David Blaine blames Safety People for his failure

[Cliff Etzel]

This is ironic to say the least, especially with all the hoopla bantered about before the event actually took place -and I quote: "David Blaine has blamed his minders for his failed underwater record-breaking attempt."

Read the full report here

[Pastor]

There was a documentery on the box last night about it, he said there that he initially thought that they had pulled him out early but he now realises that if they hadnt then he doubts he "would have returned" (his words). Seemed grateful enough to me but maybe he tricked me into thinking that

[DeepThought]

That's one way of dealing with failure.
Though I don't trust this media report at all.

[pkotik]

Guys, all I can do is remind you you're debating a TELEVISION SHOW.

It's like having a symposium on the Sublatent Endocognitive Misogyny in Elmer Fudd's Antipathic Dysphonia Toward Dat Wabbit.

A huge television show, to be sure, and one seen ( and still talked about ) all over this blue planet, but a TV show just the same. Entertainment employing aquatic themes.

Now, to serious matters - does Elmer use semtex or C4 when he tries to blow up Dat Wabbit ? Given the well-known difference in the expansion velocities of these two explosives, I'd have to go with the semtex.

[neshamah]

My mother was telling me that she saw a progam on tv of

david blaine talking about this

that's unbelieveblae -how can you blame the one that save your life?


does this guy david really wanted to die?

[Tom Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by pkotik

Guys, all I can do is remind you you're debating a TELEVISION SHOW.

We're also debating an article (headline actually) intended to attract readership. If you actually read into the article, David says he could have gone on for another "10, 15, 20" seconds. He had two more minutes of lock picking left to do so "failure" was a foregone conclusion.

I think Kirk's timing was spot-on (as usual) for any normal record attempt. But the speedy rescue denied David that dramatic TV moment where he is completely motionless in a near-deth state. It's a fair enough criticism for a TV show meant to entertain but given David's fragile state, letting him languish on the bottom of the sphere for a few more seconds would have been awfully risky.

Everyone involved had an agenda. David and his people wanted a dramatic ending and the PFI team wanted a rescue (if required) to be efficient and without the need for medical heroics. What eventually transpired seemed like a reasonable compromise to me.

Tom

[pkotik]

I completely agree, Tom. It was as near-perfect a compromise as I can imagine. It's like Churchill said, when asked what he thought about democracy : " It's the worst possible form of government, except for all the others."

The ending to Blaine's show maybe didn't make any one of the competing interests totally happy, but it was likely the best one possible under the circumstances. Live TV is a tough beast to tame !

[Apnea_Addict]

I am a little speechless after reading this...

And you are still saying this whole circus was to promote safe freediving ? A healthy pastime for everybody...

Holger

[hteas]

From David's side, NO.
From Kirk's, and Martin's, and Paul's, YES.
It all sounds, to us outsiders, like David doesn't care about freediving, but simply about being in front of another camera. Freedivin g was just another gimmick. The guys, however, were very serious about it all, as anyone that knows them would expect. They worked very hard to make sure we came off in as good a light as possible. It's just too bad that more of the media didn't follow Paul's lead on the story. They might have actually learned something, followed by passing it on to their loyal readers/listeners.
My 2 cents
Howard

[Mark Laboccetta]

I wanted to ask those of you familiar with the aforementioned stunt a question. I emailed Kirk but never received a reply, he must be busy with all his classes I assume as he runs a world class service.

Anyhow the skeptic in me begs to ask, is it possible David Blaine used pure O2 for his stunt?

The reason I ask is that before freediving became what it is today I was invited to do a study with the guys at Duke Hyperbaric Chamber in 1997 using experienced breath hold subjects. In a nut shell Duke Hyperbaric and DAN with MD Neil Pollock were trying to study the effects of pure O2 on experienced breath hold divers. Imagine their and my surprise when it would double our breath hold times............................................. ......I felt like Kevin Costner in Water World. Was a pretty cool experience and a good way to die if conducted outside of a controlled environement, unless you're planning on using it just below the surface! Anyway that's another topic for another day.

Mark

[tylerz]

Originally Posted by Mark Laboccetta

Anyhow the skeptic in me begs to ask, is it possible David Blaine used pure O2 for his stunt? ... Anyway that's another topic for another day.

Actually it is a topic from a past day

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthr...917#post594968

[efattah]

After a discussion with Kirk & Mandy, it appears David's real static pb was 7'56" prior to the stunt, and they personally insisted that no enriched O2 was used for the final breathe-up and breath-hold. They also said that Blaine was frustrated by the pure O2 rumours, such that he wanted to do a stunt on pure O2 for double the length, to convince the skeptics.

Further, his frustration with the rumours apparently has inspired him to compete at an AIDA competition, again to silence the skeptics....

[Jee]

Originally Posted by efattah

Further, his frustration with the rumours apparently has inspired him to compete at an AIDA competition, again to silence the skeptics....

Let's see that! Nobody will stop him doing that. I mean really, he should come and participate on a competition. Why not?

Anyway, I think doing over 5, over 6 minute(!) in those conditions is really nice.
(even on O2)

Jee

[DeepThought]

Originally Posted by efattah

Further, his frustration with the rumours apparently has inspired him to compete at an AIDA competition, again to silence the skeptics....

So now he is trapped in OUR game. *Evil laugh*
He can feel free to pop into these forums anytime.

[Stephan Whelan]

Actually - based on my and Paul's discussions with David Blaine staff and his reaction to seeing Paul's DB tops at the event the site was and is heavily trafficked by David and/or his staff as they pick up tips. Whilst I doubt David will post here i'm sure what is being said is being read by his staff.