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Entertainment & Arts

Kevin Bacon and Elton John want you to stay home to stop the coronavirus

Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon is enlisting celebrities to encourage people to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.
(Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)
By Christi CarrasStaff Writer 
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“Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” is taking on a whole new meaning during the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to Kevin Bacon himself.

A play on “Six Degrees of Separation,” “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” challenges people to connect any random actor to Bacon through his myriad Hollywood credits.

But what was once a silly game inspired by the “Footloose” actor’s name has now become a serious campaign, as Bacon and his famous friends plead with the public to practice social distancing.

“Hi, folks. You know me, right? I’m technically only six degrees away from you,” Bacon said in a social media PSA posted Wednesday. “Right now, like people around the world, I’m staying home because it saves lives and it is the only way we’re going to slow down the spread of this coronavirus. Because the contact that you make with someone, who makes contact with someone else — that may be what makes somebody’s mom or grandpa or wife sick.”

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#IStayHomeFor @kikkosedg! Hey everybody, it’s now so important to stay home and keep our distance from others if you are able. It’s one way we can help prevent the spread of #Coronavirus and save lives. The more of us who can, make it safer for those who can’t. So if you’re home too like me, post a video or photo with a sign like mine, telling who you are staying home for and ask 6 friends to do the same. Post it with the hashtag #IStayHomeFor so I can see and share. The more folks involved, the merrier - We’re all connected by various degrees (Trust me, I know!) I’m kicking it off with @jimmyfallon @eltonjohn @Brandicarlile @kevinhart4real @ddlovato @davidbeckham - but I encourage YOU ALL to join in too! Let’s use this 6 Degree thing to do some good! . . . . #Corona #Coronavirus #StayHome #StaySafe #6Degrees #ThinkingOfYou #SpreadTheWord

A post shared by Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon) on

Holding up a pig-shaped sign reading, "#IStayHomeFor Kyra Sedgwick,” Bacon encouraged others to do what he is doing for his wife, actress Sedgwick, and commit to self-isolating out of concern for their loved ones.

“Every one of us has someone who is worth staying home for,” he continued in the clip. “Since we’re all connected by various degrees — trust me, I know — we can work together to stay home and keep each other safe and spread the word.”

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In his caption, the screen icon challenged six celebrities — Elton John, Jimmy Fallon, Brandi Carlile, Kevin Hart, Demi Lovato and David Beckham — to join his self-quarantine crusade by sharing their own #IStayHomeFor stories and passing it on.

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For his contribution, the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” artist declared he would stay home for his husband, filmmaker David Furnish, and their kids. He then nominated “Rocketman” star Taron Egerton, as well as Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Sharon Stone, Sharon Osbourne and Sam Fender.

“Thank-you [Kevin Bacon] for the nomination!!#IStayHomeFor [David Furnish] and our boys,” John wrote on Instagram. “Today it’s snakes, ladders and staying inside to stop the spread of coronavirus. Who are you staying home for?”

Soccer phenom Beckham joined in as well, passing the torch to his son, Brooklyn Beckham, James Corden, Gordon Ramsay and others.

“I’m staying at home for Victoria [Beckham] and our kids, including Cruzie who’s made his way into this photo,” he wrote with a laughing emoji. “Let’s stop the coronavirus spread together.”

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See whom other celebrities are staying home for below.

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#IStayHomeFor my son, my family, my neighbors and YOU. We’re all being called on in different ways during this difficult time, and I also stay home for those who can’t. For those who will continue to care for us around the clock: our doctors, nurses, grocery clerks, overnight stockers, waste removal teams, doctors and scientists. I am feeling immense gratitude and appreciation for all of you and believe that we all need to do what we can to #flattenthecurve. Please during this time let’s treat each other with kindness; leave diapers and toilet paper on the shelves for others, help an elderly neighbor get groceries, support small businesses, call a friend who might be struggling right now. We need each other during times like these. Who are you all staying home for? ❤️ Thanks for nominating me @ddlovato! I challenge @theellenshow @lizakoshy @lizzobeeating @jayshetty

A post shared by A S H L E Y G R A H A M (@ashleygraham) on

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Thank you for nominating me @kevinbacon to kick off your #IStayHomeFor movement! I think it’s a great idea and such an important message right now to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. We are living in unprecedented times. I stay home for Catherine, Evangeline, Elijah, also yesterday I was gonna get to have a living room jam with Elton and Joni...but we all decided to make a tough decision and stay home. Missing them tonight. ❤️ Who are you staying home for? Please post your own #IStayHomeFor photo with a sign like mine and tag six of your friends asking them to do the same. My six nominations are: @theellenshow @dollyparton @harrystyles @#eddievedder @petesouza & @barackobama!

A post shared by Brandi Carlile (@brandicarlile) on

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Healthy carriers could be endangering or even causing the deaths of the most vulnerable: people 65 and up and people with underlying conditions. In order to help bring attention, I am joining the #IStayHomeFor campaign. #IStayHomeFor my grandmother, Mary Jane. Who do you stay home for? I nominate: @dakotafanning @nicholashoult @reedmorano @maxminghella @nicolekidman @naomiwatts And please let’s nominate MORE! We can only do this together. Thank you to all the COURAGEOUS healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, takeout/delivery employees, mail and package handlers and many others on the frontlines risking their safety and having to spend time away from their loved ones to protect our community. ❤️ You are our heros. #Corona #Coronavirus #IStayHomeFor #StaySafe #6Degrees #ThinkingOfYou #SpreadTheWord

A post shared by Elle Fanning (@ellefanning) on

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Thanks for nominating me for the #istayhomefor campaign, @ellefanning 💛 you so much • •••Seemingly healthy carriers could be endangering or even causing the deaths of those most vulnerable. In order to help bring attention to this I’m going to tell you some of the people I’m staying at home for- #IStayHomeFor my grandma: Dot, my kids: Casey & Fletcher, my mama: Lyn & my niece: Etta, who’s been very sick. Who do you stay home for? I nominate: @oliviawilde @blakelively @elisabethmossofficial @zoesaldana @noomirapace @ellenpage & @katiecouric 🤍🙏🏼 let’s nominate as many people as we can because we can only do this together. There will never be enough thank yous to give all of the selfless, brave healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, takeout/delivery employees, mail + package handlers, drivers & all the people on the frontlines, everyday risking their own safety, spending time away from their own families all just so they can take care of all of US. YOU GUYS ARE OUR HEROES. ❤️❤️❤️ #IStayHomeFor #StaySafe #SpreadTheWord #6Degrees #stayhome #Corona #Coronavirus

A post shared by R E E D MORANO A.S.C. (@reedmorano) on

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Thank you for nominating me @dakotafanning ❤️ #istayhomefor my Godfather, who is a senior and suffers from an autoimmune disease, and the entire senior citizen community. For those of you who can’t stay home, please take care of yourselves as best as possible. My thanks and gratitude also go out to everyone supporting us and saving our lives. ❤️ Many in the senior community are stuck alone in their homes or living facilities, so if you’d like to make a video or write a note sending your thoughts and making sure they know they aren’t forgotten, the @mptf will be sharing anything sent to Info@mptf.com with their residents. 🙏 I nominate @marinaruybarbosa , @zzward , @maiashibutani , @benbarnes , @chike1 , and @alessandraambrosio xoxo

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Entertainment & ArtsCOVID-19 Pandemic
Christi Carras

Christi Carras is an entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a Times intern after graduating from UCLA and has also worked at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN.

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