For reasons best known to himself, the so-called 'illusionist' (delusionist?) David Blaine is suspended above the Thames inside a transparent cage in which he intends to remain for 44 days without food. He has already been thus displayed for 20 days and Londoners don't seem to appreciate his....what do you call it? Self-sacrifice? Masochism? Self-promotion carried to insanity? He's not doing it for charity, for protest, for a crusading cause or, as far as we know, for fun. Apparently, he is very successful back home in America but here....well, so far, things thrown at his see-through prison include: eggs, golf balls, laser pens, fireworks and catapulted pink paint-bombs. He has a security staff to try and maintain order in the rowdy crowd. All this must cost a packet. What can be going through his head as he so theatrically, uselessly and expensively starves?
(Photo: Evening Standard, London 9/26/03. Workman tries to cleans paint thrown at Blaine's box).
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Michelle
As far as I heard it he does it for lots of money (lots as in millions). Besides that fact that he doesn't look very starved, where does he pee? I'm really interested! There's lots of media coverage, but noone ever said how this guy is peeing in this box.
2 - Augustine
Michelle you're not the only one interested in how he pees.
Apparently that's something many of the spectators come to see. I've read that he's using a catheter and that some drainage system's been set up. I don't know if he looks starved or not. I haven't been to see this absurd and pointless freak show.
If he's getting millions for this performance (which he calls 'his art'), I wonder if he ever thinks of giving some of it to people who are really starving, but not by choice.
3 - Michelle
*yuck* Catheter? But thanks for the insight;-) I've only seen pics on tv and there he still had reserves on his hips. Of course I don't know how new these pictures were...
4 - dc
Dave's pee has been tested and he really is starving, according to the not-so-reliable News of the World.
Story link, good until Sunday 5 Oct
5 - TDavid
LOL, next does he join the Jim Rose travelling freak show? What kind of illusion is this?
6 - Augustine
For anyone still interested in the Delusionist's toilet arrangements,here's the latest:
Blaine pees into a funnel (not a catheter) which is connected to a pipe connected to a locked white box in the heavily guarded area below his cage. The fluid contents of this box are removed and tested at regular intervals to make sure he really is starving and not cheating - i.e. secretly sipping salt or sugar.
According to these tests, the starvation is genuine. But some reporters think he might still have some tricks up his sleeve.
Anyhow, should we even be talking about this stupid stunt?
7 - Phillip Winn
I don't care in the slightest about David Blaine, but I am somewhat curious about why people in and around London seem to think it is worth their while to harrass him. He's a publicity-hungry git, but he's managed to do stupid things in New York, of all places, without any harrassment that I can remember. Is New York really more polite than other places in the world, or are Londoners just bored, or what?
8 - Augustine
I agree that the people harassing Blaine are just as foolish as he is.
But I think that Londoners tend to be more sarcastic about this kind of thing and wouldn't feel it merits quiet politeness.
After all, the man is surely not looking for politely indifferent spectators when he's gone to this much trouble to make an ass of himself in full public view. I imagine that he may have expected gasps of astonishment, awe and admiration and Londoners are certainly not giving him any of that.
Another factor is that many people with a conscience feel that his stunt is insulting and offensive to those in large areas of the world who are genuinely starving to death, in spaces smaller and much more uncomfortable than his gilded cage.
9 - Phillip Winn
I'm just still surprised that New York, with its global reputation for surliness, lets him do whatever foolish thing he wants to do unmolested, while London has demonstrated genuine malice toward the man. In the latter case, obviously it can be just a few bad apples, but still...
Combine that with the noted peace and quiet during the recent blackouts (unlike in say, gentle Ottawa) and I have to say that NYC is losing its rep as the baddest city around!
10 - Chris Beach
I think people are being unfair on David Blaine. Critics are venomous about his TV exposure. Why are we watching a man in a glass box? Well, you just have to look at the rest of his tricks. Surely anyone who had done the things he's done would get on television. We all want to see such feats of endurance. However, the cynical British public will criticise Blaine, as they criticise anyone who is more famous or successful than themselves. It's a sad, predictable response. In Britain noone likes a success story - we call them glory-seekers and fat-cats. Most of all, Brits hate successful Americans. We smirk, sit back and smugly revel in their distaste of "Living the American Dream." We assume Americans are simply naive and take haughty pleasure in understanding the "way things really are."
