Could David Blaine Take Over the World?

[drexah]

I really think he could...anyone else see those two shows (hour long) on TLC of him and his tricks, almost as crazy as the documentation of his 3 days frozen in a cube of ice in times square w/o food, 44 days in a glass box on a crane w/o food, 3 days standing on top of a 100 foot pillar w/o food? I think his magic tricks are even more amazing, going up to random people and knowing they have wives/girlfriends/whatever in other countries, burning a hole in his shirt, to reveal tattoo's of the random peoples loved ones...or buying a homeless guy 3 random scratch tickets, telling him to pick one and throw the other two away, hands him a gold coin to scratch it, and the guy hits the jackpot, winning every prize on the ticket? Crazy stuff..i think he could take over the world.

[Glenn]

"or buying a homeless guy 3 random scratch tickets, telling him to pick one and throw the other two away, hands him a gold coin to scratch it, and the guy hits the jackpot, winning every prize on the ticket?"

Scratch off tickets have bar codes that you can scan to tell if you won/what you won without scratching them off.

[pudley4]

[ QUOTE ]
Crazy stuff..i think he could take over the world.


[/ QUOTE ]

Only the part filled with stupid people who believe his BS.

Wait...

[sammysusar]

the times square trick was not real. cant respect him after wasting my time to walk by there. plus in the london trick people were throwing stuff at the cube he was in. basically im not a fan.

[Alobar]

he definately is pretty amazing. Best magician I have ever seen. but all that stuff is just magic. What I find truly amazing about the guy is the non magic stuff he does. the buried alive, and the 44 days with no food. That is some crazy ass will power and inner strength right there.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
the times square trick was not real

[/ QUOTE ]

please explain

[sammysusar]

heres a link i found on the times square trick scroll down the page a bit
web page (http://www.crankymediaguy.com/backissues/2000/n113000.html)

[Ulysses]

The most impressive thing about David Blaine is the parade of insanely hot models he nails.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
heres a link i found on the times square trick scroll down the page a bit
web page (http://www.crankymediaguy.com/backissues/2000/n113000.html)

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks for the link. I agree somewhat with what the "article" says. I think the way Blaine portrays himself is a ittle much, (the whole "supernatural" vs. just an illusionist thing), but that aside, I dont see how people can bash his magic. saying he's just doing tricks you can buy in any magic shop is a bit much. Yeah he does do tricks like that, but he does some pretty damn good ones. Better than the crap you see copperfield do. I think alot of the hating actually is jealousy, because hes not some huge larger than life illusionist like copperfield. He doesnt try and do things like making the statue of liberty or the hoover damn dissapear. He just goes out with a deck of cards and wows people. Thats gotta piss someone like coperfield off.

But like I said, his magic isnt what impresses me most. I liked his "frozen in ice" stunt the least out of all the stunts hes done, becuase it was obviouse he wasnt "frozen in ice". but he still still stood there for 3 days. I'd like to see a regular person do that. But like I said, I think thats the least amazing of the stuff hes done. Being buried alive for 7 days I think was truly amazin, and being suspended in that crane was unbelievable. Weather the people mocked him and hated on him by throwing food at him or not, he still didnt eat any of it, and he still sat in a [censored] cage for over a month. I know I dont have what it takes to do that, and I know 99% of the population doesnt either. Thats on par with some shoalin monk type [censored].

[touchfaith]

[ QUOTE ]
Could David Blaine Take Over the World?

[/ QUOTE ]

What makes you think that he hasn't already?

[jakethebake]

Please do not start anymore threads. That is all.

[Shakezula]

you actually believe a person can be buried alive and go without food for that long? its no wonder blaine has fans: there are still suckers born everyday. sorry, no offense intended, but if a guy can levitate, why does he have to turn around and not face you while he does it? why doesnt the camera show a wide-angle shot? one person replied on television that he must be spiritually-gifted. those so gifted would not be interested in entertaining a crowd, but going further with their development. granted, he does have mad-skills at the sleight-of-hand...but one should question everything. now, if we are talking about the masters of the East, who can "teleport" or appear in two places at once, or who manifest pulpa out of thin air, or who can acheive levitation of body, or shamans who shape-shift, really it concerns perception and energy, and changing or controlling it. that said, mr. blaine could very well take over the world of the gullible...

[drexah]

[ QUOTE ]
Please do not start anymore threads. That is all.

