Umair Haque's Moderation At SXSW 2010 Keynote Criticized By Interview Attendees

One of the most highly-anticipated SXSW 2010 keynotes featured an interview with Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, moderated by Umair Haque.

While attendees were interested in Williams' insights into Twitter's business strategy, emphasis on openness, and the "democracy of information" (as well as the new platform, @Anywhere, unveiled by Williams) the audience was irked by Haque.

During the SXSW 2010 keynote, tweeters expressed their ire over Twitter.

Here are some of the reactions:

@joelhousman @newmediajim Umair Haque @umairh of the Hardvard Business Review. He's horrible. Asking wrong questions. Keeps talking about himself. Etc.

@upto12: Enough with the pompous self-promotion, @umairh. Seriously, I don't want to hear you talk about your blog posts. #sxsw #mondaykeynote

@mbaratz: There are hundreds of people in the room. Someone. Anyone. Kanye this keynote and ask Evan a good question. #sxsw

@jennydeluxe: the guy behind me just tapped me on the shoulder and whispered "everybody is leaving. this is a fail. that's your story." #sxswkeynote

The reviews weren't all bad, however. While some blasted Haque's moderating skills, others complimented him on his work:

@jm3 @umairh #goodjob. Are you around for office hours today?

@takeitez @umairh are you meeting people/taking questions now? Would like to chat.

Umair Haque, according to the short bio posted by SXSW, is the Director of the Havas Media Lab and founder of Bubblegeneration, an "agenda-setting advisory boutique that shaped strategies across media and consumer industries."

Comments

[Avery Otto]

09:30 PM on 03/21/2010

Umair and Evan are both visionaries. The dialogue that is needed didn't happen. And yet the focus for what both men stand for continues to shape us. Perhaps serious conversations need to have a different venue in order to emerge? The crowd should have formally voted, and a response to the vote acted upon.

[Samuel Perry]

12:03 PM on 03/17/2010

dang it. First burning man, and now this. Every time I decide I finally want to spend the dough to drive all the way out to participate in one of those supercoolawesomeneatoburritonew movement festivals, they immediately proceed to jump the shark. Quick, what do you want to die next? I'm taking requests.

[SF TKF]

02:23 PM on 03/18/2010

I always love hearing that Burning Man "jumped the shark" from people who've never been. I hope this info spreads like mad and more and more people stay away (so the event can go back down to a reasonable level of ACTIVELY involved participants).

[Samuel Perry]

03:11 PM on 03/18/2010

so it's all a disinformation act to prevent me from going? well played, cool people...well played.

[HekmagaJuximakLives]

04:05 PM on 03/16/2010

I wonder if Umair Haque is a pseudonym...
Um...air hack...???

[KriTiKiT]

09:31 PM on 03/15/2010

i feel so LIBERATED my twitter account is now deleted. thanks for helping me make that decision Umair Haque Self promotion and commercialization of my information for your profit is over.

[KriTiKiT]

08:51 PM on 03/15/2010

twitter is destroying everything it touches

[Michael Hart]

03:29 PM on 03/18/2010

Well said

[KriTiKiT]

08:46 PM on 03/15/2010

SXSW is officially sold out...