I can’t remember the first time I played Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
If you’ve never heard of it, first of all, what rock have you been hiding under?
Second, this is how you play…
The Game
The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game is based upon the concept of six degrees of separation. This concept states that any two people on earth can be linked together through six or less acquaintances. For the Kevin Bacon game, the challenge is to find the shortest path possible between Kevin Bacon and another actor.
Here’s an example:
Ben Affleck.
Ben Affleck starred in Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. Matt Damon starred in Ocean’s Eleven with Julia Roberts. Julia Roberts starred in Flatliners with Kevin Bacon.
So Ben Affleck’s “Bacon number” is 3.
The History of the Game
It all started with a Kevin Bacon interview back in 1994 when he stated he had “worked with everybody in Hollywood or with someone who’s worked with them.” His statement sparked a newsgroup thread entitled, “Kevin Bacon is the Center of the Universe.”
As a result, four college students claim to have invented the Kevin Bacon game. They even appeared on the Jon Stewart Show and The Howard Stern Show with Kevin Bacon to explain their game.
It took Kevin Bacon a bit to accept and appreciate the game, but accept it he did. Bacon wrote an introduction to the book, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, written by the inventors of the game. In 2007, Bacon started a charitable organization called SixDegrees.org. He even appeared in a Visa commercial that parodied the game.
Get this… even Google got on board with the fun. You can now Google an actor’s Bacon number by searching “bacon number” along with the actor or actress’s name. Go ahead, try it.
To quench your inner curiosity, the average bacon number is 2.9. And Kevin Bacon even has a number. It’s zero.
How the Game Applies to Investigations
I think most of us can agree that the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game is hysterical and truly fun to play. However, it’s also a fantastic example of the work of an investigator.
I am an adoption searcher. An adoptee and a birth parent are linked. It is my job to link them together using the shortest path possible. Why is it important for me to find the shortest path possible? Because the shorter the path, the less time I must spend on the search, which is less money out of my client’s pocket.
I have spent years honing my craft. I have spent countless hours brainstorming how I can best meet the needs of my clients. I have spent and still spend time on what skills I can further develop to bring more value to the services I provide. I constantly evaluate and reevaluate my clients’ needs and how I can best provide answers to the information they seek.
There are many, many solid private investigators out there who work just as hard or even harder than I do to bring value to their client-base. And then there are private investigators out there who don’t work hard at all to bring value to their clients. In fact, all they really care about is the bottom dollar and scheme how to get the most money out of every client. These are often the same investigators who cut corners, break laws, act unethically, and charge pennies on the dollar just to attract clients.
How to Use the Game to Your Advantage
So if you find yourself in the market for a private investigator, we are not all created equal. Do your homework and find a professional who cares about what you care about. Find someone who will get the job done in the fewest steps possible. Find someone who cares more about you than your money. Find an investigator with a low “Bacon Number.”
Here are a few posts you can check out if you’re looking for a solid private investigator:
How to Find the Right Private Investigator For Your Needs
Why You Should Create a “Shopping List” Before You Contact a Private Investigator
Questions to Ask a Private Investigator to Ensure You Found a Good One