David Letterman returned to Ball State on Friday night for the first time since dedicating the telecommunications building named in his honor three years ago. And for once, students were encouraged to use their phones during a public speech on campus.
"It's great to be back at Ball State," Letterman told a cheering crowd at John R. Emens Auditorium.
President Jo Ann Gora bid "a welcome to Ball State's most famous graduate and a true Cardinal" to a roar of applause shortly after 7:40 p.m.
Guests at Emens performances are normally asked to turn their phones off, but for this occasion — a discussion about social media featuring Letterman and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone — Gora said, "I encourage you to keep your phones on and tweet as much as you can."
Letterman had the crowd laughing during his introductory remarks, and some people used their phones to broadcast the appearance in 140-character bursts.
The usual Letterman humor was on display.
"I'm wearing borrowed socks," he said. "That's what a twit I am."
Stone described how he and business partner Evan Williams founded Twitter and compared its way of bringing people together to the flocking of birds.
"Twitter is the 'Seinfeld' of the Internet. It's a site about nothing," Stone told the crowd.
Stone said technology is not the answer to problems. Rather, how people use technology is the answer.
"Twitter is not a triumph of technology — it's a triumph of humanity," he said.
(This story will be updated.)
Earlier: Twitter announces major overhaul as co-founder heads for Ball State
A conversation with David Letterman and Biz Stone, a co-founder of Twitter, is taking place just days after the social media site announced its redesign plans to become more like Facebook with embedded photos and videos as well as mini-profiles for users.
The company's chief operating officer, Dick Costolo, gave a keynote address Thursday to about 2,000 people at the Marriott Downtown Indianapolis, saying these changes should benefit advertisers and businesses.
During his speech, Twitter was buzzing. That might be the same story here on campus. Friday afternoon, nearly half of responders to a Daily News poll said if they could ask Stone one question, they would ask if he found it inappropriate to tweet while he's talking.
Posted earlier: Tickets for Letterman, Stone still available
A handful of tickets to see David Letterman and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone are still up for grabs.
About a hundred tickets for "A Conversation with David Letterman and Biz Stone" are still available, Tom Taylor, vice president for enrollment, marketing and communications, said. Students, faculty and staff can still pick up tickets as long as they're available at the Emens Box Office during regular hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"As long as there are tickets, we'll be passing them out," Taylor said.
He said some people have returned tickets because they can no longer attend, and the university is asking others to do the same so tickets can be redistributed.
There will be a standby line at John R. Emens Auditorium before the lecture in case tickets become available, Taylor said. Those who attend must be seated by 7:20 p.m. Friday. Seats not occupied at that time will be released to people on standby.
Letterman and Stone's speech will be broadcast in Pruis Hall as well. Tickets are not required to attend that screening.
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