# Ask the Dude Who can Explain David Blaine's Magic. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356 "2010-08-15T21:49:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Super\_Kapowzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Super\_Kapowzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Kapowzler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/1 "2010-08-15T21:49:16Z")
I have hesitated submitting this thread, for some 6 months now, telling myself that the level of diction, and amount of time involved in explainations required, would be beyond what I could sacrifice and deliver, in order to give it the attention it deserved. (The '58’s brakes need a complete rebuild before winter, fantasy football is amongst us, I have 10 days of vacation to use yet this year, hunting season and ginseng season are around the corner, I still don’t have Classical Gas down, all the while never seeing a busier year at work than I have in the last 10.) When it comes to “magicians”, I will say they have my 100% focus and attention when they practice their craft. I watched a “cowboy magician” at a steak-house perform all of 5 card-tricks, table-to-table and could not see his “slight”. A PRO. Kudos! I have seen “magicians” on TV do so poorly that I began doing the trick myself. I have to admit that David Blaine(sp) does some crazy shit that could get him laid. He likes to take a “slower-stoner”-personal presentation(crowd control-rule#1-control their focus). That’s his chosen method of delivery. This helps those that witness the trick, to “slow down, pay attention, and focus” therein lies the avenue of deception and the mis-direction. Nintey-nine percent of the time, the trick is already done by the time of it’s introduction. The focus is on something that has nothing at all to do with the trick. That’s why there is always some hot-bitch-with-gigantic-teets-in-a-spandex-outfit on stage in Copperfield’s shit, back in the day. BTW, the chick not only knows the trick, she plays a part in it’s illusion. I don’t like DB, because of his stance against pot, and until his “heavies” get to the MODS and ADMINS and threaten them with turning them into frogs and shutting this shit down, I will do my best to explain DB’s tricks. His forte seems to be card trickery. OK. There is a trick he does, it think in Japan with a whole bunch of school-uniformed Japanese chicks. Pick a card any card…blah blah. She picks a card the “target” card, and DB “holds” it does some razzel-dazzel, AND BLOWS ON THE CARDS,(physical motion and distraction) meanwhile folding the target with his thumbs. " Is this your card? No." Blows on cards, this action hides him folding the target smaller, “Is this it? No” Crowd notices DB’s fake frustration of lack of success. (He is a clunky-obtuse-American, is his chosen method of self-presentation) Blows on cards, folds target card even smaller. Rinse, Lather, and Repeat. Blows on one more time, “Is this your card? No.” Japanese chickes giggle at his difficulty. During the last blow, the card was shoved into his mouth. Suddenly, “Oh wait…” You guessed, he pulls the target card from his mouth. Japanese chicks-dressed-in-uniforms-squeel-with-delight. I want that job. I want to roll in a salad of uniformed-Asian-chicks. Sorry, I digress… DB does a trick with a dollar bill, moving the black Federal Reserve Bank seal on the left-side to the other side of the bill, near the green Treasury seal on the right side of the bill. Like I said 99% of the trick is done by this time. Blah-Blah, the “dollar-pulled-from-the-crowd” is replaced, (with the fake- showing the seals both on one side). When he does the “tug” of the bill in the subject’s hand, the bills are already switched, and the “path of the seal actually moving” is hidden, we never see the seal “not-there” or “implanted on his thumb”. He only shows the crowd the part of the bill he wants you to see, slowly, to dramasticize the event. DB does a stint with the Dallas Cowboys, and steals a watch, while performing a card-trick. You’ll notice that during the card-trick he grabs the subject’s wristI(and watch) and shakes them violently; (removing the watch from his wrist). The card trick is a Magic 101, I forget the exact method on that, because iot is a 2-part trick; the cardshows up in a pocket or some shit, but he does the “Oh, BTW, here is your missing watch”. Funny, he lifted it like a Water Street drifter. Look, I did the rope-cutting trick at work, (the one I gave up to the Limey Board), but was nervous and went too quick, the “magic” of the trick was lost. That, and nobody expected me to walk in and start doing magic tricks. I have to give “magicians” a nod, because I know how slim the margin for error is, and how much practice it takes. If you have seen a magic trick that I have seen, perhaps I could explain how it is done. If I have the time. Regards [SIZE=“1”]See, I’m invisible and shit. Get it?[word/SIZE] ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/2 "2010-08-15T22:11:02Z")
Anybody can buy a handbook and learn how to do card tricks. How does Blaine do the [feats of endurance described on this page?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Blaine) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/3 "2010-08-15T22:22:57Z")