[/ QUOTE ]

please dont take my posts so seriously. thanks.
many of his stunts are just illusions, like the levitation, but still it is hella cool. i dont buy the whole 44 days without food thing, and even the 3 days without food is very possible but not an impossible feet, a lot of the [censored] he does is just crazy and entertaining.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
you actually believe a person can be buried alive and go without food for that long?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, it is humanly possible to do what he did. He isnt the first person to do stuff like that. None of that crap was using magic.

[ QUOTE ]
no offense intended, but if a guy can levitate, why does he have to turn around and not face you while he does it? why doesnt the camera show a wide-angle shot?

[/ QUOTE ]

He cant really levitate obviously, thats why its called a magic trick.

[ QUOTE ]
now, if we are talking about the masters of the East, who can "teleport" or appear in two places at once, or who manifest pulpa out of thin air, or who can acheive levitation of body, or shamans who shape-shift, really it concerns perception and energy, and changing or controlling it.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhm, if you actually believe that [censored], then you are the gullible one. If you are addressing my shoalin comment, thats not the kind of stuff I was refering to. I was refering to the monk who stopped his own heart. The monk that sat there and meditated while he was covered in gasoline and then lit on fire and never screamed out or even moved....that kinda stuff, The control over ones body and mind. The kind of thing that allows you to lay in a confined space for 7 days, or to sit in a cage for over a month.

[Shakezula]

oh, 3 days without food is nothing. i mis-read the post. i thought the claim was for 44 days. yes, i was addressing your previous post. i believe that the human potential has yet to be tapped, in body and in mind. that there are accounts of such feats do not necessarily prove them true, but that human perception can be molded and shaped, so that the unreal seems real. to believe that a man, a man afterall, could walk on water, or revive the dead, or perform any such feats---many would say "Yes! it is possible." Faith dictates what possibilities exist. Whether in fact such things are real or not is another question.

[Zygote]

he's an illusionist, but don't let me ruin it for you. illusion is always better than dispair.

[jakethebake]

I didn't take it seriously. That doesn't mean it wasn't gay.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Please do not start anymore threads. That is all.

[/ QUOTE ]

please dont take my posts so seriously. thanks.
many of his stunts are just illusions, like the levitation, but still it is hella cool. i dont buy the whole 44 days without food thing, and even the 3 days without food is very possible but not an impossible feet, a lot of the [censored] he does is just crazy and entertaining.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Eihli]

DON'T QUESTION JAKETHEBAKE! JUST LISTEN AND OBEY DAMNIT!!

[swede123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Please do not start anymore threads. That is all.

[/ QUOTE ]

please dont take my posts so seriously. thanks.
many of his stunts are just illusions, like the levitation, but still it is hella cool. i dont buy the whole 44 days without food thing, and even the 3 days without food is very possible but not an impossible feet, a lot of the [censored] he does is just crazy and entertaining.

[/ QUOTE ]

My wife is in medical school. Earlier this year she learned that the average human being can go thirty (30) days without food without causing any permanent damage. I imagine 44 wouldn't be that big a stretch if you had prepared yourself ahead of time and possibly took some pills or whatever to supplement the most vital nutrients.

Swede

[Nick-Zack]

[ QUOTE ]


Scratch off tickets have bar codes that you can scan to tell if you won/what you won without scratching them off.

[/ QUOTE ]

ummmm - no. If that was the case, the world would be full of very rich 7-11 clerks.

[daveymck]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Scratch off tickets have bar codes that you can scan to tell if you won/what you won without scratching them off.

[/ QUOTE ]

ummmm - no. If that was the case, the world would be full of very rich 7-11 clerks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes there is on the UK lottery scratch cards anyway, have seen a few news stories about similar instances but the one below highlights it.

Shop Worker Jailed (http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/the_north_east/archive/2003/05/29/shop.newsby.html)

A SHOPWORKER who stole hundreds of pounds of lottery cash after discovering how to identify winning scratch cards was jailed for four months on Thursday.

John Mazur was told by magistrates in Darlington that he had cheated the public, threatened the reputation of the National Lottery and breached his employers' trust with the scam.

The 22-year-old began checking rolls of scratch cards while working as assistant manager at Bells Store in Corporation Road, Darlington, earlier this year.

