David Blaine

David Blaine is a modern well-known street magician on TV. In 1997 he and a friend walked on the streets of Times Square, New York with a small video camera and filmed David performing street magic. Amazed by the reactions, he took the footage to ABC and was awarded a $1,000,000 contract for the first Street Magic special.

Blaine is most renowned for his levitation. Although in reality it doesn't necessarily look like what the cameras show, it is still a very impressive illusion, known as the Balducci levitation.

Blaine has created (or publicised) a new field of magic, appealing to all.

Comments

Icyblaine 21st Oct 06	Personally I think this man is better then Criss Angel. Now let me explain why... Mostly because if you were to meet Criss Angel in person he wouldnt be doing half the tricks on his show, examples can be that if you were at the aladdin hotel, Do you actully think he would walk on water? Now for most of you who dont know that trick its a layer of glass approx. 1 inch from the top of the water under. Obvioulsy the people swimming in the pool know him and the chick swimming under him didnt swim up she just swam underneath him around the glass. David Blaine is an "original" performer and im not sayin thats good or bad. Its just perferd when you are doing magic infront of strangers. out of a 10 to Criss angel i would give him a 8.5 and to David Blaine a 9.5. But then again thats just me dont hate me for writing this but i get into alot of fights about Criss Angel.
bigyankee213 27th Oct 06	i want to see david blaine try to compete with the mindfreak. David will hurt himself just thinking about it. I didn't see david with a magician of the year award. if criss angel didn't walk on water, explain how his shoes fell straight down when he took them off? Criss Angel RULES!!!
K2konrad 10th Nov 06	I have a lot of respect for David Blaine becuase of his great dedication and passion for magic! He has the most talent out of all street magic preformers.
Leviteye 12th Nov 06	Criss Angel sucks dick! Almost 75% of his tricks on mindfreak are completely rigged! Even the spectators! The only reason his tricks look cool is because they're rigged!
Leviteye 12th Nov 06	Unlike Criss Angel, David Blaine can walk up to you on the street without a camera crew and fry your brain with his magic. Criss Angel's tricks are totally bogus! If he's Mindfreak. Icyblaine says that he walked on water with glass under it. That's why he can't do one Mindfreak trick with normal spectators. Every trick that I have seen him do where normal specs would've seen what he's doing are set up. Criss Angel is a dumbass phony! David Blaine rules and that's final!
Leviteye 12th Nov 06	an answer to bigyankee213 on how he dropped his shoes into the water after he walked: There's a hole in one part of the glass if not more!
kane911 14th Nov 06	David blaine is a good magician, but he is different to people like chriss angel, different tricks different magic you must remember that! there good at their own things!!!!!
jrwoodfield 20th Nov 06	criss angel has to many rigged tricks, blaine is a classic performer that ties in some illusions but uses his skills to manipulate the trick for a better effect
markf 20th Nov 06	I recorded Street Magic on TIVO. The first time I saw the tricks, I was impressed and needed to learn how they were done. After watching over and over, frame by frame, I learned many of the tricks. Now I'm less amazed by the tricks but remain impressed by his skill. If he inspires others to appreciate the "art" of magic, more power to him!
chopzilla7 26th Nov 06	david blaine rules but ever since he revealed his tricks in his book hes been behind but hes still better than criss angel. speak your mind Leviteye
DEHERE 30th Nov 06	ok criss angel and david blaine are both great magicians but nobody talks shit about mindfreak ok everybody got that! and im not sayin davd blaines bad there both good but id like to see some of u peeps do what mindfreak does too
bballstar1000 8th Dec 06	i like criss more because he is a better and more convincing actor, blaine talks in monotone, and is somewhat boring, criss seems like a normal person who has "super powers"
abacado 13th Dec 06	imo blaine is better than criis angel. did u see david take out his heart! also i like his monotonous patter. Legend
Obang 25th Dec 06	Kane911 is right. They're two different kinds of magicians. Criss is a good magician, so is Blaine, Angel does staged magic, though some of his tricks are done on the street, they're still staged. Blaine does street magic, pure street magic; most don't require a set up. Quit dissing both of them.
