by Geoffrey Nunberg

Being myself the proud possessor of an Erdös-Bacon number, I'd hardly dispute Eric Rauchway's suggestion that it bestows an aura of coolness on an academic drudge--all the more since it puts one in the company of Hank Aaron (at least if you're willing to take co-signing a baseball with Erdös as a proxy for academic collaboration). Truth to be told, though, there are only two people who have come by their EB numbers completely honestly--that is, who are both linked by a chain of academic copublication to Erdös and have appeared in named dramatic roles (i.e., not as themselves) with actors who are linked by a co-appearance chain to Kevin Bacon. Those are the actresses Natalie Portman and Danica McKellar. Which confirms (not that we needed more evidence) that those who are in a position to cut it in both the academy and Hollywood are more likely to choose the latter course.