Suggestions: 1. While you’re perfectly free to do drugs so far as I’m concerned, if you’re trying to detail something technical, doing so when you aren’t drugged up will help others to understand what you’re on about. 2. Unless you know someone fairly well, calling them a bitch only says anything about your level of misogyny. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Kapowzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Super\_Kapowzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Kapowzler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/4 "2010-08-15T22:58:05Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Suggestions: > > 1. While you’re perfectly free to do drugs so far as I’m concerned, if you’re trying to detail something technical, doing so when you aren’t drugged up will help others to understand what you’re on about. > 2. Unless you know someone fairly well, calling them a bitch only says anything about your level of misogyny. Thanks for you’re acceptance of my drug use. If by “misongyny” you mean “I love you”, I am flattered. Wouldn’t it be more “magical” if we actually loved eachother. That’s what I’m talkin’ bout. Word. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/5 "2010-08-15T23:13:38Z")
Yeah, that’s what **Sage Rat** is talking about…:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/6 "2010-08-15T23:28:19Z")
I was going to ask you to explain [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kl9tdu7qRA) trick, but I figured it out the second time I viewed it. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/7 "2010-08-15T23:50:44Z")
> [@Super\_Kapowzler](#): > > I don’t like DB, because of his stance against pot, and until his “heavies” get to the MODS and ADMINS and threaten them with turning them into frogs and shutting this shit down, I will do my best to explain DB’s tricks. This is good stuff. This paragraph has convinced me. I love you, you sexy prestidigitator you. Mesmerist of the gods. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/8 "2010-08-16T00:08:12Z")
OK, I’ve got a question: How does Blaine get people to be impressed by his tricks? OK, he’s good at misdirection, but his technical skill at the tricks themselves isn’t actually all that great. And a lot of them, what’s shown on his TV specials isn’t even what the live audience is oohing and aahing over. _Anyone_ can do impressive magic, with a television editing crew. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/9 "2010-08-16T00:34:33Z")
> [@Super\_Kapowzler](#): > > I don’t like DB, because of his stance against pot, and until his “heavies” get to the MODS and ADMINS and threaten them with turning them into frogs and shutting this shit down, I will do my best to explain DB’s tricks. No problem. We have your back. We have our anti-frog cloaks on. We cool. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/10 "2010-08-16T00:40:25Z")
What about that one where he was standing outside a deli or whatever and the card showed up on the other side of the glass? ---
**Author:** ![luvrbcs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@luvrbcs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvrbcs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/11 "2010-08-16T00:49:38Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > What about that one where he was standing outside a deli or whatever and the card showed up on the other side of the glass? I also would like to know how that was done. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/12 "2010-08-16T00:49:44Z")
I have a question: what’s ginsing season? ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/13 "2010-08-16T00:53:45Z")
> [@Super\_Kapowzler](#): > > I have hesitated submitting this thread, for some 6 months now, telling myself that the level of diction, and amount of time involved in explainations required, would be beyond what I could sacrifice and deliver, in order to give it the attention it deserved. (The '58’s brakes need a complete rebuild before winter, fantasy football is amongst us, I have 10 days of vacation to use yet this year, hunting season and ginseng season are around the corner, I still don’t have Classical Gas down, all the while never seeing a busier year at work than I have in the last 10.) > > When it comes to “magicians”, I will say they have my 100% focus and attention when they practice their craft. I watched a “cowboy magician” at a steak-house perform all of 5 card-tricks, table-to-table and could not see his “slight”. A PRO. Kudos! I have seen “magicians” on TV do so poorly that I began doing the trick myself. > > I have to admit that David Blaine(sp) does some crazy shit that could get him laid. He likes to take a “slower-stoner”-personal presentation(crowd control-rule#1-control their focus). That’s his chosen method of delivery. This helps those that witness the trick, to “slow down, pay attention, and focus” therein lies the avenue of deception and the mis-direction. Nintey-nine percent of the time, the trick is already done by the time of it’s introduction. The focus is on something that