David Blaine

[walkinoats]

I am sure by now that whether youre a fan or not of David Blaine that your tired of discussing his magic/shows. But since his new special is going to air soon, Id thought Id start another thread.
His latest stunt involves him standing on a ledge 100 feet high for 3 days with no protection under him. I think that requires more guts then most of us will ever dream of. Also, in requires you to be a little insane as well.
I didnt like his levitation trick, but to be honest with you, he only hurt himself by cheating. What does he say every time someone says to him can you do it again?
However, when David is performing these death-defying stunts, hes reminding everyone of one of the great performers of magic, the late Harry Houdini. I never saw Houdini perform live, but I am sure if you get the chance to watch David live in NYC, he is recapturing the feeling of what it was like to watch Houdini during the early part of the century. Granted there is a big difference between the two, but you have to give David credit for attempting to show the world a little sample of Houdinis style of magic.

[Robert McDaniel]

I've been thinking the same thing. Say what you will... Blaine is today's Houdini. Reviled by magicians, but loved by the pubic.

[Elwood]

It seems that the only people who dislike Blaine are magicians...he is without doubt the most recognisable and possibly the most famous magician alive today. My brother (who isn't a magician) thinks he is the new Messiah, because "he brings dead things back to life!"

Blaine has become famous as a magician, performing in your face and dare I say simple (as in they look simple to the spectator, no gadgets or devices, just cards and coins) and I feel that magicians, especially those who specialise in illusion and stage magic, are jealous of his success and his ability to connect with his audience on a one to one level.

He is now moving into the realms of feats of endurance and daring, much like the great Houdini did. And while magicians will remember Blaine's double lift and Balduci levitation, and spend time knocking them on boards like this, the public will remeber the guy who bit someone's dollar in half, made aces turn into queens in someone's hand and stood for days on end on top of poles and in blocks of ice!

I for one applaud Blaine...he's got the guts to do something different, and that's more than a lot of us!

Got to go now...time to practise my Ambitious Card routine, because I'm an individual kind of performer!!!

[Robert McDaniel]

There's a rather nauseating article in the new Rolling Stone magazine about Blaine entitled, "Death, Guns & Madonna".

Robert M