Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login
The John Byrne Forum
Byrne Robotics > The John Byrne Forum
Topic: Six degrees Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message
Evan S. Kurtz
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 July 2022
Location: Canada
Posts: 303
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 1:13pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Recent conversation about six degrees got me thinking about everybody's connections.

Technically any of us who have met JB can use him - and his interactions with Shatner and presumably others I don't know about - to connect to people. Who else gives you a "laneway"? 

I mentioned in a different thread that my oldest sister used to be a nanny. For a period in the early 90's, she was a "weekend nanny" to Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman. So through her I connect to those individuals. I also once spoke on the phone with Linda Hamilton, who called my mom to serve as a reference for a friend of my sister's, who was up for a job to nanny for Hamilton and James Cameron. Also through my sister I am connected to the Star Wars universe, as she went camping one weekend with the DeVitos and their family friend Harrison Ford.

I randomly met Kid in the Hall Mark McKinney many years ago in Toronto, who was watching his son play a little league baseball game in a park near our house. I almost bought a table off of him that was used to write Kids in the Hall scripts, but we didn't really have a need for it. 

My wife studied Canadian lit in university and has taken us to many readings involving famous authors, Canadian and otherwise. I sat next to Michael Ondaatje (perhaps best known for writing "The English Patient") at a reading given by Junot Diaz and Michael Chabon. As an anniversary present, I once arranged for my wife to have a book privately signed by her favourite author, Barbara Gowdy (who I'm sure none of you have heard of, but she's great). She offered to babysit our son someday. 

Anyone here have any interesting connections within six degrees?
Back to Top profile | search
 
Edward Aycock
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 13 July 2024
Location: United States
Posts: 187
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 1:23pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

My cousin was on a few soaps in the 80s.  He is my cousin, he was on "Ryan's Hope" with Yasmine Bleeth, Bleeth was on "Baywatch" with Pam Anderson, Pam Anderson was married to Tommy Lee.  

My cousin was also a guest role (not a background actor) on an episode of "The Facts of Life" so I am connected to the entire cast, and by extension, the cast of "Living Single", and by that, I am connected to the cast of "The Cosby Show."
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 136144
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 2:06pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

My Ex dated Harrison Ford’s brother in high school. That opens some interesting paths.

In fact, when she and I first got married I learned she knew the brothers and sisters of all kinds of actors from the Chicago area. I used to say that through her I had not met more famous people than I ever didn’t meet before!

Back to Top profile | search
 
Brian Miller
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 28 July 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 32010
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 2:10pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Aside from the people my wife and I had already met, we met Jenny
McCarthy last November. That opened up a lot more branches.

My mom worked for a lawyer that was college roommates with Fred
Thompson. So there’s politics, acting and music (through him dating Lorrie
Morgan).

My best friend since kindergarten is now the Chief Medical Examiner for
NYC so he’s got all kinds of political links. (As well as being buddies with
the current EiC at Marvel).

I’ve met JB, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bullock, Christopher Lambert, Oteil
Burbridge, Laurie Metcalf, Walt and Weezie Simonson, Chris Claremont,
Whilce Portacio, Matt Wagner, Berni Wrightson, Hank Aaron, and probably
more I can’t think of. My wife has also met Evander Holyfield, Jeremy
Strong, Gaten Matarazzo, and most of the cast of As the World Turns back
20 years ago. And probably more.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Dave Kopperman
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 December 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 4025
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 2:32pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Two intersects:

1) my friend’s band recorded an album with Ric Ocasek producing (at Electric Lady, no less), and I got to hang for a couple of tracking sessions. Also attended the wrap party at his shared brownstone with Paulina (who I made a serious gaffe in front of that haunts me to this day).

2) Seth MacFarlane and I overlapped at RISD, and had a shared class (screenwriting). He also ended up living in the outer house that I spent my senior year, the year after I lived there. House itself gets name checked because the front door was covered in faux fur, black and leopard print. It was hideous in person but appropriately immortalized as his vanity card.

Back to Top profile | search | www
 
John Popa
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 20 March 2008
Posts: 4754
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 2:39pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

I'm friends with a guy named Doug Katsaros, who's a composer/studio musician/conductor in NYC. (He also wrote 'By Mennen.') 

He was on Oprah once singing his jingles, so I can map myself to most anyone through him! 
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne
Avatar
Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 136144
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 2:56pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

My best friend since kindergarten is now the Chief Medical Examiner forNYC…

•••

Wow!

Back to Top profile | search
 
James Johnson
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 16 March 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2376
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 3:07pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

I met President Obama and spoke to him for a moment. 

That opens up to many important/famous people.

P.S. - Listening to him speak in person, he can captivate an audience. You are holding on to each word.
Back to Top profile | search
 
James Woodcock
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 21 September 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 8488
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 3:58pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

There are two ways to play this game I think.

People you have met
People you have known or worked with (in any capacity - thus JB and
Shatner remains valid).
The latter is a lot harder game.
Back to Top profile | search e-mail
 
Dave Kopperman
Byrne Robotics Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 December 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 4025
Posted: 09 May 2026 at 4:20pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

I forgot that I spent an afternoon once with Joe Lieberman. I wanna say this was 2004.
Back to Top profile | search | www
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login