Prosecutor Simon Crowder told South Durham Magistrates' Court that Mazur, who pleaded guilty to theft, could identify winning tickets and would then claim the cash.

He said Mazur had stolen between £400 and £1,200 over a three-month period.

Managers began to suspect something was amiss when financial discrepancies were discovered.

Mazur, who was in line for promotion, was caught after he was filmed, unbeknown to him, on one of the store's CCTV cameras.

[afk]

[ QUOTE ]
but if a guy can levitate, why does he have to turn around and not face you while he does it? why doesnt the camera show a wide-angle shot?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because it's a damn illusion. And an entertaining one at that.


Regardless of what is said about him I think he's a good performer and I'm usually pretty entertained by his tricks.

[Overdrive]

David is very fun and entertaining to watch. I saw part of the latest specials you were mentioning. I hope I never play poker at a table with him if he decides to take it up - he could cheat like crazy and make aces or kings appear or disappear and of course he would know what you were holding at all times. Hey - you know come to think of it - that would be a really cool trick for David to try. He could enter the WSOP and see if he could trick his way into winning it. I halfway believe that he could.

[scotty34]

[ QUOTE ]
David is very fun and entertaining to watch. I saw part of the latest specials you were mentioning. I hope I never play poker at a table with him if he decides to take it up - he could cheat like crazy and make aces or kings appear or disappear and of course he would know what you were holding at all times. Hey - you know come to think of it - that would be a really cool trick for David to try. He could enter the WSOP and see if he could trick his way into winning it. I halfway believe that he could.

[/ QUOTE ]

He would not be allowed to enter the tournament. Certified magicians are not allowed into casinos.

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
He would not be allowed to enter the tournament. Certified magicians are not allowed into casinos.

[/ QUOTE ]

Anyones sarcasm detector getting anything? I can't tell

[Glenn]

I used to work at a supermarket while in HS and a lady who worked there would buy a bunch of tickets and scan them and then only bother to scratch them off if she won.

[jakethebake]

I'm astounded by this thread. I've never in my life met anyone who didn't think this Blaine guy was the biggest jerk-off in the world. He's an arrogant, unentertaining prick that does meh magic tricks. Now here's a whole forum full of people that seem to find him entertaining. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Shajen]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm astounded by this thread. I've never in my life met anyone who didn't think this Blaine guy was the biggest jerk-off in the world. He's an arrogant, unentertaining prick that does meh magic tricks. Now here's a whole forum full of people that seem to find him entertaining. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I was taught if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything.

I was practicing what I was taught.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[htc1278]

[ QUOTE ]
Thats on par with some shoalin monk type [censored].

[/ QUOTE ]

Wu-Tang Forever!

[TStoneMBD]

can someone explain his leaf levitation trick and his mind reading stuff on celebrities?

[Ulysses]

Among many others, Manon von Gerkan, Josie Maran, and Fiona Apple.

http://www.askmen.com/imagesmodel/2003_nov/manon_von_gerkan/manon_von_gerkan_150b.jpg

http://www.webwombat.com.au/lifestyle/fashion_beauty/images/manon2.jpg

http://i.cnn.net/si/pr/subs/swimsuit/images/96_mvongerkan_03.jpg

http://www.askmen.com/imagesmodel/may00/josie_maran/josie_maran_150.JPG

http://www.giornaletecnologico.it/4images/data/media/69/josie_maran_001.jpg

NSFW (http://www.josiemaran.de/grafik/start2.jpg)

NSFW (http://flavicus.blogspirit.com/images/josie-pic112_jpg.jpg)

http://www.stars-celebrites.com/photos/A/apple02.jpg

http://wotan.liu.edu/~msciang/fiona.jpg

http://abcwallpaper.free.fr/fiona_apple_02.jpg

[astroglide]

i have zero problems with david blaine. ditto ryan seacrest. i think they both do well at their jobs.

[RicktheRuler]

Agreed.

[TheShootah]

I think Copperfield does way better stuff than Blaine. Anyone that can appear to split themselves in half and hold there bottom half is awesome. Also, the snow from the hands or the crazy floating over the audience. Those are great illusions. Biting quarters in half sucks.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Among many others, Manon von Gerkan, Josie Maran, and Fiona Apple.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's your point El D? We can turn this into a celebrity chicks that have dated total nimrods thread. If we include them all it would probably outnumber the Shana Hiatt thread for replies.

