CHICAGO (AP) - David Blaine set a new world record Wednesday for breath-holding, 17 minutes and 4 seconds. The feat was broadcast live during "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and the studio audience cheered as divers pulled the 35-year-old magician from a water-filled sphere. Blaine looked relaxed afterward and said the record was "a lifelong dream." The previous record was 16 minutes and 32 seconds, set Feb. 10 by Switzerland's Peter Colat, according to Guinness World Records. Before he entered the sphere, Blaine inhaled pure oxygen through a mask to saturate his blood with oxygen and flush out carbon dioxide. Guinness says up to 30 minutes of so-called "oxygen hyperventilation" is allowed under its guidelines. Previously, Blaine was buried alive for a week in a see-through coffin in New York and spent more than a month suspended from a glass box by the River Thames in London. http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20080430/D90C8S800.html
Damn, if that's legit, it's just incredible. And inside a glass coffin for a week? Sheesh, I have to use an open MRI machine!
I don't think that's legit. He tried on TV before during a special and failed at like 7 minutes, the record was like 9 minutes if I remember correctly. found the article. so unless the record changed 7 minutes in the last couple years I don't buy it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050801681.html edit: I guess it looks legit. crazy. I still think he's some kind of demon. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/us_nm/oprah_blaine_dc_3
I'm pretty sure he's some kind of demon. the youtube spoofs are hilarious. http://youtube.com/watch?v=AYxu_MQSTTY
YES! the fake magician? (can't see youtube at work, so i'm assuming)... i LOVE the one where he opens the parking structure arm.... and the elevator one.
Here's one over 15 minutes: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/10/germany.kateconnolly The time he has to beat is 16 minutes and 32 seconds, a record set Feb. 10 by Switzerland's Peter Colat, according to Guinness World Records http://www.worldamazingrecords.com/2008/04/david-blaine-world-record-live-video-at.html
Good point with the time change. If I recall correctly he had to hold his breath longer than 9 minutes and some odd seconds last time. How did it jump up to 16 minutes? Personally, I thought it was really cool that he failed. It made me like him more because that made me realize just how intense his trick/accomplishments are. Since he failed it also made me think that he is less involved with illusions and more into training his body to handle extreme stuff like that.