and I presumablyy're going to continue to
engage in him, so it's all connected.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Like I don't think the story.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Was first in the New York Post the day before
was in the Herald.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Jeff, do be a favorite. Let him finish a sentence
at least, and then you can respond. Okay, that's the
way we go here. I invited him to respond to
your question, and then you can respond to his answer,
but let him complete his answer.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Please go ahead, Matthew.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Yeah, I think the perspective I'm coming from as a
as a playwright writing about culture at large, I'm mostly
interested in. My field of expertise is and really politics.
It's it's human behavior, and it's social psychology, and it's
personal tragedy. That's that's sort of my field. As a
as a playwright and a novelist, And I saw in
(18:17):
this story something that was both axceletely tragic but also
more broadly really captured a global trend in the way
that human beings are relating to each other, thinking about
each other, and one that does not only cause harm,
but does distract us from things I do think are
more important. So if we think that it's like saying,
(18:43):
you know, it's like talking about the someone's say they
have cancer, Well, I'm talking about the food they're eating
that gave them cancer. There might be bad things we
want to talk about, but I'm talking about the things.
There might be politicians getting away with really bad things
right now, But I think this kind of we.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Should be talking about tolting care of a three point
How devastating it it was. Okay, I said, Jim wants
to ignore that story. He doesn't want to talk about.
Speaker 7 (19:12):
To do with this conversation, Yeah, you mentioned it, You
mentioned it, well, right, it has It's an example of
something that should be more relevant to people than.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
But that this conversation is about why we're why we're
not getting to meteor issues of public consequence.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
This is the old This is the story is old
z Adam and Eve, men and women, it happens.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Okay, kids, we we don't disagree with you, Jeff. Okay,
as a matter of fact, you're you're kind of endorsing,
whether you realize it or not, what we're attempting to do.
We're trying to and I will read to you just
so you get a sense.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
You probably haven't read this. Matthew wrote it took several
centuries from mounted nights to develop a code of conduct
known as chivalry, to regulate their unparalleled ability to kill
or threaten anyone who didn't have a horse, a male,
or a sword. Let's hope we can develop codes of
conduct around our phones or whatever next generation AI devices
(20:17):
replace phones. Privacy is a hard won social good. Give
it back to others to protect your own. Simple as that, Jeff.
I appreciate your call. You didn't get the plank tonight,
so I consider it a very successful call.
Speaker 6 (20:32):
Yeah, well, I want to talk about to Gavitt next time.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Well, we'll do some open lines tonight, or maybe we'll
get to that tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Do you want the plank tonight, Jeff or not?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
I mean, I'm not prepared to give it to you
unless you request it.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
No, you'll stay away from that story. You won't touch it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Okay, have a great I think for that comment. I
touch a lot of stories. We're going to give you
the plank anyway, Jeff Matthew, stay there, if you don't mind,
I'd like to get some better calls for you. Six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine, one ten thirty. Come on,
you folks know about this story. I think what Matthew wrote,
(21:14):
and I know none of you, probably of very few
of you have had a chance to read it. But
you can if you just google unheard Matthew Gasta Gasda.
But he has basically said, what are we doing to ourselves?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay? This is not uh.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
These are people who, before this were truly private individuals.
If there's anyone in this audience who knew who these
two individuals were before the moment on the the big
the jumbo tron at Gillette Stadium, knew that Andrew Byron
(21:51):
was the CEO of a company I'd never even heard of,
the company Astronomer, or that Kristen Cabot was the head
of human resources.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Two six. Coming right back on Nightside with My.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Guest Matthew Gasta, a playwright and a writer who has
written I think a very thoughtful, intelligent piece, uh for
for a website that I'm going to read more of
as a result.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Unheard U N H E R D Back on Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
This, You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
My guest is a playwright and a novelist, Matthew Gasda.
You can see his piece in Unheard, which is a
website which I'm just coming to appreciate, Matthew as a
result of your piece. Let's get to more phone calls.
I'm going to go next to Tom and Ohio. Tom,
You're next on Nice Side with Matthew Gasda. Go right ahead, Tom.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
Hey, I may have called the wrong topic, but I'm
just sort of embarrassed to be an American anymore when
you know they finally will do something about the Epstein
files and nothing ever becomes of it.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
And then, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Think Tom, you a little off topic on us, to
be honest with you, at some point we'll get to that.
I'm sure later on during the week we're talking about
I don't know if it's kind of related a little
bit to be honest with you about the couple who
were outed on that JumboTron at Jillette Stadium the other night,
the Coldplay concert, when the couple were seen canodling the
(23:34):
CEO of a company. Are you familiar with that or no?
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Yes, yes, somewhat.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And so my guest has written a piece which essentially
uh is entitled the Saddest the Sadist Assault on the
Coldplay couple, and he's basically saying, we need a new
ethic of privacy.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
You know, they are not were they married to other people?
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Or yes they were, Yeah, yeah, they were married to
other people.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
And they're having a good time.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Well you know, you know, people can no one knows
for sure, but but obviously they seem to be quite
fond of one another. And when the camera swung up,
he kind of ducted. You've you've seen the video, like
everybody seen.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Yeah, well, I mean that doesn't seem to be anything
wrong with that. I mean, they're they're at a concert
and then come on.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Yeah, well I think I think if you read Matthew
Gasta speaks.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Matthew quick comment and what Tom had to say, you know,
and again, just so people can understand the point you're
trying to make. You're not trying to endorse adultery or
anything like that. You're just basically saying, can we allow
people some space? And I just don't like the idea
of seeing people becoming the victim of a pile piling on.
