LoTR to Kevin Bacon

There is a theory that if you take everyone you know and everyone they know, etc. then by the sixth iteration you have included everyone in the world. This is known as the Six Degrees of Separation. There is a related trivia game known as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. This says that you can take any actor and by linking everyone he has stared with and everyone that actor has stared with, eventually you get to Kevin Bacon.

Here's the link for the Lord of the Rings.

The original novel inspired a wicked parody, Bored of the Rings. Instead of hobbits, this had boogies who were often petty criminals. Strider the ranger became Stomper the Lone Ranger. You get the idea.

The two authors of the book went on to found the National Lampoon in 1970. This was such a success that it spun off a few stage productions. The ensemble cast from this and National Lampoon's managing editor went on to found Saturday Night Live.

Which eventually had Kevin Bacon as a guest.

Side note - best line from Bored of the Rings. During the guessing game with Gollum, Bilbo asks what is in his pocket. He then pulled out a gun and shot Gollum.

"He would have finished him off then and there, but pity stayed his hand. It's a pity I've run out of bullets, he thought, as he went back up the tunnel..."