10 Times Kiss Cam Went Horribly Wrong
If you’ve ever been to a big game or a packed concert, you know the Kiss Cam can steal the show in seconds. Most of the time, it’s harmless fun, but every now and then, things get awkward fast. A funny idea can turn into a viral moment that nobody on that screen will ever forget. Here are 15 times the Kiss Cam totally went off script.
The Nacho Disaster
Credit: Youtube
Fans watching the Los Angeles Rams play the Los Angeles Chargers in August 2024 saw a man’s big proposal implode on the jumbotron. He knelt in his spotless Puka Nacua jersey, but before she could answer, a passerby carrying nachos clipped him, which sent the cheese and toppings everywhere. Gasps swept through SoFi Stadium. When she shut the box and shook her head, the moment went from romantic to viral chaos within minutes.
Coldplay’s Viral Affair
Credit: Youtube
In July 2025 at Gillette Stadium, the crowd’s attention turned from the stage to the screen when Astronomer CEO Andy Byron appeared wrapped around his HR chief, Kristin Cabot. From the stage and while performing, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin noticed and teased, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.” That line lit up social media instantly. The two scrambled apart, but not before countless phones caught the awkward exchange and sparked global headlines under #Coldplaygate.
That’s My Sister
Credit: 12up
Instead of a kiss, a sharp hand motion and a quick lip‑readable sentence stole the show at a college basketball game in 2016. Cameras zoomed in on a brother and sister in matching shirts. The man looked directly at the lens and said, “That’s my sister.” Stadium staff admitted later they never double‑checked.
The Mascot Interruption
Credit: Youtube
Sometimes the unexpected star isn’t a fan at all. At a 2019 Chicago Bulls game, just as two fans leaned in, Benny the Bull launched himself between them and delivered a cartoonish kiss on one’s cheek. Instead of groans, the arena erupted in cheers, and clips replayed on the scoreboard throughout the night. By the next day, the team’s social accounts had racked up millions of views.
Public Proposal Gone Awry
Credit: Youtube
When a University of Kentucky fan turned the Kiss Cam into a proposal in 2022, the plan unraveled in seconds. He presented the ring confidently, but his partner froze, shook her head, and whispered something private while the entire stadium went silent. The feed cut away abruptly. Within hours, local reporters were quoting witnesses who described the tension.
The Friend Zone Moment
Credit: Youtube
An NHL game in New Jersey in 2021 provided the internet with a lesson in body language. As the crowd urged them on, a man leaned in toward his female friend, only to be met with a laugh and a gentle shove. Instead of hiding, they both grinned, but the arena roared with secondhand embarrassment. This sent X users to haywire.
Cold Beer Overload
Credit: Youtube
Long before the next whistle, chaos unfolded in Nashville during a 2018 Predators game. A couple jumped up to celebrate their Kiss Cam debut, arms flying as two oversized beers tipped forward and drenched the row below. ESPN featured the soaked fans later that evening.
Celebrity Freeze-Up
Credit: Youtube
A San Antonio Spurs crowd in 2015 watched two people squirm under the big screen’s spotlight. The arena host teased them with questions, but they only blushed and looked away. Online speculation assumed it was a first date until the man tweeted later that they had been together for a year. The reveal only made the footage spread further.
Barack Obama’s Kiss Cam Awkwardness
Credit: Youtube
During a USA vs. Brazil men’s basketball game, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were featured on the stadium’s Kiss Cam. They smiled but didn’t kiss. Moments later, the host brought them back for a second shot—this time they shared a peck and won the crowd’s approval.
Beer Over Kiss
Credit: Youtube
Not every Kiss Cam needs two people. During a Milwaukee Brewers game in 2020, the camera landed on a lone man. Without hesitation, he raised his cup, downed his beer in one go, and gave the camera a salute. The crowd roared louder than for some home runs.
Mother Says No
Credit: Tiktok
In 2017, at a Cleveland Cavaliers matchup, a young couple leaned in when the Kiss Cam found them—until the man’s mother intervened. She raised a finger between them and shook her head firmly. The crowd erupted, players on the bench laughed, and the team’s official social media replayed the clip throughout the night.
The Head Push Prank
Credit: Reddit
One infamous Knicks moment in 2020 took a strange turn when a man jokingly nudged his partner’s head downward just as the Kiss Cam zoomed in. Her shocked reaction and swift shove sent the arena into hysterics. TikTok users debated whether it was a prank gone wrong or staged humor, but the clip spread everywhere.