Temple Party Owl: A farewell interview with the man behind our blackouts

As a Temple student it’s basically a pre-req to follow TPO. The account feels less like a person and more like an interactive app Temple students use to find out who’s hosting our next black out.

Since its inception in 2013, it has accumulated 9,535 followers and counting on Twitter. That’s over a thousand more than its precedent, the Temple-made anonymous account, Temple Make Out. It has an average Snapchat audience of roughly 2000 and once totaled 800,000 impressions in a month according to Twitter Analytics.

I knocked on the Temple Party Owl’s door without any true evidence that it was actually his. There was nothing for a few seconds, and I felt dumb for having 1) Impulsively gone off the guidance of a friend who had a class with a girl who said she lived next door to TPO, and 2) Even if this was where he actually lived, I already pitched the article to my editors without knowing whether or not this kid was going to say “no, please fuck off” and no reason to think he would do otherwise. The interview started on an obvious note.

Are you Temple Party Owl?

Who told you?

Luckily, the guy behind the @templepartyowl handle is a pretty cool guy, and after some convincing, he sat down with us to chat about his on-campus stardom before he went off to interview next year’s replacement.

When did you decide you were going to create Temple Party Owl, or something along the lines?

There was two accounts then, in 2013, that were similar, the Temple Events and Parties page on Facebook which was sort of dying down and my junior year there was this guy King Vlad, if you know him, he was at a block party and I asked him how I could get involved and he said, “Just make a Twitter.” So I did and I started tweeting out parties that I’d hear of whether they liked it or not [laughs]. People starting following and it just sort of built up.

What are the perks?

Free concert tickets from Live Nation, Sound Garden, Electric Factory. I’ll contact management there and say something like “Hey, if you can get me tickets to this show I’ll do a give-away on Twitter.” Not so much Sound Garden as much as Live Nation and Electric Factory.

I make money promoting with TPO. That’s a big source of income for me. I do ads for businesses and events.

How often have you gone to the parties you promote?

I don’t really, anymore. I’m usually at the bar on the weekends. But it’s free, if I do go. I don’t have to pay at the front door or whatever they’re charging everybody else.

How has the account changed since it began?

It’s blown up a little in size, obviously. I’m always gaining followers. And, I now have to ask for permission if I post a party. It’s a bigger deal now, more of a responsibility ‘cause there’s a lot more people paying attention. There’s been situations when it was first starting up that the people were not happy that their party was being… you know, broadcasted.

One time I got a tip for an address and it wasn’t the right one, it was the address of somebody who was going to the party that I shouldn’t have been given and so, obviously, they were pissed ‘cause a bunch of people just showed up to their house.

What’s the maintenance like?

It’s pretty straight forward. I contact the venues and I’ll propose something to them. Or for the parties, either I ask permission or they will reach out over twitter or send snaps saying there’s a party at wherever and then I’ll post it in the story.

What’s the criteria for passing it down?

Somebody who’s motivated and responsible. Enthusiastic. I mean it’s a good part of their Thursday, Friday and Saturday looking down at their phone and staying connected online. If somebody wants to apply, they send their resumé and I’ve been looking at them but so far, I haven’t found anybody that I think is the best for it. I’ve gotten some where it’s just the applicant telling me how they drink all the time or that they’re basically an alcoholic and it’s just… disturbing. [laughs]

Do you feel a little bit famous?

No. It’s more like local popularity but… not really. I mean, I have a couple thousand people viewing but it’s not like being famous ‘cause I’ll walk around campus and nobody knows who I am. People don’t know Temple Owl is me.

After our interview, TPO went to conduct one of his own with a hopeful replacement next year: an Advertising major named Zoe. We hope she can do for TPO what it has done for us (cured FOMO, gotten us laid and inspired other Temple Made Memes like Temple PJ Girl).

Temple Party Owl is more than an account. It’s Ben, a Temple student finishing up his degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management (with a concentration in Event Leadership).

He has a girlfriend, goes to the bars on the weekends, loves That 70’s Show, has personal social media accounts and sometimes eats Pita Chip for free. We thank him for his service.