In 1965, an unknown teenager from Indianapolis sat in front of his college radio station’s microphone and began playing the worst songs he could find and concocting fake news stories. That was before he became known as the quick-witted host of the longest-running late-night talk show and one of the most influential television stars of all time.
David Letterman has never let go of Ball State over the decades. On The Late Show with David Letterman, he consistently doted on his alma mater—routinely referring to cardinals as “the fiercest robin-sized bird in the animal kingdom.” But his commitment to the university goes much deeper than what he has said on his show.