This coming Monday night, ABC is airing "David Blaine: Drowned Alive." Somehow they are drawing two hours of television out of the world's worst snow globe -- David Blaine spending 8 days underwater and then trying to hold his breath for 9 minutes. Oh, and some crap about 150 pounds of chains is involved too. I feel I already know way too much about this.The only way you could get me to watch is if the show actually delivered literally what the title promises. There's just no truth in advertising.
6 comments:
Harry Anderson used to have an act where he would do things like pass a six-inch needle through his arm. When the audience moaned sickly, he'd say, "It's a trick! It's not really happening."
I have a lot of trouble getting excited about a magician doing a trick on television, even if it is "live."
I agree with the shocho about the magic trick on television thing. it always feels like there is a special fx thing going on. David Blaine has pretty bad showmanship, too. he always looks bored or shifty-eyed.
oh and thanks shocho, now I got the Night Court theme running through my head!
the mole
Most of everything Blane (sp?) has done has been a gimmick. There was a special a couple of years ago that pretty much pulled back the curtain on his "street magic" tricks. As someone who used to do magic, I'm of two minds on this. No one can pull a rabbit out of thin air. It just isn't possible. However, should we ruin the trick for the people who enjoy the thrill of seeing it? I stopped doing magic tricks for the wife because she would hound me incessently until I told her how I did it. My kids are the same way.
One more note on Blane, is that the previous record holder is 8 minutes 58 seconds. I don't know if *that* was a trick or not but at least this looks like more of an honest attempt.
I highly doubt ABC would air something where they show a guy dying live on air... I bet the FCC might have a problem with that.
Though I do give Blaine credit... he did train with the Navy Seals for I believe he said a few weeks before attempting this stunt, which shows he serious about it.
This only reminds me of his "frozen in ice" stunt. Someone pointed out that ice is a great insulator and actually helped keep him warm. Some debunking show stuffed a thermometer into the middle of the frozen block of ice and it was a balmy 60 something degrees.
The Inuit (Eskimo for you Americans) have known this for years...
He's been suspended in air and now submerged under water. If he's making his way through all the elements I'll definitely tune in to see him lit on fire.
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