The "best party on campus" has a new Hootie.
In Fall 2011, Hootie the Late Nite Owl joined the ranks of the Late Nite crew as the organization's very own energetic party animal. Standing a little taller than 5 feet with an incredible wingspan, large nocturnal eyes and a seemingly endless reservoir of spunk, Hootie has become a favorite of Late Nite frequenters and an intrinsic aspect of every event. Even so, donning the heavy costume for four hours a night isn't always a walk in the park for the student under the mascot.
"I broke out in hives from wearing the suit," said Chilena Asomugha, a junior public relations major. Asomugha served as Hootie for a year before quitting to join the Late Nite executive board this fall.
"I'd say the biggest challenge of being Hootie is getting people who don't like mascots to like you," Asomugha said. "They always end up liking us, but it just takes a minute to make them comfortable."
The current Hootie said even though a four-hour night doesn't sound long, it can get tiring.
"Wearing it all night and sweating as much as you do gets you exhausted," Hootie said. "You just have to try and keep going."
Despite the trials of making the transformation from normal student to human-sized owl, both Asomugha and Hootie saw good things come since the mascot's inception. They have even experienced changes in themselves.
"I think the best night for me was one time when I played ping-pong with someone who was in a wheelchair," Asomugha said. "The person just seemed so happy, and I feel like I made their night. That, for me, was the highlight of Hootie."
Hootie said playing the owl has helped them be more sociable.
"Working as a mascot and having a fun job where you run around helps you bond with people," Hootie said. "It has helped me open up more to people when I'm just myself."
Hootie has entertained countless people at the Late Nite Carnival in the spring, Homecoming Week activities in the fall and several Late Nite member recruitment events throughout the year. The best way to experience Hootie is to attend Late Nite, which runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday nights in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. Entrance is free to students with a Ball State ID.
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Q & A with the student behind the mascot
Q: How tall are you?
A: I am about 5'10".
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: My favorite activities are playing tennis, swimming, knitting, and even though it's my job, I obviously love being Hootie.
Q: What the best class you've taken?
A: My favorite class was FCSFA 102. It's like a beginning sewing class.
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: I love the soup from Olive Garden that has sausage and potatoes in it. I forget what it's called, but I always get it.
Q: What kind of music do you like and what is your favorite artist?
A: Well if you go to Late Nite, you obviously know Britney Spears is my favorite artist. I like not necessarily current pop, but 1990s, like Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, stuff like that. It's stuff that everybody recognizes, and I use that to get people to come to karaoke and other things.
Q: Do you have any phobias?
A: I'm scared to death of sharks. I won't even swim in a pool by myself. I'm also afraid of spiders, but only if they're really big and hairy, like if they can eat a bird, I'd be scared of them.
Q: What are you going to be for Halloween?
A: I do not know. I really want to be a lion tamer and have some of my friends dress up like lions or large cats and go in a group.
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