Stardust Global Ventures

The past couple of days have been filled with some insanity, at least from my perspective. Some of it is noteworthy for reasons I see differently.

Ashton Kutcher took on CNN in a competition for followers, and in doing so openly, punk’d Twitter. Like the famed lemmings (and later the children) of Hamlen, the Twittersphere blindly followed along and gave Kutcher a million followers.

To give a bit of credit where due, Kutcher actually does use and engage in social media and promised to provide net beds for Malaria No More. He’ll certainly make good on the promise, and his game brings attention to a good cause. Sadly it’s peripheral attention dwarfed by the silliness of playing ding-dong-dtch on Ted Turner.

Oprah joined Twitter. Today Ashton Kutcher will be in her show. Her following grew before she ever posted a single tweet.

Yesterday I wrote about Twitter, and I’m loathe to do so again today, but here I am anyway. Sometimes I react quickly and negatively. I know I did last night to some folks suggestions that Oprah keynote the upcoming Blog World Expo. I think it’s a bad idea.My tweet to Rick and Jim, the guys behind the Expo last night was that, while we don’t know if we can be there to begin with, Oprah keynoting would lead me to withdraw and likely not attend even if finances permit. I still stand by that.

Here’s Rick’s very cogent post on the topic this morning:

Should Oprah Be Allowed To Speak At BlogWorld?

Wow people can really get their shorts in a twist really quickly in the Blogosphere or in this case the Twittersphere.

Tonight Twitter and the tech blogs were buzzing with talk about Ashton Kutcher’s little challenge to CNN to see who could be the first to get to one million followers on Twitter. Larry King Responded.  Many of the “real Tweeple” were put off with the entire event.

Then our Social Media Director Jim Turner Tweeted this:

So how hard would it be to have Oprah keynote blogworld on the “New Media”?

I then replied:

@Genuine let ask her. @oprah now that you are on Twitter, would you like to come give a keynote at the worlds largest social media event?

Several people were immediately up in arms.  Here is a sampling of the replies:

Kencamp: @blogworld 2 cents worth – BWE is a maybe for us, but Oprah speaking would blow credibility of it all and lead me to opt out I think.

LisaHoffman: @Genuine Guess it depends on who you’re trying to attract. I thought BlogWorld was aimed at SM fans and practitioners, not celeb groupies.

adamkmiec: @blogworld you’ve got to be kidding me

CathyWebSavvyPR: @LisaHoffmann Probably not a good choice for Blogworld. Fun, entertaining, zany, smart? but not keynot. if celeb MCHammer takes it seriously

DougMeacham: @MackCollier Having Oprah speak as an “expert” could damage blogworld expo’s cred w/practitioners but mayB they’re looking 4 a new customer

BethHarte: @Genuine If Oprah Keynotes BlogWorld, I am staying home… Because if she’s a SM expert that means I don’t have enough coin to ever be one.

I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Social Media insiders tend to be a little clubby and insular but I sincerely hope the folks above and others who might have a similar knee jerk reaction reconsider their opinion.

[Read Rick's Full Post - Really do go read it]

Oprah joining Twitter (she’s account #19,397,785…that’s right nineteen million other accounts signed up first) is noteworthy because it is, after all, Oprah. But her use and knowledge of social media as a tool, her thought leadership in that space, and her engagement via social media tools simply don’t recommend her to keynote such an event. It would merely create a media circus. Her presence would, at least for me, diminish the value of the conference.

Conferences like this are, for me, events where professionals and those seriously interested in how we make our living or live our passions can improve our craft. I’m pleased to see that I wasn’t alone in the opinion that it simply isn’t a venue for Oprah. Oprah is a consummate professional at her craft, but social media is outside her element. Many could argue her small involvement in using new media is simply using to to promote old media, where she reigns supreme.

Others like Kutcher, or Ellen Degeneres have actually engaged in and use social media tools regularly. And while their insights have merit because they do really use the tools, their star power would bring the same deleterious effect.

Social media is something I’ve long held is another facet of unified communications. The two are inextricably interwoven. Neither can succeed, or even exist without the other. The niche of social media practitioners is new and growing. I think it’s crucial that we build and sustain credibility for our craft by  raising the bar higher at each seminar and conference.

When I attend a social media conference, I want to extend my network and get to know people who are rocking the field in new ways. People I can engage and interact with. I’m not interested in joining the TV audience for anyone’s show. If we’re going to bring someone with star power to a conference like that, make it someone like Leo Laporte who crosses our interests, our passions and our chosen field of endeavor in tangible ways.

Glitz and glam are wonderful fun, but in the end, the only value they add is fun. We can’t let the distractoin of fun outweigh the value.

Technorati Tags: Blog World Expo, social media, Rick Calvert, Jim Turner, conference, expo, tempest in a twitpot