comment #1

goldenhorse says ...

I think failing actually gave him legitimacy. If he had succeeded the whole thing could have just been written off as a sham.

comment #2

Chris says ...

I don't think the whole thing was a sham, but there are almost certainly sham aspects, just like there have been sham aspects to all his tricks. Blaine's an illusionist - it's how he got his start and it's how he makes the big bucks now.

While I believe he stayed underwater for 7 days, the fact that there was no accredited organization there to verify his "record" indicates he never intended to break it. All he would have had to do is switch to pure oxygen for 24 hours or so before he held his breath. He could have literally "drowned" and his super-oxygenated blood would have kept his brain and vital organs alive (although his lungs would have been damaged by the water). Of course, the divers didn't let him get this far - as soon as they saw the air bubbles indicating he was taking in water, they pulled him out.

I don't want to completely diss the guy - he's definitely a talented stuntman with some real physical and mental endurance. But the key line in his resume is "magician." He's tricking you folks, just like David Copperfield, Blackstone and Houdini all did.

By the way, the trick he did standing on a platform was a gimmick, and there were serious questions raised about the block of ice thing. But whatever - he's an illusionist, you know the magician isn't sawing the lady in half either. With Blaine though, he's clever (or maybe just unethical) enough to not push the envelope too far - his tricks are more believable and compelling because he's NOT sawing women in half or making 747s disappear.

What's odd to me is how the mainstream media is going along with the gag. I heard about the "pure oxygen" gimmick from a journo acquantance who covered the beginning of the event - and this woman is not from a major market. Everyone covering this knows it's a stunt/illusion.

I feel sorry for the "proletariat" types who fell for this stuff. Oh well, all's fair in love and media . . .

comment #3

Dave says ...

Gotta disagree. First, Blaine is an illusionist, but that doesn't mean everything he does is a "trick". Spending a week in a bowl of water is quite a feat, if for no other reason than enduring the tedium. It would take an incredible amount of focus to do what he does. As for holding one's breath, it isn't just a question of oxygen. The human body wants to breathe, even when it doesn't need to do so. The impulse to take a breath occurs long befor the need for oxygen is critical. Panic sets it, the diaphragm spasms, blood vessels constrict in the extremities to supply more oxygen to the organs. Try it. Time yourself from the first time your throat stsrts to tighten to when you give up and take a breath. It's damn hard to hold your breath for 2 or 3 minutes, let alone 5, 6 or 7 while maintaining the focus to pick locks.
Anyone who knows anything about diving should be impressed by the focus and mental toughness it would take to do what he did.

comment #4

Chris says ...

I don't know anything about diving, but I do know that a lot of the symptoms Dave descibes are physiological effects of oxygen deprivation. You can hold your breath as long as you can sitting at your computer, but you will hold it a lot longer if you huff pure oxygen for 20 hours or so beforehand.

The "proof" that this stunt was not completely on the up and up is the fact there wasn't any kind of accrediting body participating, nor any sought, to verify the stunt. There are different records for plain old holding breath while submerged and a record after super-oxygenating.

Blaine's a good showman, and he certainly has remarkable mental discipline, but like a lot of good showmen, there's a certain degree of flim flam in his act.

comment #5

Steve says ...

In the article it said he "didn't come close to the record of 8 minutes and 58 seconds."

Didn't come close! 7 minutes and 8 seconds is pretty damn close!

I can't hold my breath for 2 minutes. (I just tried. I nearly died just now.)

comment #6

Anonymous says ...

Since when did a whorish, gimmick-ridden publicity stunt count as "astounding bravery"? :rollseyes: Please, this may not be quite as notorious as Al Capone's vaults, but his failure makes him look like a tool, not a "man of honor". Regardless of whether the stunt was on the up-&-up or not, all this was was an extended cry for attention on the par of all those idiots who'd subject themselves to anything to get on that old John Davidson show "That's Incredible!" Blane's may be a pretty good illusionist, but he's a media slut first and foremost.

comment #7

ArchiveGuy says ...

Whoops--forgot to ID myself. That was my post above.