The Blaine game

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2003-09-15 06:36am

The Blaine game
September 15, 2003 - 9:49AM

The latest sport in London is taunting David Blaine.

The New York illusionist, who has been hanging nine metres above ground next to London's Tower Bridge in a glass box for the past 10 days, is an irresistible target for people trying to get him to break his vow to fast for 44 days.

Jokers used a remote-controlled toy helicopter to fly a cheeseburger centimetres from his face on Friday night.

The 'copter took off from a car park near the Blaine encampment, dangling the burger bag - its aroma wafting around Blaine's box.

The mini-chopper narrowly missed landing amid the crowd of onlookers before it crash-landed in the car park.

Crowds with cameras and binoculars stare at Blaine all day, waving and shouting, "David, do something!"

When he stretches, bare-chested on a warm day, he elicits wolf whistles.

But there has been a steady effort to disrupt his concentration.

Blaine, 30, has been pelted with French fries and eggs - dutifully washed off the box by his girlfriend, model Manon von Gerkan, who got so mad she herself threw an egg at one of the pelters.

A duffer on the bridge aimed his golf balls at Blaine's cage, which measures two metres by two metres by one metre. And the illusionist's sleep was disrupted by a man banging on an Indian bhangra drum.

On the plus side, a young woman flashed her breasts at him. Passing tugboats and tourist boats in the Thames River honk in support.

Security has been stepped up since the egg-throwing started. Mounted policewomen are keeping an eye on the crowd, and a wire fence keeps onlookers from getting too close to the box.

The fence has prompted fans to attach bouquets, a teddy bear and signs reading "Do Not Disturb" and "We love David".

"I think he's amazing," says Natalia Rimell, 17, a waitress who travelled from Stroud in western England to see Blaine. "Forty-four days! I couldn't not eat for four days."

Blaine, whose previous stunts have included spending 61 hours in a block of ice in Times Square, has sold the TV rights to his stunt to Sky TV for a reported $12 million. People with digital TV - and a lot of time on their hands - can watch his escapade 24 hours a day.

"He's on a mission," declares Steffyanna Bronski. The 32-year-old fan has been camped out near the box every day, amply supplied with beer and cigarettes - unlike Blaine, who is living solely on water.

Experts say the worst is ahead for Blaine as his body and mind suffer from lack of food.

"The most interesting stage will begin after 12 to 14 days, when David can expect to suffer hallucinations," says Dr John Potter, a psychiatrist who is monitoring Blaine.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-09-15 06:45am

OK, hands up if you give a damn.....

.....

.....

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2003-09-15 06:53am

44 days WO a shover?

God he vill stink!

Post by **Colonel Olrik** » 2003-09-15 06:53am

"He's on a mission," declares Steffyanna Bronski.

Yeah, sure, whatever you say. Right now his body is eating itself and the man is dying for money, fame and attention. He's an insult to people who really starve to death and he'd be better as a prostitute, selling his body for sex is much more healthier than torturing it for one and a half months.

By the way, in these situations you only feel hunger for a day. After that, your body stops asking for food. As long as you have water, you'll just grow weaker until you die. How much time you hold on is determined by the amount of body fat you had previously and your metabolism. I'd be fucked very quickly.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2003-09-15 06:54am

Colonel Olrik wrote:
"He's on a mission," declares Steffyanna Bronski.

Yeah, sure, whatever you say. Right now his body is eating itself and the man is dying for money, fame and attention. He's an insult to people who really starve to death and he'd be better as a prostitute, selling his body for sex is much more healthier than torturing it for one and a half months.

Rather effective diet for loosing weight, that being said he will be lucky to survive.

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2003-09-15 06:56am

Muahaha! And somewhere behind it all is a sinister bald man with a white cat in a box hung over a volcano, as Britain reenacts all it's favourite bits from Bond movies on the resident jack-in-the-box.

So, what have we got next - enormous EMP weapons, super heat rays, and of course, a giant rocket that will saunter along somewhere around day 26 and swallow the box whole.