Perish the thought that someone could pull off "magic" that leaves us feeling mystified. In England, the "magic" in magic is dead.
You could question the distaste of what Blaine has done when there is real suffering and hunger in the world. Well, I would question the sincerity of your position. What about all the violence and distaste you watch for entertainment in films and TV? And plenty of affluent religious folk fast for reasons some would consider intangible - but dare we condemn them?
David Blaine has had a pretty tragic life and a lot of people close to him have died. His grim fascination with death makes him an interesting character and he pushes himself closer to the end than any of us would dare. He expects condemnation because he recognises that people will not understand him. It's human nature to repel things or people that are not understood. It's a pity. Can't we rise above this?
11 - duane
The guy is a helluva street magician. I wish he would stick to that kind of stuff. "For my next trick, I will have myself strapped into a wooden chair in the hold of a fishing trawler in the North Atlantic in January, have my eyelids taped open, and watch every episode of 'Laverne and Shirley' ever made, while simultaneously listening to `The Safety Dance' by Men Without Hats on a tape loop, while having boiled Brussels' sprouts doused in mackerel oil forcefed to me, one every 15 minutes until all 139 episodes are finished. Whaddaya think? ... Whaddaya mean, `Why would anyone want to do that?' " It's the magic, David.
12 - TDavid
Did you hear that the doctors told him when he got out of the box: "don't have sex for a few days." Heart attack being the concern for his weakened state.
I'm surprised some gutter-level reality show producer wasn't there, contract and liability disclaimers in hand, with $$ trying to bait him into having him thrust into a situation with women around him trying to tempt him sexually.
Joe Millionaire, Survivor, why not Tempt the Boxman?
He's worth an estimated $30 million. He's having the last laugh here, I think.
13 - Augustine
I agree that Blaine is a great street magician and I don't begrudge his success in the slightest. My comment was directed only at this particular stunt that he chose to do.
The fact that he's had tragic events in his life or that he's fascinated with death don't change the fact that this stunt was a complete waste of time, money and effort all around, not least for the London police who had to protect Mr. Blaine from the public. Lots of people push themselves into dangerous situations (mountain climbers, racing drivers, etc.etc.) without all this hullabaloo.
If he wants to carry out such 'performance art' then why not hire an art gallery or other venue and charge admission, instead of spouting grandiose nonsense about proving human endurance etc. as if he's some sort of heroic figure.
14 - john
well sir/maddam i have a qestion for you in the frist picture are you trying to show us that you hate david blanie?
please answer my question....from john
15 - Augustine
Hello John, thanks for your comment, and for coming by after all this time.
No, I didn't intend to express any hatred for David Blaine. I was being somewhat satirical about his stunt which, like many other people here in London, I felt was completely pointless. However, I agree that Blaine is a talented magician. I've never met him and, apart from that one incident of him in the box above the Thames, have never thought about him at all.
16 - T
He got out of that box when ever he wanted. And no one saw him do it. IT'S AN ILLUTION PEOPLE.
17 - T
He got out of that box when ever he wanted. And no one saw him do it. .
18 - arnak
david blaine uses a form of magic that dates back atleast 20,000 years. the ancient egyptian pharos used this same form of magic to control the masses. and to have the egyptian masses portay these pharos as god-like kings. but anybody has access to these powers they are found in the second relm or reality. because this world is not concrete its not (solid) therefore david blaine can tapp into the second reality and bring into this reality possesions or solid (looking) materials and this is done very easily. when he was burried under ground he could of traveresed the second relm and or he could have been at a friends house for a couple of days. same