Magician David Blaine is Doing It Again!

[Tweaker]

Performance artist and magician David Blaine interacts with spectators of all ages on day three of his challenge to live underwater for a week in an eight-foot acrylic sphere in New York City's Lincoln Center.

Blaine, 33, plans to culminate his stunt at 8 p.m. Monday by attempting to break the world record for breath-holding underwater without a breathing apparatus, which is currently 8 minutes, 58 seconds. In what Blaine described from the tank (in audio posted on his blog) as "the most death-defying challenge of my entire life," he will also try to escape from 150 pounds of chains and handcuffs during the breath-holding finale.


Credit: Corinne Schulze, CNET Networks

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[G_Dem]

I read about this in the paper. At least he's not getting kebabs thrown at him like when he did the no eating thing in the glass box in london.

[Nick Grana]

I also saw advertisements for this event. He does some strange things.
I love watching Blaine with his street magic. He does handle cards well.
Some of his tricks, supposedly on the spot sessions, I can relate to.
But some just defy logic and is an impossibility.
I have entertained many people and had them awestruck with the levitation trick when I appear to rise a couple inches off the ground.
But when Blaine rises 2 feet in the air, come on now. No help?
Or a card written on by a random(??) person, torn up, made to disappear, and then to reappear in their purse, back pocket, behind a glass window.
Oh, that's right. It's magic.
I can bring a 'dead' fly to life by breathing on it also. I'm serious. I can do that. Only because I know how it is done and set up beforehand.

[Nick Grana]

ABC special, "David Blaine: Drowned Alive," on May 8 (8 p.m. EDT).

[renegade600]

Originally Posted by Nick Grana

I also saw advertisements for this event. He does some strange things.
I love watching Blaine with his street magic. He does handle cards well.
Some of his tricks, supposedly on the spot sessions, I can relate to.
But some just defy logic and is an impossibility.
I have entertained many people and had them awestruck with the levitation trick when I appear to rise a couple inches off the ground.
But when Blaine rises 2 feet in the air, come on now. No help?
Or a card written on by a random(??) person, torn up, made to disappear, and then to reappear in their purse, back pocket, behind a glass window.
Oh, that's right. It's magic.
I can bring a 'dead' fly to life by breathing on it also. I'm serious. I can do that. Only because I know how it is done and set up beforehand.

I can change water into wine, walk on water, and raise the dead also.

[zipulrich]

The real trick is keeping the fly from eating all your ice cream while in the freezer

I've got 5 bucks says he won't make it to 9 minutes.

[Nick Grana]

The real trick is keeping the fly from eating all your ice cream while in the freezer

Right on.
I finally found something that labeled him an 'illusionist' which stands to reason. Just as Copperfield and the rest, some great illusions are to have been performed. But as I said, not counting the fly thing which can be done easily enough, the floating 3 feet in the air can not possible be performed in front of unknowing people and without the right equipment.
As Dan related to, most can't walk on water unless they know exactly where the rocks are. From an old joke.

Pretty good thing to watch couple years ago when "The Masked Magician" demonstrated a lot of how some tricks were done. Quite interesting. Also heard he made a lot of other magicians very mad. Whenever I perform a trick, same questions: "How'd you do that?" and "Do it again". Won't answer.

The other night he was doing some card tricks when he flashed the deck to all, including us TV watchers and said, "Pick a card and remember it".
He rifled the deck very fast and then said, "Don't pick the ace of spades becasue that's too easy". I did pick the ace of spades.
So he did it again and again he told me what card I picked. Finally figured that he would ever so quickly pause at his subject card just enough for a brain to be drawn to it. Pretty cool.

[DonBB]

yeah, 9 minutes is hard to believe...

[Tweaker]

Originally Posted by zipulrich

The real trick is keeping the fly from eating all your ice cream while in the freezer

I've got 5 bucks says he won't make it to 9 minutes.

If he does he'll set a world record.

World Record Current:

The world record is held by Tom Sietas of Germany who stayed under for 8 minutes, 47 seconds!

[Nick Grana]

Always a trick involved. Try this explanation:
"To pull off the stunt I think he will actually breathe in pure oxygen through his air line, which will help him hold his breath for longer."
More can be read HERE. From The BBC so has to be true. Kid'n.

[Pi rules]

It's on right now (for me at least). He trained with the SEALs for a while before attempting this stunt.

The real trick is keeping the fly from eating all your ice cream while in the freezer

True.

Pretty good thing to watch couple years ago when "The Masked Magician" demonstrated a lot of how some tricks were done.

I saw that, very interesting.

[Nick Grana]

Well, he didn't make it. He's alive but had to be rescued. Bummer.

[Pi rules]

7 minutes is no small feat, though.

[jmtjet]

He had to be rescued after 7min 7 sec. The wimp. I was setting on the couch holding my breath for the whole show-least that's what I told my wife.

I wonder if he'll make another attempt?

[renegade600]

Originally Posted by jmtjet

He had to be rescued after 7min 7 sec. The wimp. I was setting on the couch holding my breath for the whole show-least that's what I told my wife.

I wonder if he'll make another attempt?

he should not have done the chains and such. He might have made it without expending the energy of getting out of them.