(24:51):
There used to be a football in penalty. You can
get a fifteen yard penalty for piling on. Go ahead, Matthew.
Speaker 8 (24:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:59):
I think think it's about the world you want to
live in, and if you take that away from someone else,
then you're participating in taking away privacy for everyone else,
including yourself. So if you're posting, even if someone private emails,
screenshots of conversations on apps or private messages, if you're
(25:21):
filming your neighbor and putting it on TikTok, if you're
filming people at a concert, it doesn't matter if you
catch someone doing something bad. What matters is that you're
spending time spying on someone. And I've seen a lot
of comments like they deserved it. They should have known
that there were cameras well. That's the whole point is
that you frankly, I'd rather live in a world where
(25:44):
you can have commit adultery in private at a concert
with thirty thousand other people than one in which everyone's
phone at that camera serves as a potential spying device
on everybody else. I think the real consequences of this
she's pretty horrifying when you really think about what this
implies about public space. Public space is not church, it's
(26:07):
not moral space. We have laws that govern public space,
and these people weren't breaking those laws.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yea, they were sort of what I would consider be
a quasied public space. For example, if a city, if
a city mounts cameras in downtown streets because they want to,
you know, make sure that accidents are recorded in all
of that.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
I don't have a problem with that. Do you.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Like traffic?
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Well, yeah, there was.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
What I'm saying is, for example, I remember there was
a story that we covered several years ago where a guy.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Who had raped a woman.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
She was able to describe the truck that the guy drove,
a red pickup truck, and that was caught on uh,
you know, a public you know, a city street, and
led to his conviction. I don't see that as an evil.
I see that as something very different from this.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I see this as these people were in you know, again,
they're no, they're not famous people. It's not like it's
Bill Gates or you know some there. I did you
say you did some research on what their wealth is.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
I mean, they are wealthy people for various reasons. But
I think that's that was just one of my explanations
for why I think so much scorn was.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
But I'm saying if.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
It was if it was Bill Gates or if it
was someone who everybody knew, if it was.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
You know, I mean, if it was any of a.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Number of people who were famous people, you'd say, well,
they kind of have made themselves famous and they sort
of bought their circums. These guys people, These folks were
not famous in any way. They performed.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
They were.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
On im.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Yeah, Tom, go ahead if you want to join the conversation.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
They weren't having sex, were They were just kind of
like hugging each other. I mean, I was only looking
at it all my phone. I can't get that much detailed.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, well, I think their reaction compounded it. Maybe Matthew
would agree or disagree on that one. They they they
sort of reacted horrifically.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Well, when they were on the jumpbo tron or something. Yeah, Okay,
but I mean I just don't say that.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
I guess as a lawyer, I would say to you
that that they reacted and.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
What's called a consciousness of guilt.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
Well, okay, so they're both they're both married. All this
is all. This is like I want everybody knows what
all these people are. They they were already worked, and
where they live and yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Well yeah, I mean there's been a lot that's come out,
and I guess he either resigned or was fired by
his board of directors.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
It turned their lives upside down.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
I really don't you think that's an invasion of prestacy.
I mean, they for him to be fired and everything
for just simply having a good time at a concert.
And I mean it's not like they were what what's
that marsh pet or something? The people, I mean, come.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
On, you got to read this article, Tom, Tom, you
called them bout Epstein. That's kind of related a little bit.
So we let you go. Hey, but I'm up and
breaking I got Have you called before him? Are you
a regular caller?
Speaker 4 (29:44):
I call occasionally. You always say that to me, Man, Well, the.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Problem is that we have a lot of callers from
the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I'm not dav David San Francisco calls.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Like, oh please, don't remind me, remind me. We like
to get people around of applause when it's their first call.
So that's all all right, Thanks to appreciate you call. Hey,
you have a great night. Call again. We'll take a
quick break, Matthew. I promise I'll let you go to leven.
I got a couple more callers we'd like to chat
with you.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Okay, let's get to go now, you what I think?
Speaker 5 (30:18):
I gotta go now.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
You're going back to the poker game. Okay, go ahead, Matthew.
I'll handle it from here. Thank you for your article.
And again, what is the book that you had that
has just recently been published. It's called The Sleepers, all right,
and folks can get that on Amazon, I assume, and
they can read your unical and unheard Thanks Matthew.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Appreciate your call. Appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Tonight, Matthew Gustam, All right, let me we'll get to
phone calls. My guest has left. I want to know
what you think.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Am I off base here? I don't think so. It
was very.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Uncomfortable to watch how these people were treated. Everybody had
a little laugh at their reaction to it, but you
realize that there's a there's well, there's a lot of
human loss here and these people were not public figures.
Certainly before the event, will take a break, join the conversation.
We'll probably carry this into the eleven at least. I'd
(31:12):
like to try, because I think this is one that
is going to force you to think and maybe maybe
change your mind, maybe not coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
We're going to get a couple of calls in here
before eleven, for sure. Let me go to Bob and Rainham.
Hey Bob, welcome back next on Nightside. Your thoughts on
the Coldplay couple and the fallout from this?
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Hey Dan, I think it's uh, you know, it was
a three second clip that's going to destroy these people's lives,
and you know, unfortunately the follow you know, we don't
know what the follow may be. And I hope it,
I hope it ends here. But I mean, he you know,
(32:00):
think of this guy's white I mean, humiliated in front
of everyone she knows, and uh him also and then
the woman as well, And I mean, I mean I
have to admit that I've enjoyed some of the memes
that have been produced from it.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Yeah, but it's.
