Kevin Bacon is taking this opportunity to remind us that we are all, indeed, connected.
It may have been a while since your last game of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. The game challenges movie and culture buffs to find the link between an arbitrary actor and the Footloose star. Kevin knows all about it and has certainly poked fun at it over the years. Now he's utilizing it to remind us all of why we're social distancing amid the spread of this terrible illness.
On Wednesday, Kevin took to Instagram to launch the Six Degrees Campaign. He challenged others engaging in social distancing to share the person at the heart of why they're taking precautions. After sharing a photo or video, he encourages everyone to tag six friends.
For Kevin, he named wife Kyra Sedgwick as the reason he's staying home. He then tagged some heavy hitters to get this thing going: Jimmy Fallon, Elton John, Brandi Carlisle, Kevin Hart, Demi Lovato, and David Beckham.
Kevin Bacon is doing his part to help during the ongoing health crisis. The 61-year-old actor has taken to Instagram to pose a challenge to his followers. It draws from a beloved game involving the actor himself, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
With Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, you choose a celebrity and find the ways they're linked to the Footloose star, in six degrees or less. Kevin is reminding us that we're all part of that interconnectivity with his new initiative. It's called the Six Degrees Campaign.
Kevin posted a video introducing the idea on Instagram on Wednesday. "Hey everybody, it’s now so important to stay home and keep our distance from others if you are able," he captioned the video.
"The more of us who can, make it safer for those who can’t."
"So if you’re home too like me, post a video or photo with a sign like mine, telling who you are staying home for and ask 6 friends to do the same," he continued.
"Post it with the hashtag #IStayHomeFor so I can see and share. The more folks involved, the merrier – We’re all connected by various degrees (Trust me, I know!)."
Kevin's reason for staying home is his wife, Kyra Sedgwick. He then tagged Jimmy Fallon, Elton John, Brandi Carlisle, Kevin Hart, Demi Lovato, and David Beckham.
Elton John quickly replied with a photo. He explained he's staying home for husband David Furnish and their two sons, Zachary and Elijah.
"Thank-you @kevinbacon for the nomination!! #IStayHomeFor @davidfurnish and our boys. Today it’s snakes, ladders and staying inside…"
David Beckham has also posted his response. "Staying at home for the ones that we love . Thank you @kevinbacon for nominating me," he wrote.
"I’m staying at home for Victoria and our kids, including Cruzie who’s made his way into this photo…"
Actress Angie Bell also got in on the action. "Jumpin on the #IStayHomeFor train Every one of us has someone worth staying home for," she captioned her image. "In my case, it’s my grandma & momma, who are my angels. And all those whose lives rely on us doing our part."
Influencers all over the internet are participating in the hashtag campaign. It's not just about shouting out those who are important to you. It's about reminding everyone that this is about not just individuals but also whole populations who find themselves at heightened risks.
It's a sobering reminder that this illness has the potential to touch us all. It does not discriminate. Regardless of what we call it or how we feel about it, it is already affecting the daily lives of citizens of entire countries. We shouldn't wait around for it to touch us personally.
Those who have a platform have a responsibility to spread the word about social distancing. It isn't a comfortable or ideal experience for most people, but it's what's necessary of us, for us at this point. By participating in activities that remind us we are not alone, we'll feel a little less strange about the current state of things.
