Random Like His Illusions, There's More To David Blaine Than Meets The Eye (16 items)

(#5) He's Been Studied By Scientists To Discover His Dark Magical Secrets

Obviously, David Blaine does cool magic tricks. But some of his illusions are so mind-bending, even doctors and scientists have been baffled not only by how Blaine performs his tricks, but how he's able to survive his tricks at all. According to the results of a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, doctors recorded the:

anthropometric, biochemical, and endocrine changes during the refeeding period after a much-publicized 44-day fast by David Blaine, a performance artist; we compared the findings with results obtained from a control group of 16 age-matched men who had a similar body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) after an overnight fast.

The study's findings were nothing revolutionary. But just the fact that Blaine attracted the attention of skeptical scientists probably feels like a victory for him.
(#11) He Almost Became An Actor

Despite his early interest in magic, Blaine actually first set out to become an actor. He attended the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse's acting school in New York City. He even booked a few commercials and soap opera roles during this period. At the same time, Blaine was also doing his patented brand of street magic.

As if this wasn't enough on his plate, his street magic attracted the attention of many passersby, some of whom were celebrities, and Blaine was soon performing private parties for high-profile individuals.
(#8) He Once Drew An Eye On His Hand That He Said Was 'Protection From Death'

During a bizarrely unsettling 2001 interview on British television, Blaine scrawled some sort of small eye on his hand. When the interviewer asked him what it was for, he replied: "Protection from death."

And this reply, though cryptic, was one of the most elaborate answers Blaine gave in the whole interview. Barely uttering more than a word or two in reply to the questions being asked, the magician looked preoccupied at best. The appearance was so awkward The Guardian labeled it one of the most excruciating interviews of all time.
(#1) His Memoir Was Also A Literal Treasure Hunt With A $100,000 Prize

In 2002, Blaine released a book titled Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic. It was a sort of hybrid memoir/how-to/magic history/self-help guide all rolled into one. It also sent readers on a treasure hunt in search of a $100,000 grand prize. Deciphered through a code written into the text, the hunt generated worldwide interest, and armchair explorers took to the streets.

In 2004, a retired California schoolteacher named Sherri Skanes figured out all the book's clues and claimed the prize. Treasure hunt blog Mysterious Writings explains how she reportedly solved the riddle.
(#2) He Got His First Special By Levitating In Front Of Studio Executives

Blaine landed his first television special, Street Magic, in 1997. He filmed himself doing magic tricks on the street, and he brought the video to ABC executives, showing up to the studio's headquarters without so much as an appointment. But he worked his magic, so to speak, and landed before some major network decision makers.

Blaine astounded them with both his video and a live card trick. Then, he pulled out the big guns: He levitated right there in the meeting.
(#12) Celebrities Have Been Bowled Over By His Magic

By the time he was a rising young magician, Blaine had already amassed an impressive celebrity following. As his star has skyrocketed, that following has grown to include some of the biggest names in showbiz. His fans reportedly include Robert De Niro (who bought the rights to a movie about Blaine), Madonna, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, and Bryan Cranston. Even George W. Bush is a fan.