Speaker 9 (32:22):
Really, I mean this, this is bullying. It's it's it
could have a horrible result in the end. Well, like
you said, uh, you know, he who he who hasn't
sentn you know, cast the first stone. I mean I
think I'm sure not you, Dan, but myself I.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Have let me right there with you, right.
Speaker 9 (32:50):
I mean I got stuff on my phone that I
probably wouldn't want to see, certain people to see or whatever.
And it's like, I mean this, this was exposed to
at least country and maybe the world.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I mean again, I think all of us have done things.
I mean, you know one of the things that you're, uh,
you're driving your car and some guy cut you off,
and the next thing you know, you you're you're yelling
at at the guy or whatever. Then you realize, oh, jeezus,
you know why am I doing this? I mean, you know,
first of all, he might have a gun, uh and
(33:24):
uh and in my case, he might say, you know, uh,
you know, you're you're you're terrible. You were terrible on
TV and you're worse on radio. No, look, we we
These were not people who were well known people. They
happened to be, you know, in a in a set
(33:46):
of circumstances which has come back to haunt them and
done tremendous damage to them.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
And we we as a society like to see this.
I guess I don't know. It's this wouldn't have happened.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
I mean, obviously there would have been no no kiss
cam OODI or whatever you want to call it, you know,
thirty five years ago, and people wouldn't have had phones
to share it with their friends. Bob, I appreciate you call.
I want to try to get one more in here.
I wish I hit more time for it. But you
I think you. I think you made your points and
(34:19):
really made him well. And it's great to hear your voice.
Thank you so much. Hope all as well. Okay, thanks,
all right, we're going to get a female perspective.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Laurie is in Idaho. Laurie, you were next on Nightside.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Sorry that Matthew Gazda had to get back to his
poker game, but.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Okay, you know, really, I mean he was. He's fascinating.
I'm very I'm very glad to have his name. I'm
gonna look him up and maybe check out some of
his writing and stuff. So that that was fantastic. And
you know, I agree with his point of the article
and yours too, that this is an invasion of private
whatever and all that stuff, But that the other really
frustrating facet of it is all these people have it
(34:58):
on their phone or whatever. It takes them what to
second to hit you know, it sended it whatever to
their five hundred and fifty million friends, and all this
goes out and have a second and the person who
sent out that share whatever it is, doesn't even think
about it again for the rest of their lives. Yet
they've done somebody else life.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yeah, I mean, you know if if, for example, you
have I don't know, you know, some some play where
you know, some sporting event where someone does something spectacular,
or you have some moment where a politician kind of
put three words together in some speech and they.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Get confessed no idea what that means.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Well, you know that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Okay, But but this is something that is going to
impact these people.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
But did they make a mistake.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yeah, obviously they made a mistake, but it then impacts
their families, you know, it just it I just feel
that we have in stinct in our society to pile
on and to kick people.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
I'm not sorry, But.
Speaker 8 (36:05):
Then it doesn't they forget. I mean, you do it,
and then they don't even you know, people who do
that don't even remember it two minutes later. The stories
all they're just looking to see how many lights or
responses they get to.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
The Yeah, there's a little bit of that.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, you get something out there quickly
and you build up your your your number of likes.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
I don't know, that's all of us hiding.
Speaker 8 (36:27):
Part of the frustration, I think is people don't think, you.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Know, yeah, all of us hiding behind our phones. You know.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
And you can, you can, you can be a telephone
warrior and never worry about anything, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
If you know.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
But I'm serious, I get I get those anonymous phone
calls all the time, and it's fine.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
You know, I'm a public person. I can handle it.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Yeah, but I'm sure that that their families are going
to go through quite quite a bit here in the
next in the next few weeks, in the next few months,
all for.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Just just the luck of the drawer.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
I guess Laurie is always thank you so much appreciate
your uh, your common sense. I mentioned that guy and
Idaho still no no sign of the guy that killed
the three little girls.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
It's his own daughter.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
No.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
I think the authorities are kind of what they have.
I mean, I think they pulled out Whitewater rescue people.
They've been checking the lakes, in the in the rivers
and stuff too, because apparently his white has said she
wants him found dead or alive.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
No.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
No, well, I.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Certainly understand that that it's for sure, and I think
the public wants wants to see that as well.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Laurie, Thank you much, talk soon.
Speaker 8 (37:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Thanks, have a great Okay, we're gonna take We have
wide open lines here, and i'd like to I'd like
to push this a little bit next hour because I
think some of you are sitting there and you want
to call, but you don't want to call. So I'm
going to open it up and I will reset it
on the other side of the eleven. If you know
what we're talking about, I'd like to get on quickly.
That would be great. Six one, seven, two, five, four
ten thirty six one seven, nine, three one ten thirty.
(38:07):
I think this is a really interesting cultural topic. A
little different than what we normally do, but don't be
afraid of something that's different.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Coming back on Nightside
It's Nightside with Dan Rays Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you very much, Kyle, appreciate you taking the time
to join us tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Everyone who is listening here on Nightside.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It is a Monday night, July twenty first, And I
think there was a big story last week that probably
most of you have heard about. It was it's called
the Coldplay couple. This was a Coldplay concert at Chillette Stadium.
(00:35):
And you know, sometimes you if you've been at the
ballpark somewhere for a baseball game, they have the kiss
cam or something like that where it shows people or
if you go to, oh, for example, a Celtics game,
you'll see kids dancing or people dancing or whatever. Well,
(00:58):
I think everyone knows about the story.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
And and let me just say that there were two people.
