Almost two decades ago, a parlor game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" became an unlikely grass-roots phenomenon among movie buffs and foretold today's social web of online connections. 

Maybe the only one who was not amused by the game was Kevin Bacon himself. 

"I was horrified by it. I thought it was a giant joke at my expense," said the prolific actor Saturday during a talk at the South by Southwest Interactive festival here. "I appreciate it now. But I was very resistant to it (at first)." 

The game, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, requires players to link celebrities to Bacon, in as few steps as possible, via the movies they have in common. The more odd or random the celebrity, the better. For example, O.J. Simpson was in "The Naked Gun 33⅓" with Olympia Dukakis, who was in "Picture Perfect" with Kevin Bacon. 

Inspired by "six degrees of separation," the theory that nobody is more than six relationships away from any other person in the world, the game was dreamed up in 1994 by Brian Turtle and two classmates at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. They were watching "Footloose" on TV when it was followed by another Kevin Bacon movie, and then another. 

"It was just one of those lightbulb moments," said Turtle, who joined Bacon onstage at SXSW. "It was like, 'This guy is everywhere! He's the center of the entertainment universe.' " 

After it spread among their friends, Turtle and his co-creators, Craig Fass and Mike Ginelli, managed to get booked on Jon Stewart's then-MTV show to explain the game. 
what is the inspiration of the game?
what is the name of the game?
what inspired that game (other than kevin bacon)?
when was the game invented?
who thought it up?
did anyone help him?
who?
where did they go to school?
where is that?
what are the names of the two class mates?
did kevin bacon like the game?
how does he feel about it now?
how many years has the game been in existence at the time of the article?
Kevin Bacon
parlor game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"
"Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"
parlor game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" 
"six degrees of separation,"
Inspired by "six degrees of separation,"
1994
the game was dreamed up in 1994
Brian Turtle
the game was dreamed up in 1994 by Brian Turtle and two classmates
Yes
the game was dreamed up in 1994 by Brian Turtle and two classmates
two classmates
the game was dreamed up in 1994 by Brian Turtle and two classmates
Albright College
Brian Turtle and two classmates at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. 
Reading, Pennsylvania
Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania
Craig Fass and Mike Ginelli
Turtle and his co-creators, Craig Fass and Mike Ginelli,
not at first
"I was horrified by it. I thought it was a giant joke at my expense," said the prolific actor Saturday during a talk at the South by Southwest Interactive festival here. "I appreciate it now. But I was very resistant to it (at first)." 
he appreciates it
"I appreciate it now. 
Almost two decades
Almost two decades ago, a parlor game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" became an unlikely grass-roots phenomenon