polrosello 6th Jan 07	I personally prefer David Blaine. Criss Angel uses tons of actors, cranes, wires and spoofs. He also doesn't know how to perform well or call the spectator's atention, he only says things like: "watch.. are you watching?.. are you ready?.. boom!.. did you see that?" David Blaine calls the spectator's atention by picking a little his imagination, and NEVER uses actors that I have been aware of. He also is great performing and would be a spectacular actor too. Although I agree with Obang and Kane911, I feel David Blaine should recieve a little more recognition than Criss Angel. I hope I have not offended anyone...
cepg85 7th Jan 07	there is nobody in here that can talk shit about either blaine or angel. i havent seen any of you on tv performing your demonstrations. everybody is good in their own way, it doesnt matter how they do it. it still makes for good tv which is what they were going for. yes, angel rigs most of his illusions, but he wasnt going for honest. i personally like both of them equally but for different reasons.
danthemanclark 14th Jan 07	CRISS ANGEL COULD FRY THE BRAINS OUT OF THIS FUCKER!!!! criss angel is sooooo much better than david blaine. everything is set up on blaines specials. haave you seen him trying to do the self healing soda can trick?!?!?! SET UP COMPLETELY! most of u like me, know that trick, and how its set up, so dont even tell me that he is better than criss angel
devilzdj44 10th Feb 07	ok first of all criss angel is very talented but i hate tricks that are setup or use actors and shit like that it just takes the fun out of it thats why i love david blaine...hes very simple yet mindblowing because of his presentation. they both have their own stlyes but i prefer blaines, criss angels stunts may look impossible on t.v. but in real life they're all fake...BUT i do enjoy his show mindfreak...BLAINE RULES!!!!!
tenganster 12th Feb 07	Dude, what's this about who's better than who? they are both the same.(I personally like Blaine better)
levitation120 24th Feb 07	to the icyblaine guy near the top criss angel took off his shoes and they sank into the water and shoes can't go through glass. Chris angel is awesome.
philthechill 12th Mar 07	Why does everyone think that David Blaine is the best magician. Everybody knows how his tricks are done and they are not hard at all.
jkersey 22nd Mar 07	The best part of Blaine's magic is his presentation. He knows how to read people, and gives them what they want. If you have only seen him on TV, you're missing out. I saw him on the street doing magic, no camera crew (apparently he was waiting for his crew) The rapport he builds with people, his understated presentation, are all amazing. There were too many people to talk to him personally, but watching him with the crowd was awesome. And one thing I have to give to David Blaine: with the exception of his levitation, he doesn't tell people where to stand. Criss Angel does this constantly. You can see Blaine checking his angles constantly and he adjusts his tricks accordingly.
TonyGman922 9th Apr 07	i liked when david performed the trick 2 those 2 guys and they freaked out cause he planted the chop stixs and cards on them.
REYNOEL 16th Apr 07	There are a lot of tricks which he is performing on the street today which seems illogcal. He is really great
supermuncher 18th Apr 07	david blaine is the reason why i now do magic after watching his street magic shows i saw magic in a differant light...
claw 2nd May 07	I admire his superb skills in card handling, and his patters. He's one of the reason why I'm now into magic.
izzyhot 8th May 07	I personally like Criss Angel better, but David Blane is also good. I just like all the mentalism tricks Criss does.
magic2cool 14th May 07	Your all wrong about the walk on water trick by Criss Angel. The water isn't covered with glass, their is fiber glass on his feet under his shoes(how he can take his shoes off). By the way people who are dissing Criss lets see you set your self on fire, smashed into a brick wall by a car,ect.
ilovehat 5th Jun 07	david blainehas better acting than criss angel, also david is more generous than criss becuase david would teach you great steet magic tricks while criss will teach you the floating cup trick!:D
jkjkjk 6th Jul 07	David Blaine is my inspiration and beats Chris Angel by a long shot. David Blane was really cool
llamaboy 16th Jul 07	david blaine AND criss angel do staged stuff. david did the balducci levitation and recorded spectators expressions the did a wire levitation, edited out the wires and iserted the expressions! whereas criss has his wires when walking up walls. note his umbrella he has to have!