One was a CEO of a company, UH in the
firm's human resources chief UH. And at the cold Play
concert they were sort of canoodling, UH and the camera
caught them and they reacted in horror, and he kind
(01:27):
of dove out of the camera and she put her
hands across her face and turned her back in the camera.
And then the coplay frontman UH made a made a
comment and it went viral.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I mean, it just went viral.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
And everyone wanted to know who was it. But they
weren't famous people they were they were people who obviously
were doing something that.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
That I assumed their spouses was were unaware of.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
And I read an article over the weekend written by
Matthew Gasta, who is a playwright and he's a writer.
He's written a novel, and I thought it was very
well thought out and constructed and probably the most civil
(02:21):
thing that had been written about this whole embarrassing situation
with us now is Matthew Gasta. Matthew, welcome to night, said.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah, I'm good, happy to be here doing doing great.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
You're you're a playwright, and you've you're a writer, you're
a graduate of Syracuse. You're a young guy. You're in
your I guess you're your mid thirties. You you wrote
a book which was unrelated to this, But I wanted
to give people an opportunity to, oh, it's okay, good,
(02:59):
go ahead.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
Well, well, the character is I mean, the character is
kind of subject to public shaming in the book, although
that's a bit of a coincidence. So it is about
people behaving badly and cheating. So now again, that's not
why I wrote this piece, but there's a bit of overlap.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well, I just want to read the opening paragraph because
I think it is so well written. It said, I
wish I didn't know who Andy Byron and Kristen Cabot
are as you no doubt know by now. The astronomer
CEO and his firm's HR human resources chief were caught
(03:38):
on the JumboTron and a Coldplay concert. He meaning the
CEO Andy Byron, tried to sneak away while she covered
her face.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
But it was too late.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Someone posted the footage online, a pile up of sued
and their lives were turned upside down. I just thought
that was a really brilliant way to open up the conversation.
So we'll open up the conversation now. Again, it's very illiterative.
This is a Cold Play con couple who were canotling,
(04:12):
I guess would be one way you could put it.
And their lives have been turned upside down, and you've
taken an, if not a sympathetic view, an empathetic view
towards the set of circumstances they found themselves in. As
a result, I want to just turn it over to
you and make the case, because it almost sounds as
(04:35):
if you were, and I think rightfully so, chastising us
as a society for somehow delighting in the horrific consequences
that these folks now and their spouses and their children
are probably now facing.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
I mean, we're talking about people who didn't commit a
crime or anything approaching a crime, or didn't take anything
from society. I mean, you can judge them, but there's
no reason to judge them because we don't know them,
or of the ten million people have probably commented in
the story, maybe two or four know them. The point
is it has nothing to do with us, And I think,
(05:15):
but again I begin with saying, I don't really want
to actually talk about these two people, but when I
want to talk about the social mechanisms that underwrite the
permission that interesting like people on social media give themselves
automatically to engage in scorn, I think, in the larger
assay kind of makes the case that you wouldn't want
(05:39):
to live in a society where this happens, because in
so far as we all do bad things, sometimes do
non crime bad things, we don't want to live in
surveillance we shouldn't want to live in a surveillance society,
and we shouldn't want to participate in a shame based society.
So I find that and I think moreover, there's a
(06:02):
chilling effect on just being natural in public, like having fun.
So maybe even even someone thinks, well, you know, I'm
not committing adultery in public, Well that doesn't really matter,
because you might just dance funny or like look stupid
or say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and
you can still be subject to these mechanisms. I think
it's there's something thoughtless and inhuman about about attacking someone
(06:26):
through a screen for something that hasn't personally affected you.
And this is also the kind of thing that does
lead people to kill themselves. I don't and hope these
two people won't, but there's a non zero chance that
their lives are obviously tremendously affected, way out of proportion
with what they did. But again, they're not in court,
(06:47):
so they shouldn't have to be no one. They didn't
commit a crime, so why are they being judged as
if they are. Because they're basically facing the equivalent of
civil lification through the mob, and there's a you know,
this does these kinds. We know that internet bullying leads
people to kill themselves, so it's like it's a really
dark thing if you really think about it. And I
(07:09):
thought it was odd that nobody was talking about this
at least three days ago. And of course this isn't
the only example of this. There are a lot of
examples of basically private citizens being captured doing the wrong
thing at the wrong time and then their lives just
being forever up ended.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, there are horrible stories which don't didn't have the
legs of this story.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I mean, there was a guy a couple of weeks
ago who murdered.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
His own three children in some way, and that story
has sort of disappeared off the map. You understand, you know,
speaking about Ole. You have the story out there of
the guy who now has pled guilty to going in
and killing three young women and a young man I
(08:00):
guess you know, student housing. So you understand the the
the feeling that that you have towards those situations.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
But here these.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Are even even there are even the revelations about uh
Russia Gate, and like Tulcy Gabbert released really h damning
public records to the public, internal government documents, but should
have been a much bigger story. But instead we're talking
about the Coldplay concert. I mean, and I sort of
(08:33):
mentioned this, like there's there are stories of real national
and global consequence, about really powerful people doing bad things
and really and and like you know, things like murders aside,
and yet yeah, this is the this is our focus.
