From Kevin Bacon to the local butcher - proof 'six degrees of separation' theory

[bijou]

It has long been said that it takes just six steps to link any two people in the planet.

Now, it appears the theory of six degrees of separation is true.  Well, almost - the true number of steps is closer to seven.

A study that proves it really is a small world found that any two strangers are, on average, distanced by precisely 6.6 degrees.

In other words, just a handful of people separate you from the likes of Madonna, the Dali Lama and the Queen.

The chain effect also means that a few easy hops connect the likes of Saddam Hussein and Kylie Minogue, and Prince Charles with Hugh Hefner.

Eric Horvitz, one of the Microsoft researchers proved the theory by studying the routing of billions of electronic messages, said he was shocked by the result.

'What we're seeing suggests there may be a social connectivity constant for humanity,' he told the Washington Post.

'People have had this suspicion that we are really close.  But we are showing on a very large scale that this idea goes beyond folklore.'

To test the idea, the researchers studied the addresses of 30billion instant messages sent through the Microsoft network in a single month in 2006.

Two people were considered to be acquaintances - or separated by one degree -  if they communicated with one another through the email-like system.

Calculations showed the majority of users - 78 per cent - could be connected by just 6.6 messages or steps.

However, some were distanced by as many as 29 steps.

The phrase was coined by US academic Stanley Milgram after a study  in which he asked people to pass a letter only to others they knew by name.

The aim of the Sixties study was to get it, eventually, to a stockbroker living in another city.

The average number of times it was passed on, he said, was six - and a new phrase was born.

...

link

So are you connected to a celebrity?

[Lord Undies]

So are you connected to a celebrity?

Yes.  More than one.

[Chris_]

Me?  Probably not.  Hell, I don't even warrant a nickname. 

The Oracle of Bacon is always a fun website if you haven't already seen it.  Looks like they've added a few things: http://oracleofbacon.org/

[bijou]

Me?  Probably not.  Hell, I don't even warrant a nickname. 

The Oracle of Bacon is always a fun website if you haven't already seen it.  Looks like they've added a few things: http://oracleofbacon.org/

Hehe. No nickname? I shall call you Syn Ack. 

[SemiSpook]

Well, I'm one degree separated from Gillian Anderson (my wife met her), plus my BIL is a DJ for a radio station up near Harrisburg, PA. Lots of people roll through the area or over the phone, so we've got an in.

[Chris_]

Me?  Probably not.  Hell, I don't even warrant a nickname. 

The Oracle of Bacon is always a fun website if you haven't already seen it.  Looks like they've added a few things: http://oracleofbacon.org/

Hehe. No nickname? I shall call you Syn Ack. 

I miss my network standards and protocol classes.  Those were fun. 

[Chris_]

Well. That was quick...

The Oracle says: Ben Stiller has a Sammy Davis Jr. number of 2.

Ben Stiller was in MTV Video Music Awards 2001 (2001) (TV) with Buddy Hackett
Buddy Hackett was in "Tonight!" (1953) {Finale (#5.109)} with Sammy Davis Jr.

[Chris_]

So are you connected to a celebrity?

Yes.  More than one.

"They dated."

[bijou]

Well, I'm one degree separated from Gillian Anderson (my wife met her), plus my BIL is a DJ for a radio station up near Harrisburg, PA. Lots of people roll through the area or over the phone, so we've got an in.

Cool, now the rest of us are connected to Gillian. SemiSpook is your real name isn't it? 

[Flame]

My brother played golf with Bob Hope once.

Neil Armstrong lived behind me when I was a kid (and there were probably 10 other asronauts within a 4 block radius).

[Chris_]

My brother played golf with Bob Hope once.

Neil Armstrong lived behind me when I was a kid (and there were probably 10 other asronauts within a 4 block radius).

Have you read 'The Right Stuff' by Tom Wolfe?  A building developer at the time put up a subdivision and practically gave the houses away to astronauts and their families as advertising.  I don't know if Armstrong was part of that deal, but I remember Grissom, Slayton, and quite a few others bought into it.  There was a whole group of them lived in the same neighborhood.