[RicktheRuler]

Yeah, I had this arguement with a friend a while ago. I think Blaine is a cheap trickster--it would be cool to have him at a small social gathering. But, I would much rather watch Copperfield for the entertainment value.

I should say that I hate magic. Its stupid.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
I should say that I hate magic. Its stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea. I should have included this in my post as well.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Among many others, Manon von Gerkan, Josie Maran, and Fiona Apple.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's your point El D? We can turn this into a celebrity chicks that have dated total nimrods thread. If we include them all it would probably outnumber the Shana Hiatt thread for replies.

[/ QUOTE ]

The point is simply that David Blaine rules. His tricks are cool (the street magic stuff moreso than the stunts) and he bangs super-hot chicks.

[htc1278]

If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too. I think his magic is pretty good--but I've seen a lot of local magicians do similar tricks. A family friend is a magician and he does a levitating cigarette trick that's basically the same as the leaf trick.

Penn and Teller and far cooler magicians. Their tricks are great--and they're funny. They do this one card trick with a deck of cards made from 6'X4' 1/4" steel sheets. They use a couple of forklifts on stage to shuffle the deck. It's great. They also do a trick were Teller gets into a locked box full on water while Penn does a card trick. The card trick takes ~ 10 minutes and Teller "dies" on stage. They even show you how they do some tricks, where they hide stuff, and then confuse you by stripping to their boxers and pulling all sorts of stuff from thin air.

The camera work on the Blaine stuff is kinda shady, don't you think? Weird angles and it gets really shaky at times.

[Non_Comformist]

Scott Baio is cool, because he bangs hot chicks. You have a better way to measure?

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pamela Andersen, Nicolette Sheridan, Brooke Shields, Erika Eleniak, Denise Richards, Nicole Eggert, Heather Locklear, and countless Playboy Playmates. Yeah, Chachi is pretty f'in cool in my book.

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
Best magician

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
and the 44 days with no food. That is some crazy ass will power and inner strength right there.

[/ QUOTE ]

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[ClaytonN]

I know how he does his levitation trick (as do many here, I guess), but how does he pull off the ones where he can guess the name of their loved ones via tattoo, card, etc etc?

Examples:

He tells a person to sign a card on a deck of 52. He throws the deck into a glass window, and the one that was signed sticks to the glass... the other side of the glass

He asks a person to think of a name of the loved one. He looks really hard at them, and 30 seconds later a taxi cab drives up with that name spraypainted on the window.

etc etc etc

[Jazza]

i feel the need to burst a few people's bubbles here

david blaine uses tv editing and even some special effects for some of his tricks he show's on tv (levitating, cab driving by with name on it etc)

the people's reactions are real, but you don't see what the people saw

[fluxrad]

David Blaine is a hack. He's like David Coppierfield but without the smirk.

If you want to see a truly amazing routine, check out "Nicotine Nincompoop" by Tom Mullica.

[CourtesyFlush]

Good lord that man is my hero.

[ClaytonN]

I disagree with the levitating part, I can do that right now:

Below in white \/

<font color="white">You have to stand I believe rotated 45 degrees from the person watching you. You lift the leg facing the person ever so slightly, while tilting the other leg slightly up. This gives the appearance you are floating. </font>

[Jazza]

the clip i saw of him showed him levitating several feet in the air

this is what i'm talking about, he used the method you had in white, and that is what the people he does the trick to saw, but then he edits in special effects

[7ontheline]

Twah. . .

Anyone else seen the South Park episode?

[Overdrive]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
David is very fun and entertaining to watch. I saw part of the latest specials you were mentioning. I hope I never play poker at a table with him if he decides to take it up - he could cheat like crazy and make aces or kings appear or disappear and of course he would know what you were holding at all times. Hey - you know come to think of it - that would be a really cool trick for David to try. He could enter the WSOP and see if he could trick his way into winning it. I halfway believe that he could.

[/ QUOTE ]

He would not be allowed to enter the tournament. Certified magicians are not allowed into casinos.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, Antonio Esfrandi(sp?) doesn't seem to have any problems playing in tournaments or casinos....

[htc1278]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pamela Andersen, Nicolette Sheridan, Brooke Shields, Erika Eleniak, Denise Richards, Nicole Eggert, Heather Locklear, and countless Playboy Playmates. Yeah, Chachi is pretty f'in cool in my book.

