Christ on a Stick. Is everyone on this board so jaded that no one gets a little pit of thrill in their stomach from this? Has FOX's 'Magic Secrets Revealed' proved to you without a doubt that No Magic Exists? Is there nothing *anyone* can do do awe you anymore?
Oh come on, they are not mind boggling. Name any one of his tricks and I will tell you exactly how he did it.
I agree, and I was quite surprised to find exactly how lame the levitation trick was (a lame trick combined with a wire and editing to make it look more impressive). I'm not going to say that I know how he does every trick, but a good many of them are old hat.
Also, I'm a little concerned about his honesty. Houdini was up front about his tricks being illusions or endurance skills. He later went on to be a master debunker. AFAIK, Blaine claims to be a protege of Yuri Gellar, a real conman.
Lastly, did you ever notice that Blaine's specials give the impression that black people run away at the sight of magic? Seriously, aside from card tricks, when he levitates or does some other bizzare trick they always show the black onlookers to be running around freaking out. I don't know if it's the way they edit it or what, but it's pretty noticealbe.
P.S. There is no convincing way to say one is not a racist, so assume what you like. It's just an observation.
As far as the black people running away, I'd say that's cultural. You see it all the time with prank shows as well. Black people will react a lot more openly to things like that than white people, in a generalized way. Related to class structure and social expectation, it makes sense.
It's always a lot more fun when he does the stuff in front of the black people.
I'd like to know how he does the burning card and writes a name on himself. That was the weirdest one of all. Also the card on the other side of the glass.
As far as the black people running away, I'd say that's cultural. You see it all the time with prank shows as well. Black people will react a lot more openly to things like that than white people, in a generalized way. Related to class structure and social expectation, it makes sense.
It's always a lot more fun when he does the stuff in front of the black people.
I'd like to know how he does the burning card and writes a name on himself. That was the weirdest one of all. Also the card on the other side of the glass.
He writes the name on his arm, as he's distracting the mark, with some wax on the end of a finger. The ashes stick to the wax.
Here's a site that explains a lot of them: A Magic Link
Oh come on, they are not mind boggling. Name any one of his tricks and I will tell you exactly how he did it.
Correct. They aren't very mind-boggling when you know how they are done.
I have seen him perform on the street a couple of years ago - Soho in London to be exact - and he is very good at what he does. The art is in the execution.
I agree, and I was quite surprised to find exactly how lame the levitation trick was (a lame trick combined with a wire and editing to make it look more impressive). I'm not going to say that I know how he does every trick, but a good many of them are old hat.
Also, I'm a little concerned about his honesty. Houdini was up front about his tricks being illusions or endurance skills. He later went on to be a master debunker. AFAIK, Blaine claims to be a protege of Yuri Gellar, a real conman.
All magicians use old tricks. Not a single magician does anything original ever. I remember in 1997 when a lot of Willoughby-types criticized Blaine for not being original enough. Uh, most magicians wear frilly tuxes and do the same old tricks with the same old ridiculous patter, and no one cares. So this guy goes to a different audience (read: largely ethnic minority) and puts it on TV, and instead of congratulating one of their own for hitting it big, they criticize him.
Magician-types are the biggest bunch of piss ants in the world.
Blaine has never claimed to actually have ESP or really be magic like Uri Geller. Houdini used silly tricks like keeping the key to the locks in his mouth, and then acted like he could get out through some other more complex method. That's what magicians do - they lie! Blaine does the exact same thing. To get the kind of reaction he did with his simple little kid's magic book levitation shows that he must be doing something right.
People think what he does is stupid but then worship millionaire pop "artists" and athletes without any sense of irony?
Though I think you've got the wrong impression. I'll give the guy credit for his ability to do the tricks. As audiopollution says the art is in the execution. However, I can't understand how people worship him and act like he's the greatest magician ever. Freakin' Michael Jackson worships this guy, that says a lot! At the VMAs last year Jackson said: "David Blaine I love you and your magic is real" or soemthing to that affect. LAME
I think that it is awesome . . . he has a right to do such stunts . . . to push himself to the absolute limit and see how far he can go.
Publicity.
Quote:
Comfortable people can go ahead and call him an idiot . .. I (who am absurdly comfortable) think that it is a work of ART!!!
