# A different six degrees game -- get thee to a celebrity **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532 "2007-02-09T18:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/1 "2007-02-09T18:31:39Z")
How close are you to a big name celebrity, by way of friends, relatives, and coworkers? My GF once had a meeting with Barney Frank, who surely knows Bush. My friend’s wife’s distant cousin is Cheney, who surely knows Bush. My friend’s wife’s daughter’s husband works on the set of 24, and knows Keifer Sutherland. An old high school friend acted in Space Cowboys with Donald Sutherland who fathered Keifer Sutherland. My childhood friend’s brother became an actor and appeared on the 64th annual Golden Globe Awards with Keifer Sutherland. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/2 "2007-02-09T18:50:54Z")
I once took acting lessons from a man who had a small part in [_Corvette Summer_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077372/), with Mark Hamill. I’m three degrees from the entire cast of _Star Wars_, and that makes me happy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/3 "2007-02-09T18:55:03Z")
I’ve met Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon, so that puts me within 4 degrees of just about everybody in film. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/4 "2007-02-09T19:04:09Z")
I spent a couple of hours once chatting to John Savage, who starred in [The Deer Hunter](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077416/), which also starred Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken. That might connect me with a few Hollywood celebrities. I also went to high school with Carl Lee, defensive back for the Vikings and NFL pro-bowler. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/5 "2007-02-09T19:06:53Z")
My best friend has met (as in, talked to and had dinner with while less than 50 other people were present) Bill Clinton several times, as her cousin is a big campaign contributor for the Dems. So if I work that angle, I can get to almost anyone world wide pretty quickly. I hung out with a musician who has played with Paul Simon for years, and I was sat in the middle of all of the members of Santana and talked with them on a nightmare 7 hour “flight” from LaGuardia to O’Hare (most of the time we were on the ground, of course.) I couldn’t call them up and invite them to tea, of course, but it we were pretty close for a while there! Since Carlos Santana knows everyone in the music business ever, that means I’m only two degrees away from anyone in music. 😉 I competed against Anthony Rapp in high school forensics, but we didn’t know each other outside of that. There was a huge hullabaloo because he was already a professional actor at the time competing against amateurs. Still, wraps up most of Broadway in a few degrees. But I’m so jealous of \*\*silenus \*\*right now. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/6 "2007-02-09T19:09:04Z")
I’m a 2 or 3 degrees from the Star Trek cast. My roommate worked for a year or so at Radio Shack in Studio City. Nimoy and Shatner were semi regular customers of his. I spent an evening having drinks and chatting with Lawrence Fishburne which makes me 2 degrees away in the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon game! I’m sure there are a bunch more, but thats life in LA. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/7 "2007-02-09T19:11:28Z")
My cousin-in-law’s sister is the campaign manager for the governor (and a general staffer in non-election years,) and I’m fairly certain Gov. Douglas has met Bush and/or Cheney. In high school, I had a friend who met the older Bush. My GF’s roommate is acquaintances and took pictures (for an art class) of Scarlett Johanson’s brother (I guess he did/does go to the same college as her.) My GF has met (and had dinner with) most of the members of My Chemical Romance. She has also met several other bands, many I haven’t heard of, but who are popular in their given genre (she worked for a music promoter for a period of time in Boston.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/8 "2007-02-09T19:14:12Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] But I’m so jealous of \*\*silenus \*\*right now. [/QUOTE] It’s not that special. If you go to Comic-Con regularly, you can get autographs from all sorts of Hollywood-types. It’s not like I spent private time with them. Erin Gray, OTOH, I have spent hours talking to. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/9 "2007-02-09T19:16:27Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I’m a 2 or 3 degrees from the Star Trek cast. My roommate worked for a year or so at Radio Shack in Studio City. Nimoy and Shatner were semi regular customers of his. I spent an evening having drinks and chatting with Lawrence Fishburne which makes me 2 degrees away in the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon game! I’m sure there are a bunch more, but thats life in LA. [/QUOTE] I used to work on William Shatner’s Jaguar. Very nice guy, wears a baseball cap when he is sans rug. I also worked on Howie Mandel’s car, Victor French’s car, and William Daniel’s car. Howie is crazy, Victor was a kick in the pants, and Bill was about the nicest guy ever. Ther were several others, but these are the ones of the top of my head. So I think I am fairly close to a lot of Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/10 "2007-02-09T19:16:52Z")
