upworthy

kevin bacon

Kevin Bacon's farm songs have become a social media favorite.

When Beyoncé dropped two songs from her upcoming album of country tunes, Renaissance: Act II, she may not have expected to make history, but that's exactly what happened. Her first single from the album, "Texas Hold 'Em," shot to the No.1 spot on the Billboard country music charts, making her the first Black female artist to hit that top spot. The catchy tune also topped the Billboard Hot 100 the last week in February 2024, a week after it debuted at No. 2.

Presumbaly, Queen Bey didn't expect her song to become an Irish stepdance hit, though that's also exactly what happened. And surely she didn't expect it to be sung by Kevin Bacon to a bunch of farm animals, yet that also has happened.

Perhaps we should all have expected that, though. There's a precedent here, after all.


Back in the summer of 2022, Kevin Bacon surprised the world by singing and playing a cover of Beyoncé's "Heated" on his guitar while being surrounded by goats on his farm. At that time, many people had not yet discovered that the "Footloose" actor and his wife of 35 years, Kyra Sedgwick, have been living their best life on their Connecticut farm, singing and dancing together with their goats, pigs, alpacas and miniature horses. Now their little videos together regularly become viral delights.

Witness the joy of Kevin Bacon—or King Beycon, if you will—as he strums the mandolin and sings "Texas Hold 'Em" with a little backup from his wife and pigs.

Seriously, whenever you need a break from the challenges of life, head on over to Kevin Bacon's Instagram. It's the quickest way to put a smile on your face, practically guaranteed, and there's frequently some kind of fun surprise. (Like, who knew Kevin Bacon played the mandolin?!)

Unsurprisingly, people are loving it.

"I love how much fun you too have. Loving life," wrote one commenter.

"A couple of goats singing a goat's song on a farm full of goats," wrote another.

"Kevin Bacon and his wife Kyra live on their farm, mind their business and spread joy. Occasional acting. 11/10," shared another.

"I just want the kind of joy Kevin and Kyra have, for real," wrote another. Don't we all?

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick have long been seen as #couplegoals by those who follow them. After all, most marriages don't last 35 years, much less those that have been forged in the fires of fame. The two met and married as actors in Hollywood, but have managed to avoid the relationship pitfalls many of their colleagues have fallen into. If their videos are any indication, they are genuinely happy together in a way that all couples strive for, which is inspiring to see.

Perhaps the key is music and farm animals and living far away from the glitz and glam. Or maybe as Sedgwick has said, they just got lucky. Whatever the secret of their sweet relationship, we are here for it.

You can follow Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick on Instagram for more adorable musical farm animal fun.

Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

From a Kevin Bacon-Kyra Sedgwick duet to a hilarious crash course in sibling rivalry to an unassuming, crowd-pleasing kid named George, this week's list is full of joy and delight.

A dad-daughter day out, a Kevin Bacon-Kyra Sedgwick duet, a crowd-pleaser named George and more.

Here at Upworthy, we have a handful of famous folks who regularly make our headlines for their consistent, continued awesomeness. The legendary Dick Van Dyke is one of them. The legend-in-his-own-right Kevin Bacon is another.

Both of these gentlemen are featured in this week's roundup of joy, and we couldn't be giddier about it. Is it possible to see Dick Van Dyke's bright-eyed grin and not smile? Doubtful. Could someone watch Kevin Bacon sing with Kyra Sedgwick and a screaming goat and not be tickled? Unlikely.

This week's list has plenty of additional delights as well, from a hilarious crash course in sibling rivalry to an unexpectedly stunning piano performance to an unassuming, crowd-pleasing kid named George and more. So many opportunities to smile! Enjoy!


1. Delighted crowd cheers louder and louder for a kid named George at his first hockey game

Aw, yay for George. So fun to see some hive mentality put to positive use. George has a core memory being formed right there.

2. Woman who was an only child asked what it's like to have siblings, and her friends launched an immediate crash course

@lonnieiiv

Don’t ask, just bring it

Welp, she definitely learned. Too real and too hilarious. Read the full story here.

