Kevin Bacon’s Game of Fame

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Kevin Bacon's Game of Fame

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BBC Radio 4 Extra - Kevin Bacon's Game of Fame

Rajesh Mirchandani meets with Kevin Bacon to explore the strange game of fame.

4 Extra Debut. Rajesh Mirchandani meets with Kevin Bacon to explore his fame, from stardom to flops to the invention of a game. From 2016.

At the age of 26, actor Kevin Bacon rocketed to stardom.

This was followed by a long slow steady decline and a string of box office flops. 

By the time Kevin reached 30, he suffered terrible anxiety and hit rock bottom. 

Around this time three college students created the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon which asserts that the Hollywood star can be connected to any celebrity in six or less steps. 

Kevin admits that he was initially horrified by it and thought it was a joke at his expense. 

But as the concept hung around he realised that it wasn't going away.

So he decided to embrace it and start his foundation the Sixdegrees.org, which tries to arrange celebrity drop-ins to charity events to bolster the efforts of people who run them and give them exposure on social media. 

The Six Degrees Game put him at the centre of the Hollywood Universe but is that really a position he deserves?

Rajesh Mirchandani joins Kevin as he visits a charity event.

Here he gives an interesting insight into his own philosophy and first-hand experience of fame - having won it lost and claimed it back to some degree. 

Produced by Kate Bissell.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2016.

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