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[News] Famed Magician In Freediving World Record Stunt

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Just an FYI for whoever didn't like the Madonna shot - she was doing one of the 'eka pada' (foot behind the head) series of asanas - in fact probably the easiest of them - and not particularly well. She was big into ashtanga and they do alot of those. I found the image irritating too - though I'm sure for quite different reasons.
 
This is a proud moment for Deeper Blue. Steven my congratulations and to the Group in NY as well. From a small group of Freedivers to our name in lights. Now we must be able to stand what comes our way. Lets show them that PFI was only the tip of the ice berg. Good job You guys keep it up.
 
Paul I will be there tomorow by 6


don't go no where felow !t I want to say hello to you --No magic jaja


Hey- do you have a nextra deeperblue T shirt like the one I saw in the pic?
 
If the original news bit had been "Famed magician to try an entertaining breath-hold stunt", maybe the response had been a bit different. But it was "famed magician to take on Sietas" or something like that, which is a direct implication of making a serious challenge to one of the biggest heroes of freediving in fair competition. Yeah, I know, nitpicking, but just thought I'd mention it...

Anyway, even this thread is proving great entertainment, so obviously the stunt, already, is proving to be a success
 
Reactions: naiad and Veronika
Just to let everyone know - we're going to have Paul doing some audio interviews with people and VIPs at the event during today and tomorrow. Look out for Audio broadcasts on the DeeperBlue.net Special Feature Series articles.
 
That's a good video...
So any luck for a live internet video link for tomorrow night????
 
Update - my live interview with Bulgarian National Radio will be TUESDAY, May 9, at 5PM Sofia time ( 10 AM New York time). This will, obviously, be after the event is over, so ...

My progress learning Bulgarian in time for the interview has not been encouraging. Suggestions ?
 
pkotik said:
My progress learning Bulgarian in time for the interview has not been encouraging. Suggestions ?
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You are pretty lucky, Paul, that it's just a radio and not a TV interview. The biggest problem when communicating with Bulgarians, is the nodding and shaking of the head - it is inverted in Bulgaria, so when you nod to agree, it actually means strong disagreement, and vice versa. Although I've been to Bulgaria many times, I always had problems to get used to it. The biggest problem is that some Bulgarians try to invert it when they speak to you and know that you are a foreigner - so in fact you never know if they do it in their or in your way. And myself, I always block my neck just after few days in Bulgaria, because of the muscle fight - when I try to shake my head and the automatic reflex starts to nod (or vice versa).
 
I guess this stands behind many of the posts in this thread. I think the gap between "Famed magician to try an entertaining breath-hold stunt" and "famed magician to take on Sietas" is poetic license:
(answers.com) poetic license
n.
The liberty taken by an artist or a writer in deviating from conventional form or fact to achieve a desired effect.
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He is a performence artist. The media is a tool. Our attention is easly attracted to danger and challenges (and arguements and ethical dilemmas when we see them, such in this case for us freedivers). Mother evolution programmed us this way and this is also David's tool.
For me, DB is a part of the show, even if a small one compared to DB's significance on public view.
On that same note, I think people landing hotdogs on David's cage in his last performance was a part of the act. Art is not whole without a spectator active in mind or heart (or stomach).
Ofcourse it is much easier to post this now and reconcile with the press reports after the circus has started.
jome said:
Anyway, even this thread is proving great entertainment, so obviously the stunt, already, is proving to be a success
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I agree. David will have his money/fame, we'll have our thrills and freediving got some spotlight time with very little being risked as negative publicity once David turned this into a circus show with chains and water leopards (there's still time).

Paul's articles and this thread with its debates about ethics and technicalities, anti-sarcastic sarcasm (poetic license once again?), amusing insights into the Bulgarian body language and colorful references to some of my favourite books and shows have been great entertainment so far.
The world's a stage.
 
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pkotik said:
Folks, please. This is SHOW BUSINESS. ... It's just fun, play - a game.
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Yes, I think everyone understood it, so I hope you won't mind if we poke some fun at Blaine too

DeepThought said:
He is a performence artist...
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Yes he is an excellent performance artist, but his art is not in achieving exceptional or record performances. What he is exceptional in is the art of marketing - selling whatever average stunt he chooses for a human limits breaking event.

As was already mentioned (for example in the link featherland posted earlier), Blaine's "tricks" are no tricks, and his "records" are no records. In spite of massive marketing, AFAIK none of his "records" did it to the Guinness Book of Records (see here).

