# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/81 "2010-08-23T14:00:49Z")
@Rickjay: I can tell you DB’s biggest and most consistent trick: getting exactly one wrong. And he does the NLP thing in the trick I linked above (and I’m still wondering if anyone knows how he forced that choice.) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/82 "2010-08-23T14:45:35Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > [@pulykamell](#): > > > > \ > > Eh, fuck secret craft codes. The beauty is in the execution, not in the supposed “secret.” I personally hate this bullshit. I don’t appreciate magic any less because I know how the mechanics of the trick are done. It’s in the performance that I think the magic really happens. > > That’s where I stand - I know all the tricks are just that, tricks, but the mechanics, timing, misdirection, showmanship, etc. are all top-rate, and I appreciate that (even though Criss Angel may indeed be a douchebag). In fact, I don’t really enjoy magic shows precisely because I know it won’t be revealed to me how it was done. I don’t want to be haunted by a mystery, I want to be shown how brains can be tricked. The latter is much more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/83 "2010-08-23T20:08:49Z")
> [@Misery\_Loves\_Co](#): > > > [@yoyodyne](#): > > > > It looks pretty obvious to me. When he split the deck he offset it enough to feel. The vertical line above the X in LUXOR is a slot cut into the outer pane. He tosses away the deck above the split and then stuffs the card into the slot. I can see it falling down the window clearly. > > > > I’m not sure how it stops. I’m guessing it falls to where the two panes are re-joined, but he could have poured some water into the slot. > > This - > > Once you accept that it’s normal sleight-of-hand to move the marked card around the deck (or even out of it entirely), the rest is just matter of careful reviewing of the youtube vid. If you pay close attention to what he’s doing starting at 2:54, he flips all of the cards at the top and then there’s a little “hitch” in his flow and the marked card falls into place. If you’re watching his right hand and not getting distracted by the cascade of cards (anticipating the “punchline” or whatever it’s called), it’s pretty obvious. That “hitch” is the extra little care to get the card into slot to drop it between the panes of glass. > > As for what it takes to hide a void in glass, there’s a lot of unexpected things you can do with unexpected materials. Outside my area of expertise, but they had a lot of time to prep that door, and I’m sure could find the time to replace it with the “display model” after-the-fact. Ok, I see it now, thanks. Still very impressive to me. > [@tesseract](#): > > What is the deal with all the hate heaped on the OP? What in the $#@@ did he do? That was an interesting OP, and it had some good info in it…I love the Dope and yet sometimes I hate it. Sometimes it feels like the elementary school playground where everybody turns on somebody else with no warning. Yuck. Regarding the OP, what mortal sin did he commit that I am missing? His sin was starting an “Ask the…” thread and never answered any of the questions that were asked. It amounted to a seagull OP, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/84 "2010-08-24T03:30:26Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > [Here’s a video of a Japanese glass ball juggler -](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtztrcGkCBw) sort of the same deal as magicians. He has obviously practiced a ton, and is very good at creating an enjoyable illusion. I’m not gonna click on that piece of shit link, because I already discern that it’s that stupid fuckin’ “fushigi”. That shit is a sign of the apocalypse. Wish I would have thought of it… selling plastic balls to the gullible. Chris Angel must be behind it…I also wish I had thought of the Pet Rock. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/85 "2010-08-24T04:28:34Z")
> [@capeo](#): > > > [@PlainJain](#): > > > > [YouTube of the card in door trick.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THAUHRC_DU) > > That’s damn neat. No idea how that works. nm. Already answered. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/86 "2010-08-24T04:51:36Z")
I mean, at least ben wa balls get you off. Never have I seen a gayer pair of balls and a marketing pile than fushigi. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/87 "2010-08-24T15:11:01Z")
**devilsknew** , you are wrong. [Not gay balls.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_juggling) ---
**Author:** ![JollyGoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dec6dc/32.png) [@JollyGoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JollyGoon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/88 "2010-08-24T15:56:33Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > How does Blaine do the trick where he approcahes a couple of beer drinkers in a park, picks up an empty can, does a little hocus pocus hand motion and suddenly it’s a full can? How does he do the switch? There is an impressively subtle piece of physics and psychology that makes this work. I’ve done this before in real life but never could pull it off as well as DB did in his special. First watch it back and without making any assumptions and _just_ see what is on the screen, don’t let your brain add anything to your mental image. You _think_ you see DB approaching beer drinkers and as such you assume that the can DB takes is one that they have finished drinking. Because you see that can is crumpled up and the tab isn’t in it’s pristine state you assume that it’s been opened normally and is now empty. So with that set of assumptions out of the window we can just settle on the facts. 1.DB approaches 2 people in the park. 2. he picks up a (not too) crumpled can lying on the ground and shows it to be empty. 3. Then he does his magic move. 4. Then he holds the can, shakes it and the can inflates back to (very nearly) it’s original state. 5. He then shows the top part of the can on which the tab _seems_ to be open (further reinforcing our notion of empty, crushed up can). 6. ‘Restores’ the tab to a closed state 7. Finally he then pulls the tab and proceeds to pour the contents of the can out. With the above facts you see that there are 3 things the magician needs to do: 1. Make a not empty (notice I’m not saying full) can of beer seem empty. 