when he stayed high in that box he was never in it to begin with he left his fallen image(the flesh) in the box and he traveled the second relm. there are 3 realities or relms in this sector of life. the 1st reality is the fallen state of man. the 2nd reality is the mental and traviling of thoughts. and the 3rd state is the death state where all the dead incarnated souls reside but know this the ebbys of death is spilling over and there will be a shifting of the north and south pole and the dirt and sea will give up its dead because death is an elusion created by the fallen angels (who reincarnated on this earth to form a bloodline to control men and lust after women as giants) they were the giants that dwelled in egnland(ANGEL LAND) THEY BULT "STONEHENGE" AS A BEAKEN A WAY OUT OF THE EARTH AND A WAY IN. THE PHAROS DID THE SAME BY BUILDING THE PRYAMIDS TO KEEP OUR CONSCIOUSNES TRAPPED IN THE FIRST REALITY OR THE FALLEN STATE(REMEMBER ADAM FELL AND DEVORCED HIM SELF FROM ET" BY TAKING ON PHYSICAL FORM. WHAT BLAINE DOES THE ANCIENT EGYPTIONS DID. THEY ALSO USED THE FORCE OF MAGIC TO CREATE A BLOODLINE TO REINCARNATE THROUGH AND HAVE POWER OVER THE MASSES BY BLOOD(HITLER HAD A QUEST FOR THE 1000YEAR RIECH HE WAS AN INCARNATED FALLEN ANGEL FROM THE OLD KINGDOM OF EGYPT. MOSES DESTROYED THE BLOOD LINE OF PHAROH BY GIVING BIRTH TO A NON ROYAL BABY. AND MOSES WAS NOT A MAN SHE WAS A WOMEN AND PHARO NAMED HAPSHETSUT . SHE TOO SHOWED THE MASSES THAT THE PHAROH USED MAGIC TO CONTROL THE MASSES. SHE PARTED THE RED SEA AND MADE THE WATERS RED THIS WAS A REVELATION TO THE HEBREW SLAVES. THEY KINEW THE PHAROH WAS NOT A GOD BUT A TRICKSTER WHO CONTROLLED THE 1ST REALITY BY ELLUSIONING THE MASSES. DAVID BLAINE IS JUST USING WHATS AVAILBLE TO ALL WHO KNOW AND LISTEN. AND HE PROBABLY CAN ACCESS THE AKOSHIK RECORD WICH DETAILES THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MANS JOURNEYS. IT IS HIDDEN IN THE SECOND RELM. IF HE IS A TRULY MASTERFUL MAGICIAN HE WILL RISE FROM THE DEAD BECAUSE THE "GREATEST MAGIC TRICK OF ALL TIME WAS CONQUERING DEATH" YES MY FELLOW EARTHLINGS "DEATH IS A LIE" IT CAN BE TRICKED SO THAT U DONT TASTE DEATH. JESUS RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD- HE PERFORMED THIS TRICK AND SO HAS BUDDHA/ELIJAH THE ISLAM PROFET/MOTHER MARY WHO I HAVE ENCOUNTERED PERSONALLY. AND MOSES WHO WAS MARY LATER ON IN ANOTHER INCARNATION. WE ALL CAN MASTER ELLUSION BECAUSE WE ALL ARE NONLINEAR BEINGS WHO CAN COMMUNE WITH THE SPIRIT --- DEATH IS THE GREATEST TASK AHEAD FOR THE TRUE "MAJI" IT WILL END VERY SOON THERE WILL BE A SHIFTING IN THE EARTH AND DEATH WILL BE DESTROYED BECAUSE JESUS FORESEEN AND MARY GAVE BIRTH.
19 - Duane
Oh, that old explanation again. That's what they were saying about Doug Henning, too. Let me tell you something, Arnak. Your theory is wrong. Just plain wrong. How do I know? Well, when Blaine was standing on that pole, I took a little trip over to the second realm. Blaine was nowhere to be found, Jack. I asked around.
20 - anis
u the man david blaine
take good care of u
we love u so much
i luv watchin ur dvd s
21 - Noemi Domingues
I Love David Blaine. I Personally think he is the greatest person in the world...and i dont care what anyone thinks about him. People should just let him do what he wants and let him live his ife how he wants and stop thinking he's a freak because of all the thinks that he can do. I LOVE HIM WITH ALL MY HEART <3
22 - Jamie
I LOVE DAVID BLAINE.....HE IS MY LOVER...LOL I WISH... but i think he has a girlfriend or whatever but i love him so much no matter what pplz say about him... I LOVE U DAVID BLAINE... u inspire me a lot... dont noe how... but yeah... luv ye
23 - richard
y? what are u trying to prove u stupid plank.the street tricks are impressive but trying to be a fish isn't. boiled blaine hopfully should be on the menu soon.
24 - Jewels
Wow, this is different. arnak, read much "Chariots of the Gods"? I know this is an old post but enjoyed the comments. Very entertaining. I in fact like David Blaine; Brits sound a bit tightly wound. Gene pool issues perhaps. Great looking reality transformational kind of guy. Yeah.
25 - kayla
you all are losers and if you dont believe in what he does,like i do, than why even come and look at it if you ae just going to insult it! its none of your damn buisness where he pees!