Nearly 600 students gathered in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium Monday night to meet “Viva La Bam” star Don Vito.

The event was hosted by studentcity.com and the Huskies Den. It originally was planned to take place in the Huskies Den but was moved to the auditorium because the expected attendance was more than what the Huskies Den could hold.

The Don Vito Back to School Tour is traveling to bars and universities across the country. NIU is its second stop. Vito is working with StudentCity to promote Spring Break trips.

The event was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. but started a half hour late.

In response to Vito’s tardiness, students yelled, “Hey, where’s Don Vito?”

At about 6:15 p.m., StudentCity representatives rolled out props and some hoped Vito would make his appearance. When students realized he had not yet arrived they responded with resounding boos.

Amidst the booing, some yelled “Don Vito’s hot,” and “Don Vito, will you marry me?”

The crew left the stage after preparing a table and background with the StudentCity logo for Vito to sit at. They also left a stack of Don Vito photographs on the table.

Two students then walked onto the stage and took a pair of Vito mug shots and left. Following their lead, waves of students rushed the stage to get their own.

Matt Einhorn, assistant security supervisor, stepped in to put an end to the theft.

Carlos Pacheco, a security supervisor, said there were more people than expected but they were better behaved then he thought they would be.

Security added two “redcoats,” or uniformed security guards and a police patrol car outside to help control the crowd, Pacheco said.

Chris Turley, an outside regional sales manager for StudentCity, introduced Don Vito to a standing ovation.

“What we’re gonna do is people are going to come up over here, walk, get a picture, get choked, whatever,” Turley said.

Vito did, indeed, choke people when they came up and posed for pictures with him.

While signing autographs and taking pictures, Vito drank a few cans of Budweiser. One student also bought him french fries.

With some encouragement from students, Vito yelled phrases no one could understand, as he his known to do on television.

One such phrase was “Arrtikaruiteguard,” most likely a reference to the Right Guard commercials his nephew is in. Students said they did not have subtitles to understand him.

“This is the most poorly organized thing ever, but Don Vito’s still the man,” said Blake Peters, a junior finance major.

While students stood in line, they were encouraged by StudentCity representatives to sign up for a free Spring Break trip.

The winner will be picked once everyone who filled out a sweepstakes form is contacted, Turley said. That should be when the tour ends, about Dec. 10.