Hallucinations? What hallucinations?

Post by **Colonel Olrik** » 2003-09-15 06:58am

Faram wrote:
Rather effective diet for loosing weight, that being said he will be lucky to survive.

After a few days, your body will be feeding of your muscles, minerals, etc. Even if he survives, he will never be as healthy as before. I don't understand these people. If he wants to be known, then he should start praticing sports instead of comitting suicide.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-09-15 07:00am

44 days without a piss! thats gotta be fake.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-09-15 07:06am

He's probably getting some bizarre nutrient-water.

Post by **Colonel Olrik** » 2003-09-15 07:06am

Col. Crackpot wrote:44 days without a piss! thats gotta be fake.

He pisses and drinks water, he just doesn't eat. It's not a fake.

HemlockGrey wrote:He's probably getting some bizarre nutrient-water.

Nope, that's controlled (at least according to what I've read).

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-09-15 07:32am

I wouldn't be so quick to pass off every apparently stupid thing someone does as simply a way of getting attention. He's a magician. It'd be natural for one to try to do incredible things. (Although this really isn't that much; Cesar Chavez and Gandhi did things like this too).

Advocate · Post by **Advocate** » 2003-09-15 11:51am

At least Gandhi was doing it for peace. He's just out for attention. I mean, how many of these stunts has he been doing? It gets real boring, real fast.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-09-15 11:55am

I'm with Debi...not caring.

Honestly if he wants to starve himself and people want to believe he's being strong or heroic for doing such...all the more power to him because he needs something to make up for the lack of brains.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2003-09-15 12:04pm

*starts willing Blaine to start chanting "Owa Tatoo Lyam" while punching himself in the junk*

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2003-09-15 12:05pm

Keep Those Burger Copters Flying!!!

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-09-15 12:09pm

Jokers used a remote-controlled toy helicopter to fly a cheeseburger centimetres from his face on Friday night.
The 'copter took off from a car park near the Blaine encampment, dangling the burger bag - its aroma wafting around Blaine's box.

HA HA HA! That's hilarious, go Brits!

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-09-15 01:11pm

Einhander Sn0m4n wrote:Keep Those Burger Copters Flying!!!

Too fucking funny!
Maybe he'll end up eating his own head?

South Park referance, for those of you who don't know.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-09-15 01:14pm

if he tried to pull this shit in new york he'd have gotten cut down, beaten and robbed by now.

or at least spray painted.

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2003-09-15 02:06pm

I would be very surprised if someone somewhere in Britain isnt planning to cut him down, I would be prepared to bet that university students across the UK have several pub-based plans worked through.

Think about it like this, traffic cones - too easy, building signs - where's the challenge? But a large plastic box containing a stoned american illusionist? There's a prize of kings...

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-09-15 02:14pm

The_Lumberjack wrote:I would be very surprised if someone somewhere in Britain isnt planning to cut him down, I would be prepared to bet that university students across the UK have several pub-based plans worked through.

*cough*holidays*cough*

Then again, maybe term'll start while he's up there..

... *grin* rugby initiation, anyone?

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2003-09-15 02:18pm

Freshers week students on tour? I know Newcastle are back this week.

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2003-09-15 02:32pm

Last i heard some guy had opening a hamburger stand right underneath him. But really who gives a shit. Sky 1 is providing a 24 hour round the clock. And i thought Big Brother was crap.

To quote a Radio 1 DJ "If you have no friends and you've no paint to watch dry come on down" Another DJ commented that "Davis Blane needs to do that 44 days. Currently Emile Heskey has spend 4 years in a box doing nothing"

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-09-15 06:49pm

At least he didn't try without the box. (David Blaine's signature trick is levitating himself in midair).

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-09-15 07:05pm

I like his street magic stuff better than this type of thing. A guy in a box. Oooh.

Agent R · Post by **Agent R** » 2003-09-15 07:15pm

Yeah, this seems more like an endurance challenge than "magic".