David Blaine’s Anti-Climactic ‘Dive of Death’
As NowPublic member asterix611 previously reported, David Blaine concluded his 60 hours of (occasionally) hanging upside down in New York City with a “Dive of Death” that wasn’t a dive, didn’t risk death, and was utterly anti-climactic.
The underwhelmingly mundane finish to Blaine’s latest endurance stunt was met with boos, shouts, and very little applause by the audience gathered at the site and, by most accounts, David Blaine embarrassed himself and did away with the very little credibility he had left.
What’s your take on this pseudo-stunt?
Magician David Blaine was booed by an on-looking audience at the anti-climactic end to his Dive of Death stunt in New York City last night.
The US illusionist was taunted by members of the crowd throughout his three-day stunt amid claims he cheated by not hanging upside down for the duration, as expected.
Instead the 35 year-old took hourly breaks, standing on a platform to drink water and urinate to the disappointment of fans.
And at the end of a two-hour finale live on US television Blaine ignored the constant boos and waved to the crowd before jumping from the top of the 44-ft high metal frame that had been holding him up for the previous 60 hours (not including breaks!).
But even that was pathetic as he was clearly harnessed and attached to a wire as he slowly neared the ground before being hoisted into the night sky to “disappear”.
Other audience members were equally unimpressed by the “Dive” finale:
[T]he dive looked more like a bungee jump.
Shortly after 11 p.m., Blaine nodded and smiled to hundreds of fans watching the stunt as they screamed, “Jump! Jump!” and, “Do it!”
So he did, dropping straight down from the platform and touching the stage below lightly with his toes before cables pulled him back up.
He then hung in the air like a sack of potatoes with a goofy grin on his face, occasionally kicking his legs as though he were running.
The stunt, which aired as part of a two-hour ABC television special Wednesday night, ended with Blaine floating off into the night attached to giant balloons.
The finale drew more boos than cheers from the crowd, but his faithful fans nevertheless were satisfied.
Ivy Acevedo, 20, a family counselor from the Bronx, said of the show, “It was amazing. He really pulled it off.”
But Kenneth Leonor of Newark, a 22-year-old businessman and part-time magician, called the three hours he spent in the park a waste of time.
“I think it was ridiculous,” Leonor said. “Everybody was robbed of their time. Everyone thought he was going to jump, but he didn’t live up to his expectations.”
But the audience weren’t the only ones whose expectations weren’t met. Blaine himself admitted on Thursday that the finale did not go according to plan:
Magician-daredevil David Blaine says he’s unhappy with how he ended his latest stunt: hanging upside-down without a net high over Central Park for 60 hours.
The 35-year-old endurance artist, who completed the stunt Wednesday night, expressed his disappointment in an appearance Thursday morning on “Live With Regis and Kelly.”
“I had dreamed up the most amazing ending for a stunt ever,” he said.
Blaine said his grand finale of diving from a platform 44 feet to the ground while attached to a harness didn’t go according to plan. He was supposed to jump and, at 10 feet, be swept away by a bunch of helium-filled balloons.
Instead, he dangled awkwardly for a moment before disappearing in an ascent into the night sky.
Despite recommendations not to jump due to high winds, Blaine did it anyway but the result was definitely less than impressive and, it seems, a significant disappointment to everyone — including the magician himself.
Tags: New York | Culture | NYC | performance | video | United States | artist | endurance | stunt | magician | Magic | audience | David Blaine | culturite | david blaine dive of death video | dive of death
It was a total waste of time. This is the last time I watch any of DB’s shows.
Michael from kansas
September 29, 2008 at 4:37 pm
a ripoff and a total waste of time. Hopefully this will be the last time we see this joker.
michael
September 29, 2008 at 4:55 pm