The buzz around the show was that Om Mailk and Michael Arrington were skipping BlogWorld Expo even though both are confirmed speakers. Right now Leo Laporte, after giving what I’ve heard was a kick-ass keynote, pulled iJustine in as a last minute panel member. I think Justine is a great addition and before I dashed out to write this she told us that she did her first website in 6th grade (Tripod or Angelfire she said) because a boy kicked her and she wanted to get back at him. Internet justice starts early
I will admit right now that I don’t know the story or reason why Arrington and Om chose not to attend the fantastic conference, however … it just seems like a slap in the face to Rick, Dave, and the rest of us.
No, I didn’t come to see them, I came to speak, catch up with friends and blog. You can check all three of those off, though I still have one more session to do.
So, what does it mean when speakers do this. I’ll try to get some reaction from folks later. BTW, Arrington had one more panel to be on with Brad Feld, Dan Rua and David Cohen. Yeah probably will be a better better panel anyway.
Update: From Allan Stern of CenterNetworks reported: "Leo Laporte said that Om is sick and Mike "forgot". I was really looking forward to meeting Om. Hope you get better Om!" I know that Om does have a really bad back. Om, I also hope you feel better, and my apologies for suggesting anything different.
Update Sunday: Rick Calvert has posted his complete explanation and mea culpa on the BlogWorld Expo blog.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Mike has have a long history of being on the bill and not turning up (without canceling). We might like to chirp against Arrington here. That is not the point. The point is arrogance and respect for your audience. I think he should be left of the bill of all shows for a while. How can conference organizers think he is a show pullers when he never turns up. Drop ‘em I say. Surprised at Om! Should I be?
November 9th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
[…] hearing from people that there’s a lot of buzz that two A-list CEOs were not able to attend, one was feeling ill and the other “forgot”. As an industry, we look up to these leaders to set a good example, they influence the behavior of […]
November 9th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
[…] was referring to a few things: the turn-out to the BlogWorld Expo event, and also to the speaker no shows that seem to have befallen the event. (Note: this happened to me at Video on the Net, but not with […]
November 9th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
[…] was referring to a few things: the turn-out to the BlogWorld Expo event, and also to the speaker no shows that seem to have befallen the event. (Note: this happened to me at Video on the Net, but not with […]
November 9th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
[…] Asides In case you were wondering why I wasn’t at BlogWorld, two words: bad back! which got aggravated as a result of multiple city tour over last few days and […]
November 10th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Personally I like it better when these people don’t turn up they ruin the show by bringing their over large ego’s with them.
He (Arrington) could have had at least the decency to cancel before hand.
Just remember not to invite him next time.
November 10th, 2007 at 1:09 am
no worse place than a plane with a bad back. Suggestion is a web video feed, http://www.conferencingnews.com/blog ok perhaps it’s a poor second but it does help deliver what the paying crowd expects.
hope you feel better
November 10th, 2007 at 5:12 am
[…] I was somewhat — nay, overwhelmingly — flabbergasted to read that Mike Arrington wasn’t able to keynote his talk at BlogExpo along with Om Malik, as they were meant to both talk with Leo Laporte on the Cult of Blogging. Om […]
November 10th, 2007 at 5:27 am
[…] is really a shame. It’s not a big deal to me, but it’s just a shame. You forgot to come? At least lie to […]
November 10th, 2007 at 6:18 am
[…] Fills In (Tris Hussey/blognation Canada) Posted in November 9th, 2007 by Kyle in Technology Om Malik & Arrington Blow Off BlogWorld-iJustine Fills In — The buzz around the show was that Om Mailk and Michael Arrington were skipping BlogWorld Expo […]
November 10th, 2007 at 6:20 am
Leo Laporte’s keynote was indeed kickass. It was a sublime blend of high level analysis and practical advice. One of the hightlights of the whole event, for me.
November 10th, 2007 at 6:58 am
Maybe he doesn’t like the multiple unathorized emails (without proper opt-in) and Facebook invites that were sent concerning this conference.
November 10th, 2007 at 10:04 am
read crunchnotes.arrington never said he was going. Bullnation more like
November 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
For the balance here, Mike says he was never going anyway! Blogworld is now on set to say why people were on the bill who were not going to turn up anyway.
November 10th, 2007 at 10:54 am
[…] Om Malik & Arrington Blow Off BlogWorld-iJustine Fills In A full write up and review on what really happened at the event, since two thirds of the listed panel did not show. Props to Leo for pulling something together. […]
November 10th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Good morning from SeaTac (Seattle airport)! I just read Mike’s post and well I spoke with Rick Clavert before my session today and he told me personally that they confirmed with Mike several times that he was coming.