hunsletbadboy 27th Jul 07	when i first saw david blain i thought he was god or somthing he is a right street magician
J07D14M0ND3 16th Aug 07	David Blaine is a very good magician he inspired me to do magic! Scince then i have been preforming street magic just like him use many of his tricks!
marvin 30th Aug 07	David Blaine is my inspiration. Even though a simple trick will looks amazing if he's the one who perform. The moment I watch his tricks, I start to bleed with energy!
patxsparks 27th Sep 07	blaine is great. If you watch Criss Angle, ALL of his tricks are too obvious. Even his confederate actors suck. All his levitation is blue screen. Hes a rich spoiled emo kid who doesnt give a shit about magic. I saw through ALL of his gay little poser tricks. Blaine is so much better at illusions. Why? BLAINE FUCKING TRYS!!!!!!!!!! HES NOT A CAMERA TRICK! So there you go... David Blaine is REAL. Maybe not magic, but he goes through mental and physical pain to perfect his tricks.
sarin 7th Nov 07	personally ,I think if you can make anyone on the street or at home, watching tv, go"what the $@#%" and scratchin' there head,you deserve alittle recognition. We should all try to inspire one another,weather david, criss or anyone else who does magic. By the why,go to youtube and put in russian illusionists. these three brothers do some messed up stuff.
zkelosky 17th Nov 07	I am sorry, David Blaine is the biggest fraud in the business. Thats why he is sitting at home with his pitiful excuse for card magic. Not only is he a dreadful magician, he is a horrible showman at best. He uses fake crowds, retarded props, and most of all camera editing. Criss Angel on the other hand is great with showmanship. He makes the easy look hard, and the hard look even harder. If you don't believe me, buy David Blaine's book, or better yet, his instructions. There are plenty of site out there that tell you step by step how he does his tricks. When was the last time you saw David Blaine perform something original. Criss Angel has mostly original performances. In conclusion David Blaine is a no talent Asshat.
zkelosky 17th Nov 07	Sorry for the 2 post, my firefox has a high refresh rate. Up to the top where Leviteye said about hole in glass, he might want to rethink it. A hole would cause what he is on to shatter. Leviteye must be 5 years old to be so gullible to david blaine. maybe its a crush. Now I doubt Criss Angel really walked on water for the Hardcore Angel fans, but a trick is a trick. you HAte him for doing it because the best trick blaine ever did, was when he almost died in ice.
muk1234 23rd Dec 07	I'm sorry, but you are all wrong. Both Criss Angel and David Blaine are not true street magicians. True street magicians are people like Gazzo and Cellini. Criss Angel and David Blaine are absolutely nothing compared to real street magicians. David Blaine is an escape artist and Criss Angel is a stage illusionist. Neither of them are street magicians. Just my 2 cents.
NeoAveters 26th Dec 07	Everyone has got it wrong! Criss Angel is a fantastic preformer and entertainer. So what if most of his tricks are "rigged or Bogus". db and Criss Angel are about the same, I respect them equally. They are both street magicians, because they go around brining the gift of magic to the non paying public! I love them both, they give me equal inspiration. Why does everyone have to be soooooo jealous and childish about them both, grow up! Its up to us to see what we want in a magician. Thats magic, everyone sees ot differently. Gotit? News flash, blaine sucks cock, criss sucks cock they both the SAME, just different twists on what ,magic should be. Thank you. End of Rant.
muk1234 12th Jan 08	I will have to somewhat disagree Criss Angel performs stage illusions on the street. Most of his tricks are only performed on stage, so his team makes sure no one can see the "angles". David Blaine performs magic on the street. He strips the effesct to their purest for, which is a good thing. David Blaine is a great showman. As stated by Ken Weber, David Blaine focuses on the magic itself and nothing else. This lead to his success. He performs a new, contemporary form of street magic.
saibotenzo 9th Apr 08	i think that david is an excellent sleight of hand performer and street illusionist
bava 2nd May 08	i think both david blaine and chris angel are both great illusionists, they have made a name and a living by there illusions. The people who say they are con men are not getting hurt by the fact, they are not conning people out of money who dont believe. Personally my favourite is david blaine just because of the type of tricks he does appeal to me more but thats my oppinion, and i really respect the indurance stunts he does.