Publicity. I tend to think of art as being creative. This was not being creative.
Quote:
His other stunts are pretty amazing as well . . no David Copperfield illusions here . . . just himself and time and exposure to scrutiny . . .if it doesn't make you THINK about life and committment to a form and only makes you call him names then you are missing something
Publicity.
Quote:
Just imagine what kind of thoughts he started having around DAY 20!!!!
"I hope I wasn't suckered into this by my agent.Hmmm, maybe I was.....wait...I think I was! Ok, breathe in, relax...almost half way there...wait till I get my hands on that ****er!"
Quote:
Indian tribes would push themselves when attempting to get divine insight: Vision Quests . . . I think there is something similar here without the new-age mumbo-jumbo . . . simply intensity of experience due to an intense level of personal committment and daring and effort
all of us are too comfortable to come close to trying anythng dangerous . . . so much so that most are heckling him . . . how lame
The indians were not doing it for publicity but to seek "divine insight". Couldn't be more different.
Quote:
I think that he is exploring the edges of human experience and risking his being whiile doing so . . I am impressed
Yawn...I'm more impressed by the thousands who actually fast like that(sans the glass box obviously)and don't do it for publicity. I don't think Blaine is an idiot. He's just a publicity whore.
Comments
Originally posted by Willoughby
Sorry but sitting in a box for 44 days does not induce awe and it is not magic....So Blaine, in my mind, is nothing special.
Absolutely. A month and a half of sitting in a closet with nothing but liquid to survive. Sounds pretty commonplace to me. *Yawn*
and as for the 'no illusions' above, i meant this stunt . . . and if it is an illusion than . . .'gotcha!'
as far as his no talent slight of hands: you haven't seen his impromtu performances on the street: this guy does things that are mind boggling!!
I think it was a great stunt and if you don't care than why say anything . . . just don't look up
Originally posted by 709
Absolutely. A month and a half of sitting in a closet with nothing but liquid to survive. Sounds pretty commonplace to me. *Yawn*
sounds pretty ****ing stupid to me.
Originally posted by applenut
sounds pretty ****ing stupid to me.
Exactly. See my post above the one you quoted.
Originally posted by 709
Christ on a Stick. Is everyone on this board so jaded that no one gets a little pit of thrill in their stomach from this? Has FOX's 'Magic Secrets Revealed' proved to you without a doubt that No Magic Exists? Is there nothing *anyone* can do do awe you anymore?
"Magic," specifically David Blaine branded "Street Magic" doesn't awe me, no.
Surviving and making a full recovery from this does however.
Originally posted by Eugene
"Magic," specifically David Blaine branded "Street Magic" doesn't awe me, no.
Surviving and making a full recovery from this does however.
A good, honest response. *applause*
Originally posted by pfflam
you people are lame-oze
as far as his no talent slight of hands: you haven't seen his impromtu performances on the street: this guy does things that are mind boggling!!
Oh come on, they are not mind boggling. Name any one of his tricks and I will tell you exactly how he did it.
Originally posted by Willoughby
Oh come on, they are not mind boggling. Name any one of his tricks and I will tell you exactly how he did it.
I agree, and I was quite surprised to find exactly how lame the levitation trick was (a lame trick combined with a wire and editing to make it look more impressive). I'm not going to say that I know how he does every trick, but a good many of them are old hat.
Also, I'm a little concerned about his honesty. Houdini was up front about his tricks being illusions or endurance skills. He later went on to be a master debunker. AFAIK, Blaine claims to be a protege of Yuri Gellar, a real conman.
Lastly, did you ever notice that Blaine's specials give the impression that black people run away at the sight of magic? Seriously, aside from card tricks, when he levitates or does some other bizzare trick they always show the black onlookers to be running around freaking out. I don't know if it's the way they edit it or what, but it's pretty noticealbe.
P.S. There is no convincing way to say one is not a racist, so assume what you like. It's just an observation.
It's always a lot more fun when he does the stuff in front of the black people.
I'd like to know how he does the burning card and writes a name on himself. That was the weirdest one of all. Also the card on the other side of the glass.
Originally posted by groverat
As far as the black people running away, I'd say that's cultural. You see it all the time with prank shows as well. Black people will react a lot more openly to things like that than white people, in a generalized way. Related to class structure and social expectation, it makes sense.