[Chris_]

Well, since Shreveport has become a hub for Hollywood to film movies while New Orleans continues to rebuild, my family has run into quite a few celebs in the area.

My dad and stepmom live in a particular gated community that has been home to several:  Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Jack Black (still living there, from what I've heard), Kevin Costner,  Jessica Simpson ( met her while out driving the family golf cart in the neighborhood when I was visiting my dad...she is very nice and humble, despite all the folks trying to rip her down because of the so-called curse she put on the Cowboys and her boyfriend quarterback, Tony Romo).

[Flame]

My brother played golf with Bob Hope once.

Neil Armstrong lived behind me when I was a kid (and there were probably 10 other asronauts within a 4 block radius).

Have you read 'The Right Stuff' by Tom Wolfe?  A building developer at the time put up a subdivision and practically gave the houses away to astronauts and their families as advertising.  I don't know if Armstrong was part of that deal, but I remember Grissom, Slayton, and quite a few others bought into it.  There was a whole group of them lived in the same neighborhood.

I assuming that neigborhood is the one I grew up in.  Ed White (killed jan '67 in launch pad explosion) lived across the street.  The Elementary school I went to was named after him.  Roger Pogue lived next door (they raised guinea pigs), and his wife used give us snacks all the time.  Fred Hayes used was burned really bad in an accident, and used to ride his "grown-up" tricycle around the neighborhood wrapped in bandgaes as part of his rehab.   Mike Collins lived on the street behind us, about 3 blocks down.  Jack Lousma lived there for a little while, but they moved out to Friendswood after a little while.  They were everywhere.

[Chris_]

My brother played golf with Bob Hope once.

Neil Armstrong lived behind me when I was a kid (and there were probably 10 other asronauts within a 4 block radius).

Have you read 'The Right Stuff' by Tom Wolfe?  A building developer at the time put up a subdivision and practically gave the houses away to astronauts and their families as advertising.  I don't know if Armstrong was part of that deal, but I remember Grissom, Slayton, and quite a few others bought into it.  There was a whole group of them lived in the same neighborhood.

I assuming that neigborhood is the one I grew up in.  Ed White (killed jan '67 in launch pad explosion) lived across the street.  The Elementary school I went to was named after him.  Roger Pogue lived next door (they raised guinea pigs), and his wife used give us snacks all the time.  Fred Hayes used was burned really bad in an accident, and used to ride his "grown-up" tricycle around the neighborhood wrapped in bandgaes as part of his rehab.   Mike Collins lived on the street behind us, about 3 blocks down.  Jack Lousma lived there for a little while, but they moved out to Friendswood after a little while.  They were everywhere.

It could be.  Hey, you're a part of history. 

[DixieBelle]

I've told you guys this before. McCain paid for my coffee last summer in the airport. Shook my hand and we exchanged pleasantries. He was headed to Iowa and was not getting the press coverage at the time. I thought to myself, "I just met McCain the War Hero (cool!) and the man who will end up losing his bid for POTUS twice." Little did I know....

[Chris_]

I lived in Malibu for 10 years or so.  I pretty much ran into all the Hollywood and music folk.  Eventually it is no big deal.

[Lord Undies]

I lived in Malibu for 10 years or so.  I pretty much ran into all the Hollywood and music folk.  Eventually it is no big deal.

Celebrities are usually a huge disappointment in person.  I figured out a long time ago that just because a lot of people know someone's face and name does not make that person special, more interesting, or intelligent.

[Chris_]

I lived in Malibu for 10 years or so.  I pretty much ran into all the Hollywood and music folk.  Eventually it is no big deal.

Celebrities are usually a huge disappointment in person.  I figured out a long time ago that just because a lot of people know someone's face and name does not make that person special, more interesting, or intelligent.

It is how they wear the mantle of stardom.  Guys like Johnny Carson and Larry Hagman were exceptionally great -- in different ways.