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One degree of Kevin Bacon

Daniel Terdiman Former Senior Writer / News
Daniel Terdiman is a senior writer at CNET News covering Twitter, Net culture, and everything in between.
Daniel Terdiman
2 min read

LAS VEGAS--No doubt you've heard of the concept of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, the idea that everyone in Hollywood is no more than six steps away from the actor Kevin Bacon. In fact, there's a Web site devoted to the idea.

Well, on Thursday night, your faithful reporter found himself just one single degree from Kevin Bacon.

A little background: Supposedly, there's 130,000 people in town here for the 2006 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show. And as befits any self-respecting trade show, CES is replete with party after party. And Thursday night was no different. There was the Microsoft/MTV party at Pure at Caesar's Palace. There was the Texas Instruments party at Bellagio. And many more.

And then there was one of the hardest tickets of all, the Intel party, at the Empire Ballroom, right on the famous Las Vegas Strip. And those lucky few (or hundreds) that had one of the coveted blue wristbands were welcome to partake of free booze and an intimate concert given by the hot band, the Black Eyed Peas.

The problem was that there were more people than there were spots where it was possible to actually see the band. So those who showed up a little late to the party were left to wander the sidelines or stand behind that tall guy. You know. The one who weaves left and right, in time to your trying to see around him.

Well, that was me. Not the tall guy. The guy trying to see around him. And finally I'd had enough. So I climbed the stairs to the balcony, thinking foolishly that I might find a spare spot on the railing where I could see the band. Silly me.

I stood one layer back from the railing, hoping that maybe someone would vacate their front row spot. And then something very interesting happened. There, right in front of me was this guy. With long hair. He looked very familiar. He looked like Kevin Bacon. Come to think of it, he was Kevin Bacon.

And before I could get the drink I ordered, he left. And there I was, standing front row along the railing, with a terrific view of the Black Eyed Peas. And it was all thanks to that actor, you know, the one who's been in all those movies. The one every other modern or semi-modern actor is six degrees of separation or less from. I love Las Vegas.