[/ QUOTE ]

I went to school with some of his family. Apparently when he got cool and started bangin' Playmates he ditched his family and won't talk to ANY (mother, father, etc.) of them. The Baio I knew was a good guy. So was his sister. F'in over your family because you're famous=not cool.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
i feel the need to burst a few people's bubbles here

david blaine uses tv editing and even some special effects for some of his tricks he show's on tv (levitating, cab driving by with name on it etc)

the people's reactions are real, but you don't see what the people saw

[/ QUOTE ]

The cab driving one he talks about in his book. he says it was completely a coincidence that the name was written on a cab that drove by, and he just went with it. Its like anything else, do hundreds of tricks and something like that is bound to happen. He also talks about "reading peoples minds", like when he guesses what card you are thinking about. He says most people guess some cards more than others, he simply trys to deduce whats has the best chance of "hitting" and picks that. Obviously he is going to get a certain percentage of them right, and those are the ones we see. Its the same kind of principle as cold reading that all those hack psychics use.

[htc1278]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pamela Andersen, Nicolette Sheridan, Brooke Shields, Erika Eleniak, Denise Richards, Nicole Eggert, Heather Locklear, and countless Playboy Playmates. Yeah, Chachi is pretty f'in cool in my book.

[/ QUOTE ]

I realize who he's banged. That's why I said, [ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ] but thanks for the list anyways.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pamela Andersen, Nicolette Sheridan, Brooke Shields, Erika Eleniak, Denise Richards, Nicole Eggert, Heather Locklear, and countless Playboy Playmates. Yeah, Chachi is pretty f'in cool in my book.

[/ QUOTE ]

I realize who he's banged. That's why I said, [ QUOTE ]
If David Blaine was cool because he bangs hot chicks then Scott Baio would be cool too.

[/ QUOTE ] but thanks for the list anyways.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, then, it's weird that you knew who he banged yet didn't think he was cool.

[Jazza]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i feel the need to burst a few people's bubbles here

david blaine uses tv editing and even some special effects for some of his tricks he show's on tv (levitating, cab driving by with name on it etc)

the people's reactions are real, but you don't see what the people saw

[/ QUOTE ]

The cab driving one he talks about in his book. he says it was completely a coincidence that the name was written on a cab that drove by, and he just went with it. Its like anything else, do hundreds of tricks and something like that is bound to happen. He also talks about "reading peoples minds", like when he guesses what card you are thinking about. He says most people guess some cards more than others, he simply trys to deduce whats has the best chance of "hitting" and picks that. Obviously he is going to get a certain percentage of them right, and those are the ones we see. Its the same kind of principle as cold reading that all those hack psychics use.

[/ QUOTE ]

i agree, i count what you said as editing

[Cyrus]

Instead of taking the internet-usual attitude and dismiss the Magic with a wave of my hand (along with posting a couple of links "explaining" it all away), I will, instead, bow humbly and bow deeply and welcome and accept the power of Magic and agree to be mesmerised!

So... I salute the magician, the card sharp, the shark, the ventiloquist, the illusionist, the carneyman, the hustler, the film director --- we are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.

[tbach24]

i watched it last night. easily the most impressive person on the planet. i am positive that if he chose to, he could do any job on the planet (that includes major politican, pro athlete, any thing else you might throw at him)

[private joker]

What the HELL? HOW?!

Oh, never mind. Buster just asked that. Where is SameThreadBumper when we need him? First the taser issue, then David Blaine... similar threads are popping up everywhere and the Moderators are helpless to stop them! I ran out of superhero comic cliches, but come on SameThreadBumper! Help save us from redundancy!

[pshreck]

I really hope you are joking.

[private joker]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar på:</font><hr />
I really hope you are joking.

[/ QUOTE ]

No. I am deadly serious. So serious that my life depends on it. I will not sleep another wink until this is solved. This is more important than AIDS and world hunger. SameThreadBumper is no joking matter... no joke AT ALL.

[/sarcasm]

[wacki]

Ehhh. just noticed this thread was a month old. If you hadn't bumped it I would of let Busters thread slide. Seriously we aren't trying to be gestapo about the same thread thing but when there are 5 threads in a week it's a bit ridiculous.

[klagett]

I have much more respect for good slight of hand magicians like Paul Harris then I do for the big stage illusionist guys. They are basically actors with expensive contraptions.