It's hard enough for actors and writers to make the transition from one comic tone — droll, say, or absurdist — to a serious moment.
Already, Buffington and Droll say they've seen good traction in cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Seattle, and Washington.
"Both of those are not what we see on a daily basis," Droll said.
Also of note: Droll says that implementing the geo-fences didn't decrease Yik Yak user numbers.
Buffington argued that the tone doesn't just discourage the harassers and bullies, but also helps distinguish the app from other anonymous services — so Droll said it's closer to Twitter than Secret or Whisper.
They've now done the same for nearly 100,000 high schools in the United States, and Droll said this is still one of the first steps the company takes as it moves into new countries.
Droll said one of the biggest challenges the company has ahead of it is expanding beyond colleges and to other countries, while Buffington noted, too, that it was critical that Yik Yak set the right tone as it arrives in these new markets.
A screen name may make for a "much more comfortable and familiar" experience to those outside their core user base, Droll said. .
"I'm trying to be droll" he says.
Even his critical best friend, Trevor (a droll Will Rogers), says it's good.