zariith 17th Jun 08	I know that David Blaine is the best magician thes is out there. A lot of peole say that Criss Angel's magic is just Camera tricks.
mozart 27th Jul 08	No offense or anything but there's a forum where you guys can agrue about who's better but I think you're post to comment on the article here. Such as: Wow! He got a $1,000,000 comtract for his show. Yeah, I didn't know anything about David Blaine and still don't know anything about him except for what was said in this article.
Rebekah 26th Aug 08	obang's right,they are in diffrent types of magic.you probally would never be compareing them if it wasn't for them bolth having a tv show with street magic.they bolth good so learn from them in stead of complaining about them.
magicianhefin 4th Oct 08	I am realy admire david blaine for his magic tricks he's realy professional in this.I am not an professional Magicain but Showing Magic tricks is my hobby.I like amusing People with simple but impresive magic.
jope 12th Mar 09	david blaine rules he should do more magic and not stunts!!!!!!!! Criss angel is also great but david blaine does beter card tricks than criss but they´re bout great!!!!!!
mitchellws 9th Jun 09	you are all wrong about the walking on water trick. i saw on the show "magic's biggest secrets revealed" on mytv (formerly upn), he has sveral plexi-glass boxes, made of two platforms, on top and bottom, with rods between them. the people in the pool are actors, and it is a trick that depends on camera angl. i never saw the criss angel walking on water show, but i know how its done. and, another thing. yes, criss angel has cool stage tricks, but hes so bogus with his "i have magical powers", when a five-year-old knows its all smoke and mirrors or some knid of trickery. david blaine has awesome tricks, that, if you know most of the moves on this site, you can guess and work out, and learn them. the onlyb bad thing about blaine is that i almost fall asleep when im watching the show, but when im watching criss, i want to kill myself. he is sooooo bogus. and, like many others say, stop fighting over the opinions of others, no matter how many times you repeat something, it will not change anyones opinions. watch. BLAINE SUCKS. BLAINE SUCKS. BLAINE SUCKS. now did i change anyones opinion of him? no. it is a never-ending battle you choose to fight. i suggest actually learning magic so you can make something of yourselves and maybe get shows like them. then you can tell them to their faces that they suck, instead of arguing with a bunch of retards in a chat room!!!!
jakesalk 3rd Jul 09	Everybody can talk as much trash as they want about Chris Angel, however he has turned on a new generation of magicians. myself being a 22 years old never really had seen any magic before Chris Angel and he really opened my eyes and made me want to learn more.. now i perform restaurants 3 nights a week.. although Angel maybe all bogus and staged, he opened my eyes to a career I never knew about before him
Jollyrancher 12th Oct 09	I think that they are both talented magicians that just perform differnt types of magic. So of corse hard core street magicians are not going to like criss because his magic is ' set up or rigged' but for the type of magic he does (tv magic) he is one of the best. All of this is also true for blaine because he performs street magic which mean that the effects are not quite as amazing but they require little or no setup. Bothe are great magicians that every one on this site should respect
Jollyrancher 12th Oct 09	I think that they are both talented magicians that just perform differnt types of magic. So of corse hard core street magicians are not going to like criss because his magic is ' set up or rigged' but for the type of magic he does (tv magic) he is one of the best. All of this is also true for blaine because he performs street magic which mean that the effects are not quite as amazing but they require little or no setup. Bothe are great magicians that every one on this site should respect
coolkidkody 16th Oct 09	I agree with IcyBlaine 100 percent. Criss Angels tricks are almost all rigged, and i do not consider him much of a magician. David Blaine can approach ANYONE and perform miracles. End of story
bluEWhaLe 25th Mar 11	David Blaine is a real source of inspiration for me. According to me he is the best street magician. Also, he is humble and mixes easily with all types of people which is a very important aspect of a true street magician. Some say that his tricks are easy to do, but I bet none of them figured it out themselves.

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David Blaine

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