I know that Mike is asking Rick or someone with BlogWorld to clear this up, but I don’t know how much more clear it can be. Checked my sources, he was confirmed by conference organizers to be attending and speaking.
November 10th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Can I get links for the keynote by leo Laporte?
November 10th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
To confirm you are an old world spammer, you subscribed me to comments on this thread without my authorization, knowledge or opt-out.
LAME!
November 10th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
[…] I just spoke to Rick Clavert, the guy who put on the conference. First of all, he says the stuff in blognation is simply fabricated. Rick and I had a high level conversation in August about me […]
November 10th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
David, what the hell are you talking about? I’m not even a “pro blogger” and I can EASILY see the little check box above this box I am typing in that says “notify me of followup comments via e-mail”. I personally appreciate the feature but most people with any kind of brain would be able to uncheck the very obvious box if they didn’t want it. Maybe you wouldn’t have missed if it your nose wasn’t perched so high and in the way?
November 10th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
[…] Excuse me?! FORGOT to come? […]
November 11th, 2007 at 12:58 am
[…] can read more at blognation and […]
November 11th, 2007 at 3:55 am
arrington’s absence is not important. he’s a self-important blowhard. i’d much rather hear from leo laporte or (next time) om malik. i don’t understand all the carrying on about this guy
November 11th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Just to clarify. I was told on Thursday that Om had been told not to travel due to his bad back. I was also told by Dave Taylor, the conference booker, that no one had heard from Mike Arrington since Wednesday so he might not be showing for our panel Friday morning. That’s when I recruited Justine and started looking for someone else to join us.
Friday morning, right before my keynote, I was told by Dave and Rick Calvert, the Blogworld organizer, that they had finally heard from Mike and that he had “forgotten” about the conference and couldn’t make it.
I repeated that, good naturedly I think, when I began the session. I didn’t have time to contact Mike for his side of the story, and I had no reason not to believe Dave and Rick.
I have NO idea what really happened or who’s to blame, but I do know that Justine did a great job and I think the session was a success.
November 11th, 2007 at 4:53 am
Leo great seeing you at BlogWorld. Thank you for leaving a comment. And from what I saw/heard I agree Justine did a great job.
November 11th, 2007 at 4:54 am
Today, while recording our conversation for his show Leo made the point that social media opens the floor to many more voices. No longer a handful of media gatekeepers of information circa 1960.
And so respect to Mike for his work, sorry you missed us and thanks to Justine for adding another voice. Another star rising.
There that feels better.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:01 am
Albert, great to meet you this week. And you and Leo are spot on. New, fresh voices just make this whole area richer.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:19 am
Everyone is sounding so upset.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:25 am
[…] New Media Expo in Las Vegas. The actual behavior of certain attendees/speakers has been covered by others (an interesting situation); however, my aggravation stems from the people I passed in my journey to […]
November 11th, 2007 at 8:01 am
[…] thing I *don’t* understand, though. Why did Leo Laporte say that Mike “forgot” about coming to BlogExpo, when it clearly wasn’t a case of remembering at all? I suspect that we may never actually […]
November 11th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Oh well, from what I heard Leo and Justine did a great job.
Maybe the guys at BlogWorld should invite her back next year?
November 12th, 2007 at 1:40 am
[…] BlogWorld Expo Friday surrounded two topics, Mark Cuban speaking, and Mike Arrington not. I wrote about it, talked with Rick, replied to Om, and kept the post updated. Mike gave us his side of the […]
November 12th, 2007 at 8:37 am
[…] was drama in the blogging world recently when A-list bloggers Michael Arrington and Om Malik allegedly blew off their speaking engagements at BlogWorld. I for one cannot blame Michael and Om for not showing, […]
November 15th, 2007 at 7:27 am
[…] Justine was broadcasting from BlogWorld and was doing a little friendly Q&A via webcam after her panel appearance. It was during this webcam Q&A, not broadcast via her Justin.tv webcam, that someone pointed […]
December 14th, 2007 at 10:43 am
[…] our writers and tried to hire them. Tris Hussy, Blognation Canada editor, wrote a post saying I blew off a conference. He later apologized when it became clear that his story was factually incorrect, but by then the […]
December 19th, 2007 at 12:34 am
[…] BlogWorld Expo Friday surrounded two topics, Mark Cuban speaking, and Mike Arrington not. I wrote about it, talked with Rick, replied to Om, and kept the post updated. Mike gave us his side of the story, […]
April 28th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
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April 30th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
[…] attendees, and 90 exhibitors. There was even a small controversy over Michael Arrington’s reported snub, which, according to Calvert, was actually taken way out of context and completely blown out of […]