It seems really out of out of proportion to me.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Does it make the people who can jump on the computer,
does it make them feel better by by psychologically be
something here? I mean, back in the day, we were
you know what, before computers, which I remember because I'm
older than.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
You are, substantially older than you are.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
We we's back you know, in the fifties and I
don't remember really the fifties, but the sixties and the seventies. Uh,
you always had these sort of stories about you know,
which Hollywood star was breaking up with another Hollywood star
and remarrying or marrying you know, another Hollywood star, and
that was sort of you know, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn
(09:38):
Monroe and and more modern you know examples you know
of that, you know, Princess Diana and uh and Prince
Charles and the breakup of that. Those were news stories
which had some because in that case you talk about
the future king of England and maybe would have been
(09:59):
the future QUI mean of England, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And I can.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Probably pick many of those up. But these are two
people who very few people knew before this story occurred,
and yet people were gleeful that somehow was it something
about them being in positions of authority?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Yeah, I think vaguely. I think I saw I saw
a tweet that seemed actually pretty accurate that said it
can the story combined a lot of things. You have
permission to hate coldplay, h R and your boss or
the CEO, And I think that's true.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Like it.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Clearly there's something about this that felt like it It
clearly people observing the story felt like they had the
right to judge it and that there was nothing, nothing
redeeming about it. And yeah, I think because these people
are affluent, rich. They're both rich from what I've learned,
(11:04):
and maybe they don't look very like there's nothing, there's
nothing charming about them. They acted oddly, they overreacted. I
know they are fumbling.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Well, the funny thing, The funny thing about it was
that if they had just stood there and held their
ground for four seconds, it would have moved on to
another person.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Yeah, and I would say I've seen the argument that
where people say, okay, say that, well they could have
just avoided this. But the whole point is that because
we live in a surveillance society, people are unnaturally on
edge at all times. So they knew what was going
to happen. That's why they reacted that way. So we
shouldn't have to feel like we're gonna be screwed if
the camera turns on us. So the whole reason they
(11:47):
act as suspicious is because we live in a society
of suspicion and shame. So it's a bit of a
closed loop. Like, the whole point is, we live in
a low trust society when it comes to our personal information,
and that was born out by how that these people reacted. Again,
was it noble behavior? Was it admirable behavior?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
No? But no one's no one's suggesting that.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
The other thing is that the other thing which I'd
like to mention is that I think that no one
knows what goes on in the personal lives of.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Marriages.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
We like to think we do, I guess, but but
but again, we generally are thinking about the celebrities. Uh
you know, you know, how wonderful would it be married,
uh to if you're a woman to Brad Pitt, or
if you were a guide to Angela Jo Lee or whatever,
you know, whomever you wanted to, or if you're a
woman to Tom Brady or whatever. Let's do this if
(12:44):
we can, Matthew, I want to open up phone lines
and give people an opportunity to make a couple of
points if they would like.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Do you have a few minutes to stick with.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Us or I'm stepping I told you off off air
that I'm playing poker with my friends.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
But well we should criticize you, probably for pay for
gambling here.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I mean, you know, there's almost.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Sort of a biblical aspect of this, and it's funny.
I don't know who will be more charitable to this,
to this couple, you know, but obviously there's that there's
the story in the Bible of of h Jesus comes
across the woman who's a prostitute. I guess who was
being stoned and uh uh he basically was was being
(13:26):
almost being threatened to be and he basically uh sat
there and uh and and suggested that whoever's of you,
who's without sin, throw the first stone, and they all sort.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Of melted away.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
And I'll be interested to see if, if if people
respond to that. I mean again, these are people who
no one knew until this event.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, you know, in.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Terms of you know, everybody knows Tom Brady, everybody knows
Brad Pitt and those folks, and everybody knows uh, Donald
Trump and the what were these people known by maybe
a thousand people out of a out of three out
of three hundred and thirty million? Is that how the
number of people who would.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Have recognized them? It's you.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
You wrote a great piece and I would really suggest
it to anybody who wants to take it and look
at it from a pretty thoughtful critical point of view.
It's unheard. My guest is Matthew Gasta. He's a novelist
and a playwright, graduate of Syracuse University and a young guy.
If you like to join the conversation and a way
in six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty, six
(14:37):
one seven, nine, three one ten thirty coming right back
on night.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Side, night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
My guess there's a writer and a playwright, Matthew Gaisda.
He wrote a really thoughtful piece for a website called
Unheard U n H g R d uh. And I'm
bit of a contrarian, as I mentioned to Matthew today,
and I just think that his point of view is important.
Let me get to Jeff and Abington. I want to
get the phone lines going here, so Jeff will take
(15:11):
you before the newscast. Go right ahead, Jeff, you're on
with my guest, Matthew Gazda. What is your take on
the Coldplay couple.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
You guys are having a conversation and telling everybody else
we shouldn't be having this conversation. You're giving it more
legs by just talking about it instead. He made a
great point, We're not why aren't we talking about what
Telsey Gavitt's report said? Instead, you choose this subject to
talk about.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, I have chosen this subject to talk about your correct.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Hang up on me, Dan, because you hang up on me.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I'm not going to hang up on you yet.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
But if you get abusive, you've done it three times.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Well you know what, then you know what the plank
is all about. So keep the conversation civil and you
won't get hung up.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
On I am why are we talking about this?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
And I'm trying to answer your question, Jeff, And if
you listen to me, you don't have to accept my answer,
but I want to respond to your question. Would you
let me do that?
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah? Sure, okay, great, that's great. That's what's called the conversation.