[QUOTE=WVmom] I spent a couple of hours once chatting to John Savage, who starred in [The Deer Hunter](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077416/), which also starred Robert DeNiro, [/QUOTE] DeNiro was in Flawless with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, whose brother was my best friend. That puts me 5 degrees from you! So, how’ve you been? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/11 "2007-02-09T19:24:29Z")
People I’ve worked with or spent time with for long enough that they might actually remember me: Tom Clancy Anne McCaffrey Timothy Oliphant Susan Egan Ricki Lake People I’m one step away from either socially or professionally: Ursula LeGuin Michael Crichton ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/12 "2007-02-09T19:32:56Z")
My recently deceased step-mother’s second cousin is Cher. A very good friend’s husband works for the duo who should go unnamed (since one of them trolls for information about himself, or his wife does) who often does specials called, “Bullshit.” One is a super sweet, very, deeply good guy, the other is a megalomaniacal asshole who only likes to hear himself talk. I had a naughty dream about Zach Braff. I demand that to be counted! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/13 "2007-02-09T19:39:17Z")
Oh, I forgot! My brother-in-law (my husband’s sister’s husband) is Kevin Sorbo’s first cousin. See each other on holidays, grew up together variety of cousin. I’ve never met Mr. Sorbo, but my BIL is simply the nicest human being ever put on the face of the earth. And very cute, too! I can definitely see a family resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/14 "2007-02-09T19:42:05Z")
My first cousin’s wife’s first cousin is Marvin Hamlisch (of A Chorus Line fame, which makes me close to a variety of stars, in theory) (3) My husband’s PhD advisor’s brother is Robbie Jarvik (of artificial heart fame) (3) I worked directly with Kary Mullis (Nobel Laureate) (1) My first cousin wrote music for Lily Tomlin (2) My HS math teacher was a baseball consultant on The Natural with Robert Redford, while I was in his class (2) My Aunt was on Sally Jesse Raphael (not a crazy, “I slept with my daughter’s boyfriend” type episode, thank god!). (2) ---
**Author:** ![frog\_princess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6bbea6/32.png) [@frog\_princess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frog_princess)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/15 "2007-02-09T19:47:44Z")
My husband used to come home from work and tell me about the latest “celebrity” he met once or twice a month. At the time he was the 3rd shift manager at a truck stop. Lots of bands on tour would stop. I would have to say the most impressive (IMHO) was the night he met and chatted with Steven Tyler and Stephen King. They stood around bullshitting about what gives them nightmares. Stephen Kings response? The smell of diesel fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/16 "2007-02-09T19:48:35Z")
The father of my daughter’s boyfriend (I think we’re going to their place tomorrow eve) does work with/for Bill & Melinda Gates. I’ve trained with several of Bruce Lee’s students. That’s all I’ve got right now. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/17 "2007-02-09T19:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] I’ve trained with several of Bruce Lee’s students. [/QUOTE] Ditto…well, one. I once ate lunch with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/18 "2007-02-09T19:55:54Z")
Brad Pitt kissed my wife. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/19 "2007-02-09T20:00:08Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Brad Pitt kissed my wife. [/QUOTE] Luckily, not mine. So, are you extremely good-looking, good in the sack, or both? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532/20 "2007-02-09T20:04:59Z")
When they were young, my mom dated [Robert Lantos](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0487190/) and my great-aunt dated William Shatner. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-six-degrees-game-get-thee-to-a-celebrity/391532.md?page=2)