David Blaine Biography

David Blaine Amazing, astounding, and truly talented are just a few words that one might use to describe this accomplished street magic and stunt performer. From card tricks to creating the illusion of levitation, David Blaine continues to leave audiences asking: How d he do that?David Blaine was born on April 4th, 1973, in Brooklyn, New York. At the young age of four, Blaine performed his first card trick routine when he was inspired to dabble in magic by both his mother and a subway performer whose routine he happened to witness. As a teen, he briefly turned his aspirations to acting. The young David attended formal classes and garnered a few gigs on television commercials and on daytime dramas. He later returned to his true love, however, performing magic tricks at celebrity functions in front of big name celebrities like Mike Tyson, Al Pacino, and David Geffen.In 1991, Blaine began to make a name for himself as a magician by performing street magic in front of everyday people. His tricks ranged from card tricks to levitation to bringing dead flies back to life. A small camera crew captured the astounded reactions of his unsuspecting audiences, and his close-up magic was aired on several television specials including David Blaine: Street Magic, David Blaine: Magic Man, and David Blaine: Mystifier. The specials were well-received by audiences, making him a sought-after personality by virtually every talk show. His appearance on Last Call with Carson Daly was perhaps his most memorable. Blaine created the realistic illusion of pulling his heart from his chest, leaving some audience members fleeing in tears and the host stunned beyond words.After captivating everyday people with his extraordinary feats, David subsequently turned his efforts to stunts and displays of endurance. Unlike his illusions, these stunts were the real thing, as was the danger in which the performer often placed himself. One of his notable stunts was known as premature burial. Beginning on April 5th of 1999, he spent seven days buried inside a glass coffin at the bottom of an open pit. The building that his coffin was in front of was provided by Donald Trump.Other notable feats include being encased in ice for sixty-one hours, a stunt that was featured on a television special, standing on a ninety-foot high pillar for thirty-four hours with no food or water, and being encased in a suspended Plexiglas case in London for a forty-four day endurance stunt, known as Above the Below. The latter stunt took its toll on Blaine; he lost a considerable amount of weight and was hospitalized. He also spent a prolonged time submerged in water, and was interviewed about the stunt by Howard Stern.In his personal life, David counts actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro among his friends. He has had romantic relationships with singer Fiona Apple and supermodel and actress Josie Maran. It is also rumored that he dated Madonna at one time, although neither party has confirmed the speculation.

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