And I want to get Matthew involved here as well.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, we could have avoided this story, but it's everywhere.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
And Matthew's point in this piece that.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
He wrote for Unheard, which I've had the advantage of
having read, is a very important piece because I think
that we covered too many of these stories and that
this is one that Matthew said, Look, this is not
a power couple. This is not Bill Clinton in the
White House with an intern in nineteen ninety seven, which
(16:45):
was a totally different thing. We were told back then, Oh,
don't pay attention to that because it's only about sex.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I said at the time that.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
If Clinton had been upstairs in the Lincoln bedroom with
Sharon Stone, who was one of the actresses of repute
back in the time, wouldn't bother me. But the fact
that as a chief executive he had an intern that
bothered me. I want Matthew to also respond to your
question here, because I think it's a good question.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Jeff.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Matthew, say hi to Jeff. He raises an issue about
why I'm talking about it. I'll turn the question to you.
Why did you feel you needed to write this? I
think I know why you did. But talk to Jeff.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Go ahead.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Well, yeah, I'm talking about behavior that millions of people
are engaging in, and I presumablyy're going to continue to
engage in him, so it's all connected.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Like I don't think the story.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Was first in the New York Post the day before
was in the Herald.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Jeff, do be a favorite. Let him finish a sentence
at least, and then you can respond. Okay, that's the
way we go here. I invited him to respond to
your question, and then you can respond to his answer,
but let him complete his answer.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Please go ahead, Matthew.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
Yeah, I think the perspective I'm coming from as a
as a playwright writing about culture at large, I'm mostly
interested in. My field of expertise is and really politics.
It's it's human behavior, and it's social psychology, and it's
personal tragedy. That's that's sort of my field. As a
as a playwright and a novelist, And I saw in
(18:17):
this story something that was both axceletely tragic but also
more broadly really captured a global trend in the way
that human beings are relating to each other, thinking about
each other, and one that does not only cause harm,
but does distract us from things I do think are
more important. So if we think that it's like saying,
(18:43):
you know, it's like talking about the someone's say they
have cancer, Well, I'm talking about the food they're eating
that gave them cancer. There might be bad things we
want to talk about, but I'm talking about the things.
There might be politicians getting away with really bad things
right now, But I think this kind of we.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Should be talking about tolting care of a three point
How devastating it it was. Okay, I said, Jim wants
to ignore that story. He doesn't want to talk about.
Speaker 7 (19:12):
To do with this conversation, Yeah, you mentioned it, You
mentioned it, well, right, it has It's an example of
something that should be more relevant to people than.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
But that this conversation is about why we're why we're
not getting to meteor issues of public consequence.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
This is the old This is the story is old
z Adam and Eve, men and women, it happens.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Okay, kids, we we don't disagree with you, Jeff. Okay,
as a matter of fact, you're you're kind of endorsing,
whether you realize it or not, what we're attempting to do.
We're trying to and I will read to you just
so you get a sense.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
You probably haven't read this. Matthew wrote it took several
centuries from mounted nights to develop a code of conduct
known as chivalry, to regulate their unparalleled ability to kill
or threaten anyone who didn't have a horse, a male,
or a sword. Let's hope we can develop codes of
conduct around our phones or whatever next generation AI devices
(20:17):
replace phones. Privacy is a hard won social good. Give
it back to others to protect your own. Simple as that, Jeff.
I appreciate your call. You didn't get the plank tonight,
so I consider it a very successful call.
Speaker 6 (20:32):
Yeah, well, I want to talk about to Gavitt next time.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Well, we'll do some open lines tonight, or maybe we'll
get to that tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Do you want the plank tonight, Jeff or not?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
I mean, I'm not prepared to give it to you
unless you request it.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
No, you'll stay away from that story. You won't touch it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Okay, have a great I think for that comment. I
touch a lot of stories. We're going to give you
the plank anyway, Jeff Matthew, stay there, if you don't mind,
I'd like to get some better calls for you. Six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine, one ten thirty. Come on,
you folks know about this story. I think what Matthew wrote,
(21:14):
and I know none of you, probably of very few
of you have had a chance to read it. But
you can if you just google unheard Matthew Gasta Gasda.
But he has basically said, what are we doing to ourselves?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay? This is not uh.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
These are people who, before this were truly private individuals.
If there's anyone in this audience who knew who these
two individuals were before the moment on the the big
the jumbo tron at Gillette Stadium, knew that Andrew Byron
(21:51):
was the CEO of a company I'd never even heard of,
the company Astronomer, or that Kristen Cabot was the head
of human resources.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Two six. Coming right back on Nightside with My.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Guest Matthew Gasta, a playwright and a writer who has
written I think a very thoughtful, intelligent piece, uh for
for a website that I'm going to read more of
as a result.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Unheard U N H E R D Back on Nightside after.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
This, You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
My guest is a playwright and a novelist, Matthew Gasda.
You can see his piece in Unheard, which is a
website which I'm just coming to appreciate, Matthew as a
result of your piece. Let's get to more phone calls.
I'm going to go next to Tom and Ohio. Tom,
You're next on Nice Side with Matthew Gasda. Go right ahead, Tom.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
Hey, I may have called the wrong topic, but I'm
just sort of embarrassed to be an American anymore when
you know they finally will do something about the Epstein
files and nothing ever becomes of it.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
And then, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Think Tom, you a little off topic on us, to
be honest with you, at some point we'll get to that.
I'm sure later on during the week we're talking about
I don't know if it's kind of related a little
bit to be honest with you about the couple who
were outed on that JumboTron at Jillette Stadium the other night,
the Coldplay concert, when the couple were seen canodling the
(23:34):
CEO of a company. Are you familiar with that or no?
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Yes, yes, somewhat.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And so my guest has written a piece which essentially
uh is entitled the Saddest the Sadist Assault on the
Coldplay couple, and he's basically saying, we need a new
ethic of privacy.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
You know, they are not were they married to other people?
