It’s no secret that actresses have to get undressed on screen far more often than their male counterparts, but Kevin Bacon wants to change that. In a new PSA video produced by Mashable, he draws attention to the serious issue in the most lighthearted way, and offers an unusual solution to the problem: More gratuitous male nudity.
“There’s a big problem in Hollywood today: In so many films and TV shows, we see gratuitous female nudity, and that’s not okay,” he announces. He hastily amends that statement, adding, “Well, it’s okay, but it’s not fair to actresses, and it’s not fair to actors because we want to be naked too. Gentlemen, it’s time to free your bacon.”
On the off-chance you’re not sure what he means, he lays it out very clearly. According to Bacon, actors should be filming more full-frontal shots and it’d be an easy fix. For example, on a show like Game of Thrones, which he says has “three sex scenes an episode,” there’s ample opportunity to even things out between genders. Bacon’s even willing to take one for the team as a “naked wizard or something.” Better yet, he says he can replace Jamie Dornan as the lead in Fifty Shades of Grey, and the entire movie can be one long shot of his, er, bacon.
As the actor continues to detail concerns with the lack of male nudity in Hollywood, he claims that his contract calls for a nude scene in every project, yet unfortunately they always edit them out. “They say, ‘Kevin, you don’t need to be naked in this, it doesn’t make sense,'” he laments. “‘Kevin, it’s an animated film. You’re in a voice-over booth. Please put on your pants.'” Ah, the injustice.
Bacon wraps up his video with a call to action, but unfortunately it’s not one the producers of his PSA approve of. As he urges viewers to use the hashtag #FreeTheBacon and tweet out a full-frontal, a voice off-screen lets him know that’s not allowed. Incredulous, Bacon storms off set, saying, “This is the problem right here.” Fortunately for us all, there are visionaries like him looking to solve it.
