Actor says he likes to be recognized, have people be nice to him

Feb 5, 2013 15:11 GMT  ·  By

Back in 2009, Kevin Bacon was mugged on the subway and, in a desperate bid to get his phone back, chased down the robber but lost him in the crowd. Today, the actor still rides the subway, he says in a new interview.

For starters, this is the fastest way he can move around New York, Bacon reveals in the interview cited by Contact Music.

“I take the subway every day. It's the fastest way to get around New York City. When I'm on the train, I play Solitaire, Angry Birds and Backgammon on my phone,” he explains.

That’s not the whole reason why he’s partial to this means of transport, though: Kevin, unlike other celebrities, likes to interact with people and, most importantly, to see how they react when they recognize him.

“Fame is very much a double-edged sword,” the actor says.

“I had a prosthetic disguise made, because I wanted to see what it would be like not to be recognized. I didn't like it very much – no one was nice to me. People didn't bother me, but they also looked right through me,” he explains.

While our guess would be that Bacon was joking in saying he traveled by subway because he was vain, many believe he was actually telling the truth.

Then again, other celebrities also do the same every once in a while, if only because it allows them to interact with regular folks, their fans.

For instance, Rihanna made all hell break loose in London some time ago, when she would constantly refuse to be driven around in a car, opting instead for the subway.

When rapper Jay-Z also did the same – and even chatted with an old lady who did not know who he was – the video made on the occasion went viral in a matter of minutes.