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Or yes they were, Yeah, yeah, they were married to
other people.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
And they're having a good time.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Well you know, you know, people can no one knows
for sure, but but obviously they seem to be quite
fond of one another. And when the camera swung up,
he kind of ducted. You've you've seen the video, like
everybody seen.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Yeah, well, I mean that doesn't seem to be anything
wrong with that. I mean, they're they're at a concert
and then come on.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Yeah, well I think I think if you read Matthew
Gasta speaks.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Matthew quick comment and what Tom had to say, you know,
and again, just so people can understand the point you're
trying to make. You're not trying to endorse adultery or
anything like that. You're just basically saying, can we allow
people some space? And I just don't like the idea
of seeing people becoming the victim of a pile piling on.
(24:51):
There used to be a football in penalty. You can
get a fifteen yard penalty for piling on. Go ahead, Matthew.
Speaker 8 (24:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:59):
I think think it's about the world you want to
live in, and if you take that away from someone else,
then you're participating in taking away privacy for everyone else,
including yourself. So if you're posting, even if someone private emails,
screenshots of conversations on apps or private messages, if you're
(25:21):
filming your neighbor and putting it on TikTok, if you're
filming people at a concert, it doesn't matter if you
catch someone doing something bad. What matters is that you're
spending time spying on someone. And I've seen a lot
of comments like they deserved it. They should have known
that there were cameras well. That's the whole point is
that you frankly, I'd rather live in a world where
(25:44):
you can have commit adultery in private at a concert
with thirty thousand other people than one in which everyone's
phone at that camera serves as a potential spying device
on everybody else. I think the real consequences of this
she's pretty horrifying when you really think about what this
implies about public space. Public space is not church, it's
(26:07):
not moral space. We have laws that govern public space,
and these people weren't breaking those laws.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Yea, they were sort of what I would consider be
a quasied public space. For example, if a city, if
a city mounts cameras in downtown streets because they want to,
you know, make sure that accidents are recorded in all
of that.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
I don't have a problem with that. Do you.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Like traffic?
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Well, yeah, there was.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
What I'm saying is, for example, I remember there was
a story that we covered several years ago where a guy.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Who had raped a woman.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
She was able to describe the truck that the guy drove,
a red pickup truck, and that was caught on uh,
you know, a public you know, a city street, and
led to his conviction. I don't see that as an evil.
I see that as something very different from this.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I see this as these people were in you know, again,
they're no, they're not famous people. It's not like it's
Bill Gates or you know some there. I did you
say you did some research on what their wealth is.
Speaker 5 (27:29):
I mean, they are wealthy people for various reasons. But
I think that's that was just one of my explanations
for why I think so much scorn was.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
But I'm saying if.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
It was if it was Bill Gates or if it
was someone who everybody knew, if it was.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
You know, I mean, if it was any of a.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Number of people who were famous people, you'd say, well,
they kind of have made themselves famous and they sort
of bought their circums. These guys people, These folks were
not famous in any way. They performed.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
They were.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
On im.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Yeah, Tom, go ahead if you want to join the conversation.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
They weren't having sex, were They were just kind of
like hugging each other. I mean, I was only looking
at it all my phone. I can't get that much detailed.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, well, I think their reaction compounded it. Maybe Matthew
would agree or disagree on that one. They they they
sort of reacted horrifically.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Well, when they were on the jumpbo tron or something. Yeah, Okay,
but I mean I just don't say that.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
I guess as a lawyer, I would say to you
that that they reacted and.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
What's called a consciousness of guilt.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
Well, okay, so they're both they're both married. All this
is all. This is like I want everybody knows what
all these people are. They they were already worked, and
where they live and yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Well yeah, I mean there's been a lot that's come out,
and I guess he either resigned or was fired by
his board of directors.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
It turned their lives upside down.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
I really don't you think that's an invasion of prestacy.
I mean, they for him to be fired and everything
for just simply having a good time at a concert.
And I mean it's not like they were what what's
that marsh pet or something? The people, I mean, come.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
On, you got to read this article, Tom, Tom, you
called them bout Epstein. That's kind of related a little bit.
So we let you go. Hey, but I'm up and
breaking I got Have you called before him? Are you
a regular caller?
Speaker 4 (29:44):
I call occasionally. You always say that to me, Man, Well, the.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Problem is that we have a lot of callers from
the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I'm not dav David San Francisco calls.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Like, oh please, don't remind me, remind me. We like
to get people around of applause when it's their first call.
So that's all all right, Thanks to appreciate you call. Hey,
you have a great night. Call again. We'll take a
quick break, Matthew. I promise I'll let you go to leven.
I got a couple more callers we'd like to chat
with you.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Okay, let's get to go now, you what I think?
Speaker 5 (30:18):
I gotta go now.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
You're going back to the poker game. Okay, go ahead, Matthew.
I'll handle it from here. Thank you for your article.
And again, what is the book that you had that
has just recently been published. It's called The Sleepers, all right,
and folks can get that on Amazon, I assume, and
they can read your unical and unheard Thanks Matthew.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Appreciate your call. Appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Tonight, Matthew Gustam, All right, let me we'll get to
phone calls. My guest has left. I want to know
what you think.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Am I off base here? I don't think so. It
was very.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Uncomfortable to watch how these people were treated. Everybody had
a little laugh at their reaction to it, but you
realize that there's a there's well, there's a lot of
human loss here and these people were not public figures.
Certainly before the event, will take a break, join the conversation.
We'll probably carry this into the eleven at least. I'd
(31:12):
like to try, because I think this is one that
is going to force you to think and maybe maybe
change your mind, maybe not coming back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
We're going to get a couple of calls in here
before eleven, for sure. Let me go to Bob and Rainham.