His "Buried Alive" stunt, when he was "buried" for 7 days in a Plexiglas coffin under a transparent water tank, was nothing exceptional. There were other performers who went further - for example the Czech Zdenek Zahradka who now holds the Guinness record - he staid buried under 1m of earth (no transparent pool over him like at Blaine) for 10 days, and unlike Blaine, he did it without drinking any water at all.

The fasting stunt in London was also not exceptional and not recognized by Guinness - they do not promote fasts and there are many recorded fasts much longer than Blaine's 44 days.

The "Frozen in Time" stunt was also nothing exceptional. Eskimos live enclosed in igloos for much longer and they would never come to the idea promoting it as a stunt Ice is actually known as a good insulator - that's why Eskimos build igloos with it.

His current stunt was already criticized enough in this thread, so it is not necessary to repeat that unlike Blaine claims, he will not stay submerged in water longer than any human being did (Khoo Swee Chiow stayed in a tank for more than 9 days), neither he will beat any static apnea world record (unless he does more than 15 minutes which is the actual current apnea record, or more than 10 minutes after breathing atmospheric air on the surface).

Do not take me wrong - I still appreciate the performance, have fun, and admire Blaine's courage and will power, but I dislike the blatant and mendacious marketing campaign. Here in Europe, we are not yet used to this style of marketing and usually it has the opposite effect - people get easily turned against the subject of such advertising. I am aware though that in America, people are used to be fed with such bombastic propaganda since childhood, and would probably not percept the event at all if it was not so aggressively promoted.

Personally I prefer much more modest performers who do real records even if it is without a great show and publicity. Just like the amazing Raphaela Legouvello that just in these very same days crosses the Indian Ocean alone on a windsurfing board. Although it is in comparison with Blaine practically not promoted, in my eyes it is a much more amazing stunt than the one of Blaine.

Still, I wish Blaine good luck, and hope he manages to avoid any health damage
 
Sorry if this was covered already but if memory serves me I believe someone set a record in Ft. Lauderdale several years ago at over 10 minutes and think there may be one other person. Apparently those weren't recognized either. If anyone recalls that I wouldn't mind knowing why it wasn't recognized.
 
OK, now there is absolutely NO doubt whatsoever, that he is gonna make it...

Static is mainly about controlling the body to the extreme. Lowering the metabolism, focusing, consentrating. If you can master these things you are well on the way...
But imagine if you could stop the heart!!! -And I belive that this is Blaines secret!
I found this link where he is actually stopping the it completely:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amt1yVGGxGo&search=david blaine heart

-Well in a kind of bizare way...

Peter P
rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl
 
Just read the latest part of paul's articles... I know it's all show, but showing the death of Audrey Mestre on screen... Wow, how distastefull is that! I'm not going to say anything else then this about it. I just lost a lot of respect for some people...
 
Reactions: naiad
I agree. Saying 'this is show business' is no excuse. I was shocked to hear about that. It goes way beyond the boundaries of acceptable show business.
 

Reading this in Paul's update was really a shock - and you can't claim this is showbiz so anything goes. What has showing the video of someone's death got to do with a show? What had that video of Audrey Mestre to do with Blain's stunt? Is the idea just to show something shocking just to keep things interesting until the finale so that TV and crowds do not loose interest - Sorry but this just doesn't cut it. It is just unethical (and I am not one to be easily offended as far as ethics go).

My objection to this is not a freediving "thing" it is a human "thing".

Stavros
 
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I find watching the Audrey footage always very disturbing and sad. Likewise if I ever see Oceanmen.

However - from an entertainment perspective it certainly is one way of getting people all hyped up. Blaine is trying to compare the event to the "houdini" escape routines. A common myth about Houdini is that he died whilst trying to do his underwater escape routine. By showing the Audrey footage he is showing "Hey - look at one of the last people doing this freediving stuff - they ended up dead as well" and hence portray a real sense of danger to the audience.

For entertainment purposes this is pure gold-dust.
 
Ft. Lauderdale is where Martin Stepanek currently lives. His old record was 8:06, and although I do not exclude he did more in training, I never heard such claim. In contrary the static apnea record holder Tom Sietas, already did several standard apneas over 9 and even over 10 minutes. The 10+ minute PB was set in training. His 9:24 static apnea in Vancouver on August 11, 2004 was not recognized as record, because shortly after surfacing he briefly touched his couch (or was touched by him?). However, Blaine's record should be compared to Tom Sieta's Guinness record of 15+ minutes that he did after breathing oxygen on a TV show, and definitely not to records made with surface atmospheric breath-up.
 
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Were Audrey's family consulted about the use of the footage? I find it deeply distasteful.
 
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