It's always a lot more fun when he does the stuff in front of the black people.
I'd like to know how he does the burning card and writes a name on himself. That was the weirdest one of all. Also the card on the other side of the glass.
He writes the name on his arm, as he's distracting the mark, with some wax on the end of a finger. The ashes stick to the wax.
Here's a site that explains a lot of them: A Magic Link
Originally posted by Willoughby
Oh come on, they are not mind boggling. Name any one of his tricks and I will tell you exactly how he did it.
Correct. They aren't very mind-boggling when you know how they are done.
I have seen him perform on the street a couple of years ago - Soho in London to be exact - and he is very good at what he does. The art is in the execution.
Originally posted by Nordstrodamus
I agree, and I was quite surprised to find exactly how lame the levitation trick was (a lame trick combined with a wire and editing to make it look more impressive). I'm not going to say that I know how he does every trick, but a good many of them are old hat.
Also, I'm a little concerned about his honesty. Houdini was up front about his tricks being illusions or endurance skills. He later went on to be a master debunker. AFAIK, Blaine claims to be a protege of Yuri Gellar, a real conman.
All magicians use old tricks. Not a single magician does anything original ever. I remember in 1997 when a lot of Willoughby-types criticized Blaine for not being original enough. Uh, most magicians wear frilly tuxes and do the same old tricks with the same old ridiculous patter, and no one cares. So this guy goes to a different audience (read: largely ethnic minority) and puts it on TV, and instead of congratulating one of their own for hitting it big, they criticize him.
Magician-types are the biggest bunch of piss ants in the world.
Blaine has never claimed to actually have ESP or really be magic like Uri Geller. Houdini used silly tricks like keeping the key to the locks in his mouth, and then acted like he could get out through some other more complex method. That's what magicians do - they lie! Blaine does the exact same thing. To get the kind of reaction he did with his simple little kid's magic book levitation shows that he must be doing something right.
People think what he does is stupid but then worship millionaire pop "artists" and athletes without any sense of irony?
Originally posted by BRussell
People think what he does is stupid but then worship millionaire pop "artists" and athletes without any sense of irony?
many items exist in group A. many exist in group B. this does not mean that many, or even any, in group B are also in group A.
summary: blaine is a tard. so are all of the talking heads.
Originally posted by BRussell
... Willoughby-types ...
I didn't know there were others like me.
Though I think you've got the wrong impression. I'll give the guy credit for his ability to do the tricks. As audiopollution says the art is in the execution. However, I can't understand how people worship him and act like he's the greatest magician ever. Freakin' Michael Jackson worships this guy, that says a lot! At the VMAs last year Jackson said: "David Blaine I love you and your magic is real" or soemthing to that affect.
I fail to see how the of starving oneself is anything other than utter stupidity.
flick.
Originally posted by pfflam
I think that it is awesome . . . he has a right to do such stunts . . . to push himself to the absolute limit and see how far he can go.
Publicity.
Comfortable people can go ahead and call him an idiot . .. I (who am absurdly comfortable) think that it is a work of ART!!!
Publicity. I tend to think of art as being creative. This was not being creative.
His other stunts are pretty amazing as well . . no David Copperfield illusions here . . . just himself and time and exposure to scrutiny . . .if it doesn't make you THINK about life and committment to a form and only makes you call him names then you are missing something
Publicity.
Just imagine what kind of thoughts he started having around DAY 20!!!!
"I hope I wasn't suckered into this by my agent.Hmmm, maybe I was.....wait...I think I was! Ok, breathe in, relax...almost half way there...wait till I get my hands on that ****er!"
Indian tribes would push themselves when attempting to get divine insight: Vision Quests . . . I think there is something similar here without the new-age mumbo-jumbo . . . simply intensity of experience due to an intense level of personal committment and daring and effort
all of us are too comfortable to come close to trying anythng dangerous . . . so much so that most are heckling him . . . how lame
The indians were not doing it for publicity but to seek "divine insight". Couldn't be more different.
I think that he is exploring the edges of human experience and risking his being whiile doing so . . I am impressed
Yawn...I'm more impressed by the thousands who actually fast like that(sans the glass box obviously)and don't do it for publicity. I don't think Blaine is an idiot. He's just a publicity whore.