3. Blind, neurodiverse 13-year-old blows everyone away playing a challenging Chopin piece on the piano

Beautiful. Even professional pianist Lang Lang was amazed at how she played the deceptively difficult Nocturne in B minor. Read more about Lucy and her extraordinary abilities here.

4. Dad surprises his daughter with a day out, just the two of them, and it's so joyful

Her disgust with fishing turned to sheer delight real fast. A day she'll never forget for sure. (And Dad, too.)

5. A kid wrote to Costco's CEO to ask for help with a school fundraiser. He personally responded.

Costco, Craig Jelinek

Costco CEO Craig Jelinek responded to a kid who asked for help with a school fundraiser.

Images courtesy Lesley Cerwin

We already knew Costco was awesome, and CEO Craig Jelinek just pushed that awesomeness over the top with a literally humongous donation. Read the heartwarming story here.

6. 97-year-old Dick Van Dyke brought a judge on 'The Masked Singer' to tears with his surprise reveal

Nobody expected it to be him behind the gnome costume. What a legend. Read the full story and see his performance here.

7. Shelter kitten pushes its sibling out of the way when a potential adopter stops by

Cutest sibling rivalry ever. Definitely gotta take them both. Read the full story here.

8. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick sing a duet of Miley Cyrus' 'Flowers' and they could not be cuter

Total #couplegoals. The screaming goat is the icing on the cake. Read about how their 35-year marriage has survived Hollywood and how they often sing with real goats here.

9. Speaking of goats, you may not think you need to see goats eating tomatoes, but really you do

New goal in life: Enjoy anything as much as these goats enjoy downing whole tomatoes.

10. May we all dance with the self-assurance—and the support—that this kiddo has

Let's allow ourselves to dance without embarrassment or apology like this little man and also remember how much it means to be someone's backup dancer. Just goodness upon goodness.

Hope that brought some smiles to your face! Come back next week for more. And if you'd like to have these posts delivered to your inbox each week, you can subscribe to our free newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.

Kevin Bacon/Instagram

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick singing Miley Cyrus' "Flowers" on Instagram.

Hollywood isn't exactly known for cultivating lasting relationships, but some couples have managed to defy the statistics with their happy, mutually supportive, long-term marriages.

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are a prime example, and a video of them casually singing together is a delightful reminder that love can last.

The two actors met briefly when Sedgwick was 12 and Bacon was 19, but they didn't really get to know one another until a decade later while filming the movie "Lemon Sky" in 1987. Bacon fell for Sedgwick right away, but Sedgwick wasn't impressed by him at all at first. She quickly had a change of heart, however, and the two were married in September of 1988. They started their family right away, and nearly 35 years later, they are still going strong.


“I had no great role models in terms of healthy marriages, but I knew in my heart and soul that he was the right person,” Sedgwick told Good Housekeeping in 2010. “It was an unquestionable truth of mine. I’ve never had anything like that before or after.”

One "secret" to their long-lasting marriage is that they keep it simple.

“We like each other’s company,” Bacon told Serendipity in 2015. “We enjoy doing things together, sharing our lives, cooking, laughing—and she’s hot.”

“People say it’s this fairytale thing, but it’s life. We just love each other a lot,” Sedgwick told Redbook in 2012, “When we’re on the red carpet and we get the ‘How do you guys do it? No one can stay together,’ I get irritated. I don’t think our relationship is more or less difficult; I just think you both make the commitment and you make it work."

They also say they just got lucky in their relationship, and that with the exception of a few bumps in the road, it hasn't been hard.

Their ease and comfort with one another are evident in a video Bacon shared on Instagram, in which the couple sings Miley Cyrus' 'Flowers' together. Bacon, who often shares his music on social media, plays the guitar and Sedgwick plays…a screaming goat?

There is actually a good explanation for this. Bacon and Sedgwick live on a farm and Bacon often films himself singing out in the yard with the goats.

"We're not with the goats, but we thought we'd try a goat song anyway," Sedgwick explains at the opening of the video. It's really a must-see—for the love, for the silliness and because Bacon really does have a cool singing voice.

Enjoy:

Here's to good partnerships, lucky couples, happy marriages…and the neverending joy of screaming goats.

Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

From cutie-pie kiddos to a Kevin Bacon Christmas song, here's this week's roundup of joy.

Kids and camels and Kevin Bacon in this week's roundup of joy.

With another year almost in the bag, it's a natural time of reflection for a lot of us. What did we learn this year? How did we grow? What are we grateful for?

Some might be thinking about loss, grieving loved ones who have passed away. Some may have gone through big transitions this year and are reeling from the change. Some might look back with a realization that they want next year to be different, feeling resolved to take the steps necessary to build the life they envision.

In any year, there are moments we want to cherish and moments we don't want to relive. It's all part of the complex reality of being human—the ups and the downs, the good with the bad, the yin balancing the yang.


But what we focus on matters. When we celebrate the good, we nurture a mindset of optimism that can spill over into all parts of our lives. It's easy to point to everything that's bad and become a cynic. But when we shift our focus to the good, we find hope and faith in humanity again and again. And that can make a world of difference.

Here's a sampling of good to get you going:

1. Mom gets an unexpected expression of love from her sweet son with a speech delay.

@jaylabrenae5

It’s an even sweeter moment for me knowing I used to pray for the days my son could tell me he loved me due to him being speech delayed. I’m in awe right now😭❤️ #momlife #sahm #mommoments #sweetestboy #toddlertalk #beautifulmoments

"It’s an even sweeter moment for me knowing I used to pray for the days my son could tell me he loved me due to him being speech delayed," wrote Jayla. "I’m in awe right now.😭❤️" We are right there with you, Mama.

2. Baby tries pho for the first time and his reaction is 100% relatable.

@brookestersandmommy

10/10 recommended by Hendrix 🤣 #babyboy #pho #firsttime #baby

Pho for the win. Every time. (And baby named Hendrix? Also 10/10.)

3. This Army vs. Navy drumline battle is just nonstop awesome.

Drumlines are fun, but drumline battles are epic. Read the full story and watch last year's battle as well here.

4. Kevin Bacon and Old 97's have gifted us with the Christmas song of the season.

Kevin Bacon has been entertaining us musically throughout the pandemic, even singing Beyoncé with a bunch of goats. "Here It Is Christmastime" from "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" is just icing on our Kevin Bacon cake.

See the scene from the special and learn how the song came about here.

5. She looked worried searching for her family, but when she spotted them it was pure joy.

That wee one's face lit up like a Christmas tree. A sweet reminder that showing up matters. Read the full story here.

6. Liquor store employee sees a man without shoes and immediately gives him the Jordans off her feet.

Ta Leia Thomas is known in her community for her kindness, but this spontaneous sacrificial act is just the best. Read the full story here.

7. Baby gets glasses for the first time and her reaction is priceless.

@kaseysimpson6

#trend #foryoupage❤️❤️ #blind #littlesister #firsttimeseeing #blowthisup #blindnessawareness #tikkok

Anyone who wears glasses can understand that moment of WOW. I remember thinking, "Wait, people can actually see blades of grass?" when I got my first pair of glasses. Clear sight is something we simply can't take for granted.

8. Throwback to this 3-year-old drumming prodigy who wipes his nose and drops his stick while barely missing a beat.

The kid is Russian drum prodigy Lyonya Shilovsky and the video is from when, at age 3, he impressively led an entire orchestra in a part of Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld" called "Galop infernal"—better known as "the cancan."(Shilovsky is now 13 and still playing percussion.)

9. A little girl asked L.A. County Animal Control for approval to keep a unicorn in her yard. They responded with an official unicorn license and more.

Click the arrows to scroll all the way through. Absolutely delightful response to an adorable young citizen.

10. May we all be as joyful about the weather as Albert the camel is when seeing snow for the first time.

@ranchograndeojai

Snow camel walks with the goats #ranchograndeojai #ranchoojai #ojai ##ranch #camel #goats #snowdrop

Didn't even know a camel could hippity hop like that. Yay, Albert.

Hope you found some smiles here! Come back next week for more! (And if you'd like to get these posts delivered to your inbox so you never miss them, join our free Upworthiest newsletter here.)