2. Make a crumpled can inflate to it’s normal size. 3. Make the tab at the top part of the can look opened when it’s actually closed and subsequently ‘restore’ it. When broken down to smaller chunks the whole ‘_picks up an empty can, does a little hocus pocus hand motion and suddenly it’s a full can_’ mystery can be solved with some knowledge of physics (especially about what the properties of the ingredients of beer are) and a bit of logic. I probably reckon that nearly everyone on this message board could manage to figure it out with a bit of research. I’m sorry I don’t just go out and say how it’s done but then that wouldn’t be fun, would it? 😃 > [@pulykamell](#): > > Eh, fuck secret craft codes. The beauty is in the execution, not in the supposed “secret.” I personally hate this bullshit. I don’t appreciate magic any less because I know how the mechanics of the trick are done. It’s in the performance that I think the magic really happens. +1. Look at Penn and Teller’s cups and balls routine, the whole routine is based on them telling the audience how they’re doing the routine with clear plastic cups yet still entertaining as hell. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/89 "2010-08-25T17:37:48Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > **devilsknew** , you are wrong. > > [Not gay balls.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_juggling) C’mon, everyone knows that in the hierarchy of the gayest entertainment arts Jugglers are at the bottom somewhere between Clown Magicians and Ventriloquists. Lessee, the pecking order goes 1. Magicians 2. Clown Magicians 3. Jugglers (Hi Opal!) 4. Ventriloquists … And even within the Juggling arts this Fushigi shit is pretty low skill and gay. Hell, it’s even less impressive than Hacky Sack or Poi Spinning, or even that Stoner with the Devil Sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/90 "2010-08-25T23:24:47Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever regretted posting a link more. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/91 "2010-08-26T02:37:45Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever regretted posting a link more. 🙂 Hey, _I_ thought it was cool. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/92 "2010-08-26T04:59:53Z")
Who could have known that the cool glass orb manipulation from “Labyrinth” was really some sleazy marketing shit from Japan 20 years in the future? Sure spanked my ass and called me “Edna”. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/93 "2010-08-26T05:47:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > > I don’t think I’ve ever regretted posting a link more. 🙂 > > Hey, _I_ thought it was cool. Well, I regret it less then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/94 "2010-08-26T06:39:29Z")
Hey, let you on in a little secret, I think it’s pretty cool too… I’m just against this “fushigi” marketing ploy and crassness. I respect the art, hate the marketers. ---
**Author:** ![Bullethead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bullethead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullethead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/95 "2011-08-29T12:36:42Z")
Ummm…with all due respect, I think you need to go back and try again to explain some of David’s tricks…you forgot a couple of VERY important details in your explanation… First off, moving the F on a dollar bill. you claim the trick is that the dollar bill is switched. How exactly does he forge the signature on the back of dollar bill exactly? He must be really fast huh?? I think you should go back and edit those post or something because switching the dollar bill is obviously NOT how he does the trick…care to try again?? BTW- I am NOT a David Blain fan nor do I really care for him at all as a performer. I DO however still want to know how he does these tricks when I can not figure it out myself. Anyone know how this trick is REALLY done? I also would like to know how he pulls out a lotto card that has the numbers on it that match what several random people gave as the numbers??? Let me guess, he switches the card??? ROFL…some people’s kids… ---
**Author:** ![Bullethead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bullethead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullethead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/96 "2011-08-29T12:50:15Z")
Ooops, I forgot to include the quote from “Super Kapowzler” and since you only have like 4 seconds to edit your post here I can not go back and correct it. If you make a typo or forget something, you better be quick to fix it…jeez…think we could at least have a few minutes time to edit our post?? The guy stated he waited 6 months to post this so called explanation?? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Bullethead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bullethead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullethead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/97 "2011-08-29T12:51:33Z")
I would also love to know how Cris Angel levitates and walks up and down walls? Peace! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/98 "2011-08-29T13:00:06Z")
> [@Bullethead](#): > > Ooops, I forgot to include the quote from “Super Kapowzler” and since you only have like 4 seconds to edit your post here I can not go back and correct it. If you make a typo or forget something, you better be quick to fix it…jeez…think we could at least have a few minutes time to edit our post?? > > The guy stated he waited 6 months to post this so called explanation?? Really? Did you have enough time to edit the word “whoosh” cuz I think that’s what just happened to you. ---
**Author:** ![Bullethead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bullethead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullethead)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/99 "2011-08-29T13:48:20Z")
Huh?? Have no idea what your talking about…obviously you do not have a clue to what the answer is… Thanks anyways! ---
**Author:** ![JimNightshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jimnightshade/32/3354_2.png) [@JimNightshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimNightshade)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/100 "2011-08-29T13:52:20Z")
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