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Blaine Tells New York Post Dive Finale Was “Full Disaster”

UPDATE: JB from theory11 was interviewed by the Page Six reporter and has a few things to say about it AFTER THE JUMP…

skitched-20081006-014849.jpgThe New York Post’s Page Six Magazine gets the gold star today for a revealing bio on David Blaine, post-Dive of Death, including this choice quote…

…he is unhappy with Dive of Death, even calling his dismount a “full disaster. The whole show was spent promoting my final moment, and then it was so underwhelming.” David was supposed to jump off the cube and fly over Central Park attached to balloons. Instead, he had to do a minor bungee jump due to wind conditions and was hoisted up slowly by a crane—a banal end to a much-mocked stunt.

The article seems to reveal Blaine at a crossroads of his career. Is he growing tired of his endurance stunts or are they the only thing that drives him? Is he a wild eccentric for whom money is no object or is he a boss who only hires those who won’t say “no.” Does the mocking get to him or is he content when fans pack thousands deep to see him?

Another notable moment is Brad Christian of Ellusionist saying that a “majority of magicians” think Blaine is a “bit of a joke.”

Great work.

Here is JB’s email to iTricks about the Page Six article:

Regarding the New York Post – I spoke with her myself at the site for nearly an hour, of which none was in the article. Maybe one of the qualifications to get into the article was talking s—? I didn’t think that article was a fair assessment at all. The Drowned Alive record attempt was not a “trick faltering” – because it wasn’t a trick. In my mind, not meeting the record at the end of the Drowned Alive special was perhaps more poignant a moment than if he had. It showed humanity. It showed him not giving up. And in defeat, it really did show triumph. And months later, he tore up the record live on Oprah – something pretty bold to do live, given the obvious possibility that it might have ended the same way.

I take the writer at what it’s worth in understanding that the conclusion of this stunt didn’t go as planned, and was obviously a disappointing end to some viewers. But to discount an hour and 50 minutes of incredible magic and only discuss the final 10 seconds of the special – I think David deserves more respect and credit than that.

Posted by Editor on Monday, October 6th, 2008 at 9:02 am.

  • ChasingRabbits

    Wow. Apparently Brad Christian is painfully unaware of his own status among the majority of magicians.
    How is that big glass house you live in Brad?

  • http://www.marktoland.com Mark Toland

    Brad Christian is a hypocrite. He scorns Blaine in the media, but the banner at the top of his site promotes all of Blaine’s latest material. Easy to hate someone but not too proud to turn a profit? Good for you, Brad Christian.

  • Richard

    I was going to write something out but “ChasingRabbits” has summed up my thoughts almost to a T.

  • http://Ellusionist.com Jason Brumbalow

    That queote was taken completely out of context. I was in the carwith Brad when he was on the phone with the post. The reporter had asked some very leading questions like, “Why do you think that there seem to be 2 factions in Blaine’s fanbase? Why do you think that Blaine doesn’t seem to have the following he used to? How is Blaine’s reputation among magicians?” The focus of what Brad was saying was very positive. He spent the majority of time explaining what Blaine had done for the magic community and how he re-energized it.

    Of course none of that made it into the article. It’s your classic spin-doctor case. She was fishing for negativity and that’s what she chose to cherry=pick out of the quotes. Sad and misleading.

  • M@gic

    Brad’s career is based solely of the back of Blaine’s- Brad Christian needs to give David Blaine a lot more respect.

  • Alexander

    brad has pretty much made a living thanks entirely to blaine!

  • http://www.ellusionist.com Brad Christian

    I spoke to the reporter for over 30 minutes on the subject of Blaine and praised him up and down for what he’s done for the community and for magic in general. Anyone who knows how I feel on the subject knows I think David Blaine single-handedly changed the way magic is perceived by the public and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for that. I went on and on with that reporter, as did JB from T-11. She used none of my great comments and insight about Blaine and took a small thing I said in passing and blew it up. She was looking for a way to spin the story and used anything she could to back up her angle. You guys know that. The quote was taken out of context and used to create a story that would attract viewers. I regret talking to her in the first place given that she didn’t express what I conveyed. JB talked to her for an hour and she used nothing of what he said given that it was purely positive. Enough said.

  • Alexander

    thanks for clarification brad

  • http://www.ellusionist.com Brad Christian

    Of course, Alexander.

    I’ve written articles about Blaine for Ellusionist on how magicians should thank him for stepping out in such a different way and – the gentleman above is right – Blaine’s approach to television and magic brought about part of Ellusionist’s success. In fact, from what I’ve heard, Blaine recommends E when people ask him how to learn magic. I wish the whole interview could have been heard as it would be a much bigger picture than that one comment taken out of context.

  • http://www.marktoland.com Mark Toland

    Thanks for the post and clarification Brad. It is unfortunate that the story was spun in such a way as this. I would really wish to have read what you and JB had said in full.

  • 3drian

    Im glad everything is clear now, because i was really confused when i started reading the article.. I feel bad for brad, because ya, its the media and they will do that..

  • 3drian

    Im glad everything is clear now, because i was really confused when i started reading the article.. I feel bad for brad, because ya, its the media and they will do that..