We think David Blaine's abilities are outstanding.
Although we're not really focusing about his magic abilities but that's
okay, he isn't either.
We're amazed at the publicity he can produce by remaining in one place for
long periods of time: frozen in a block of ice; standing on top of a pillar;
living inside a glass box; buried in a glass coffin beneath New York's streets; and now floating (sort
of) inside a glass bubble.
When compared with the stunts of other magicians, his passive approach
stands in stark contrast.
Consider Houdini writhing and straining against the constraints of a
straight-jacket, ropes, or irons. Or
perhaps a more recent contrast would be Criss Angel's very kinetic stunts and illusions.
We know to folks in the UK, there is nothing special about Catherine Zeta Jones. The stage and screen star was apparently taken for granted.
It was only after coming to our continent that she was accorded the respect and love all Brits deserve. We love the accent, we love the wit, and we love it even more when both are found within such a beautiful actress.
The Hollywood Reporter tells us (and everyone else with a subscription we presume) the good news!
The lovely Ms. Zeta-Jones is about to ink a deal to portray the leading lady in the soon-to-be filmed biographical/fictional indie biopic Death Defying Acts opposite Guy Pearce.
"Will David be sleeping with the fishes" asks Roy Williams, the outstanding writer for UK's Express and Star newspaper.
Mr.
Williams' column is a must read if only for his take on how American's
take David Blaine. The magician may have both sides of the Atlantic
fooled.
A press release on David's site tells us he trained for this
experience with US Navy seals, which would account for all that barking
and hand-clapping. He may even run to balancing a ball on his nose, but
we shall see over the next seven days.
As you would expect from a man who inspires awe and wonder in his
native America and wonderful guffawes over this side of the pond, there
are websites devoted to lauding and lampooning what the man his own DVD
describes as "the hottest magician around right now" . . . but give it
a week and he may be cold as a cod in a cooler.
Quinlan's Inside Magic's policy is
to publish letters to the editor, answer general questions, and issue
corrections from time-to-time and as required by applicable federal regulations.
If you have a question, mistake, suggestion about something appearing in
these pages, please feel free to send them to editor@insidemagic.com. All submissions
will immediately become the property of Quinlan's Inside Magic and may be edited
to meet the needs of this fine journal – or to take out cuss words.
Q: What is roughing fluid? Where can I get some and what would I do with
it when I got it?
- A Magician, Lake Park, Florida.
A: Dear "A Magician," if that's your real name, Roughing
Fluid is an anachronistic phrase used to describe any sort of liquid or
semi-solid material produced by physical exertion.
Sweat is the most common form
of Roughing Fluid because it is easily collected by the performer who is either
"roughed up" or "roughing it."
Robert-Houdin was the first to describe Roughing Fluid in his
little-appreciated Mes Fluides Magiques, ("My Magic Fluids").
"Perspiration is produced often by the performer because lighting
demands and nerves of the performer.
This is often wasted or collected by
clothing through absorption or wiped onto the clothing of audience members or
assistants.
This too is a shame because the very same fluids can be used most effectively
to produce more magic of a most mysterious – and often odorless –
manner."
The Mirror of England has taken up the exclusive responsibility for following the David Blaine underwater stunt. We don't know if they paid Mr. Blaine for the right to claim exclusivity for the UK News Market but to be honest, we don't really care enough to find out.
It is hard to imagine
"EXCLUSIVE: BLAINE'S BUBBLE
EXCLUSIVE BREATHTAKING WEEK FOR MAGICIAN
Ryan Parry In New York
MAGICIAN David Blaine as he begins his latest bizarre stunt today – living in a water-filled plastic bubble for a week.
At the end of the marathon, Blaine will try to break the world record for holding breath underwater, which stands at eight minutes 58 seconds.
The 33-year-old illusionist, who spent 44 days suspended in a glass box in London in 2003, will be sealed in the 8ft-high bubble outside the Lincoln Centre in New York in an event dubbed "Drowned Alive".
He will be supplied with air and liquid nutrition through a tube.
Blaine nearly drowned while he was rehearsing holding his breath. He blamed the incident on his strict diet, saying: "I've been working too hard and I'm already dieting, so missing one meal can really mess me up."
During Blaine's London stunt suspended in his glass box over the Thames, some onlookers hurled food and abuse at him after he vowed not to eat anything.
His other stunts have included balancing on top of a 90ft-high pillar for 35 hours and spending 61 hours encased in ice."
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