Hey Bob, welcome back next on Nightside. Your thoughts on
the Coldplay couple and the fallout from this?
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Hey Dan, I think it's uh, you know, it was
a three second clip that's going to destroy these people's lives,
and you know, unfortunately the follow you know, we don't
know what the follow may be. And I hope it,
I hope it ends here. But I mean, he you know,
(32:00):
think of this guy's white I mean, humiliated in front
of everyone she knows, and uh him also and then
the woman as well, And I mean, I mean I
have to admit that I've enjoyed some of the memes
that have been produced from it.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Yeah, but it's.
Speaker 9 (32:22):
Really, I mean this, this is bullying. It's it's it
could have a horrible result in the end. Well, like
you said, uh, you know, he who he who hasn't
sentn you know, cast the first stone. I mean I
think I'm sure not you, Dan, but myself I.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Have let me right there with you, right.
Speaker 9 (32:50):
I mean I got stuff on my phone that I
probably wouldn't want to see, certain people to see or whatever.
And it's like, I mean this, this was exposed to
at least country and maybe the world.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I mean again, I think all of us have done things.
I mean, you know one of the things that you're, uh,
you're driving your car and some guy cut you off,
and the next thing you know, you you're you're yelling
at at the guy or whatever. Then you realize, oh, jeezus,
you know why am I doing this? I mean, you know,
first of all, he might have a gun, uh and
(33:24):
uh and in my case, he might say, you know, uh,
you know, you're you're you're terrible. You were terrible on
TV and you're worse on radio. No, look, we we
These were not people who were well known people. They
happened to be, you know, in a in a set
(33:46):
of circumstances which has come back to haunt them and
done tremendous damage to them.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
And we we as a society like to see this.
I guess I don't know. It's this wouldn't have happened.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
I mean, obviously there would have been no no kiss
cam OODI or whatever you want to call it, you know,
thirty five years ago, and people wouldn't have had phones
to share it with their friends. Bob, I appreciate you call.
I want to try to get one more in here.
I wish I hit more time for it. But you
I think you. I think you made your points and
(34:19):
really made him well. And it's great to hear your voice.
Thank you so much. Hope all as well. Okay, thanks,
all right, we're going to get a female perspective.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Laurie is in Idaho. Laurie, you were next on Nightside.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Sorry that Matthew Gazda had to get back to his
poker game, but.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Okay, you know, really, I mean he was. He's fascinating.
I'm very I'm very glad to have his name. I'm
gonna look him up and maybe check out some of
his writing and stuff. So that that was fantastic. And
you know, I agree with his point of the article
and yours too, that this is an invasion of private
whatever and all that stuff, But that the other really
frustrating facet of it is all these people have it
(34:58):
on their phone or whatever. It takes them what to
second to hit you know, it sended it whatever to
their five hundred and fifty million friends, and all this
goes out and have a second and the person who
sent out that share whatever it is, doesn't even think
about it again for the rest of their lives. Yet
they've done somebody else life.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yeah, I mean, you know if if, for example, you
have I don't know, you know, some some play where
you know, some sporting event where someone does something spectacular,
or you have some moment where a politician kind of
put three words together in some speech and they.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Get confessed no idea what that means.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Well, you know that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Okay, But but this is something that is going to
impact these people.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
But did they make a mistake.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yeah, obviously they made a mistake, but it then impacts
their families, you know, it just it I just feel
that we have in stinct in our society to pile
on and to kick people.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
I'm not sorry, But.
Speaker 8 (36:05):
Then it doesn't they forget. I mean, you do it,
and then they don't even you know, people who do
that don't even remember it two minutes later. The stories
all they're just looking to see how many lights or
responses they get to.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
The Yeah, there's a little bit of that.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, you get something out there quickly
and you build up your your your number of likes.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
I don't know, that's all of us hiding.
Speaker 8 (36:27):
Part of the frustration, I think is people don't think, you.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Know, yeah, all of us hiding behind our phones. You know.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
And you can, you can, you can be a telephone
warrior and never worry about anything, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
If you know.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
But I'm serious, I get I get those anonymous phone
calls all the time, and it's fine.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
You know, I'm a public person. I can handle it.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Yeah, but I'm sure that that their families are going
to go through quite quite a bit here in the
next in the next few weeks, in the next few months,
all for.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Just just the luck of the drawer.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
I guess Laurie is always thank you so much appreciate
your uh, your common sense. I mentioned that guy and
Idaho still no no sign of the guy that killed
the three little girls.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
It's his own daughter.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
No.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
I think the authorities are kind of what they have.
I mean, I think they pulled out Whitewater rescue people.
They've been checking the lakes, in the in the rivers
and stuff too, because apparently his white has said she
wants him found dead or alive.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
No.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
No, well, I.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Certainly understand that that it's for sure, and I think
the public wants wants to see that as well.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Laurie, Thank you much, talk soon.
Speaker 8 (37:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Thanks, have a great Okay, we're gonna take We have
wide open lines here, and i'd like to I'd like
to push this a little bit next hour because I
think some of you are sitting there and you want
to call, but you don't want to call. So I'm
going to open it up and I will reset it
on the other side of the eleven. If you know
what we're talking about, I'd like to get on quickly.
That would be great. Six one, seven, two, five, four
ten thirty six one seven, nine, three one ten thirty.
(38:07):
I think this is a really interesting cultural topic. A
little different than what we normally do, but don't be
afraid of something that's different.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Coming back on Nightside
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