I'm sure he got feedback. It may have been harsh. There may have been laughter. And yet, it's the author's choice to characterize it as ridicule, and the choice

I'm sure he got feedback. It may have been harsh. There may have been laughter. And yet, it's the author's choice to characterize it as ridicule, and the choice is not a helpful one to his own career. His attitude is a millstone, not his "broad experience".