has nothing at all to do with the trick. That’s why there is always some hot-bitch-with-gigantic-teets-in-a-spandex-outfit on stage in Copperfield’s shit, back in the day. BTW, the chick not only knows the trick, she plays a part in it’s illusion. > > I don’t like DB, because of his stance against pot, and until his “heavies” get to the MODS and ADMINS and threaten them with turning them into frogs and shutting this shit down, I will do my best to explain DB’s tricks. > > His forte seems to be card trickery. > > OK. There is a trick he does, it think in Japan with a whole bunch of school-uniformed Japanese chicks. Pick a card any card…blah blah. > She picks a card the “target” card, and DB “holds” it does some razzel-dazzel, AND BLOWS ON THE CARDS,(physical motion and distraction) meanwhile folding the target with his thumbs. " Is this your card? No." Blows on cards, this action hides him folding the target smaller, “Is this it? No” Crowd notices DB’s fake frustration of lack of success. (He is a clunky-obtuse-American, is his chosen method of self-presentation) Blows on cards, folds target card even smaller. Rinse, Lather, and Repeat. Blows on one more time, “Is this your card? No.” Japanese chickes giggle at his difficulty. During the last blow, the card was shoved into his mouth. Suddenly, “Oh wait…” You guessed, he pulls the target card from his mouth. Japanese chicks-dressed-in-uniforms-squeel-with-delight. I want that job. I want to roll in a salad of uniformed-Asian-chicks. Sorry, I digress… > > DB does a trick with a dollar bill, moving the black Federal Reserve Bank seal on the left-side to the other side of the bill, near the green Treasury seal on the right side of the bill. Like I said 99% of the trick is done by this time. Blah-Blah, the “dollar-pulled-from-the-crowd” is replaced, (with the fake- showing the seals both on one side). When he does the “tug” of the bill in the subject’s hand, the bills are already switched, and the “path of the seal actually moving” is hidden, we never see the seal “not-there” or “implanted on his thumb”. He only shows the crowd the part of the bill he wants you to see, slowly, to dramasticize the event. > > DB does a stint with the Dallas Cowboys, and steals a watch, while performing a card-trick. You’ll notice that during the card-trick he grabs the subject’s wristI(and watch) and shakes them violently; (removing the watch from his wrist). The card trick is a Magic 101, I forget the exact method on that, because iot is a 2-part trick; the cardshows up in a pocket or some shit, but he does the “Oh, BTW, here is your missing watch”. Funny, he lifted it like a Water Street drifter. > > Look, I did the rope-cutting trick at work, (the one I gave up to the Limey Board), but was nervous and went too quick, the “magic” of the trick was lost. That, and nobody expected me to walk in and start doing magic tricks. > > I have to give “magicians” a nod, because I know how slim the margin for error is, and how much practice it takes. If you have seen a magic trick that I have seen, perhaps I could explain how it is done. If I have the time. > > Regards > > [SIZE=“1”]See, I’m invisible and shit. Get it?[word/SIZE] Were you stoned when you composed this? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/14 "2010-08-16T00:53:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I’ve got a question: How does Blaine get people to be impressed by his tricks? […] _Anyone_ can do impressive magic, with a television editing crew. But, he’s the one who thought to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/15 "2010-08-16T01:07:59Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > What about that one where he was standing outside a deli or whatever and the card showed up on the other side of the glass? Yep, start with this one. I’m curious. He’s better than Chriss Angel, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/16 "2010-08-16T01:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > He’s better than Chriss Angel, isn’t he? That’s what one calls “damning with faint praise”. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/17 "2010-08-16T01:21:31Z")
If it’s so easy to do this stuff, why are Blaine and Angel making big bucks doing it? ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/18 "2010-08-16T02:23:52Z")
I want to know how he does the bite the quarter in half one. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/19 "2010-08-16T03:02:27Z")
The “card on the other side of the glass” on is so simple you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it. The card is already there. He forces you to pick the card he wants, and while you’re looking at him doing his misdirection with the cards, an assistant puts it up to the glass. He then throws the cards so fast without warning that you don’t have time to notice that there was already a card there when they all hit the glass. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/20 "2010-08-16T03:21:06Z")
[For anyone mesmerized by any trick involving picking a card.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick_deck#Svengali_Deck) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356.md?page=2)