# 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:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**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, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/101 "2011-08-29T13:57:10Z")
> [@](#): > > -ianzin -I’ve performed magic of various kinds all over the world for 20 years. Last year I even did a show for our own dear Dex and Ed Zotti, no less. By dint of this constant hard work, unswerving self-belief and dedication, I have achieved fame on a par with the Sistine Chapel floor and the Swiss Army spoon. I do indeed know lots of magicians, although not in the Biblical sense, and most of the really good ones are friends of mine (plus some who are frankly dreadful and a disgrace to the profession). One of my friends here in London is currently working with Blaine on stuff I can’t talk about. Dont you just love when people mention things on a public forum that they CANT talk about??? ROFL! Why did he mention it if he cant talk about it??? Things I wish I knew the answer too…probably more than the explanation of magic tricks even! ---
**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, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/102 "2011-08-29T13:59:46Z")
> [@JimNightshade](#): > > What is your stance on Zombie magicians? Ok, Ill bite…whats a “Zombie Magician”? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/103 "2011-08-29T14:10:51Z")
It’s a reference to your resurrection of what we call a “zombie” thread. This thread is a year old. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/104 "2011-08-29T14:35:03Z")
**Dio** with regard to the refilling can trick. I haven’t seen Blaine do this but I’m going to assume it’s a classed up variation of this trick. [Magic Tricks Revealed Everlasting Soda Magic Trick - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMO-DM5LNuM&feature=player_embedded#)! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/105 "2011-08-29T15:32:15Z")
> [@Bullethead](#): > > I would also love to know how Cris Angel levitates and walks up and down walls? > > Peace! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IAL-Czl56Mw/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgVChEMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDmX81MfmrBPM-cuzcsgZPdNUaSBw "levitation revealed") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAL-Czl56Mw) Like this. ---
**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, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/106 "2011-08-29T15:42:11Z")
IC, thanks for that information Diogenes… So does anyone really know how the dollar trick is done? The video on youtube explaining the empty can trick does not really explain how this is done. The can used on the Blain video for example uses a can that is almost completely crushed and is NOT half full of soda with black magic marker making the lid look to appear open…there must be another explanation… I notice a lot of these youtube videos that attempt to explain the trick always seem to leave out VITAL information or details which do not replicate the trick performed by the original magician accurately… Especially ones that attempt to explain Angel’s building walks and levitation tricks… I figured the dollar bill trick done by Blain could be EASILY explained in a thread (especially one that is over a year old) called “Ask the Dude Who can Explain David Blaine’s Magic”…guess I was mistaken… ---
**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, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/107 "2011-08-29T19:57:25Z")
Gonzomax…ROFL…I dont think that video link is even close to exactly how he walks up 40 story buildings…but thanks for the try sir…and the laugh… ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/108 "2011-08-30T15:00:19Z")
> [@capeo](#): > > Obviously the answer man of this thread already did a disappearing act so I’ll just ask anyone and get the prevailing theories on this one trick of his I could never figure out. In the trick he gets a card inside a cop’s shoe. How the hell does that work? He has the cop pick a card then when he can’t find it in the deck he has the cop (reluctantly) take off his show and it’s in there. The cop is in on the trick? ---
**Author:** ![SenpaiTrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@SenpaiTrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenpaiTrain)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/109 "2015-06-18T17:39:57Z")
> [@Race\_Harley](#): > > Explain the trick he did with the emergency worker where he twisted his hand and wrist around while the emergency worker tried the same. :dubious: Harley, the trick he did with the worker is very easy. At first, he put his hand down on the ground with his thumb closest to his body, the most natural way he could. Then, as the worker copied him, notice that David lifts his hand off the ground in order to direct the worker in what to do. Then, when David puts his hand back on the ground, he puts his thumb closer to his body, but first he turns his hand in a circle outwards before putting it down. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt, so the working did not notice that David’s arm was positioned differently. From there, what looks like an unnatural movement from David is really just him straightening his arm out. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/110 "2015-06-19T12:37:29Z")
Read through most of the first page before realizing this was a zombie. But figured I’d mention a book I enjoyed recently anyway. “Sleights of Mind” by Macknik/Martinez-Conde Authors are neuroscientists, and they discuss the ways magicians rely upon the way our brain works to deceive us. For example, if we see something, our brain wants to believe it will stay where it is. Or if something disappears, our brain can create an after image suggesting it is still there. Our eyes.brain track things moving in strainght lines differently than arcs. Weird stuff. Made clear that so much of what good magicians do is simply hard work and preparation. And will cause you to question the reliability of your senses in some instances. ---
**Author:** ![Cynurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Cynurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cynurus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/111 "2016-12-08T23:15:39Z")
> [@capeo](#): > > That’s damn neat. No idea how that works. It’s actually fairly obvious and he doesn’t do it very smoothly at all. The glass has a slot in the top, he moves her card to the bottom of the deck and after he throws the deck at the window he simply pushed the last card into the slot between the glass where it then fell to rest. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/112 "2016-12-09T03:44:40Z")
> [@Cynurus](#): > > It’s actually fairly obvious and he doesn’t do it very smoothly at all. The glass has a slot in the top, he moves her card to the bottom of the deck and after he throws the deck at the window he simply pushed the last card into the slot between the glass where it then fell to rest. Dude, that was 6 1/2 years ago. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356/113 "2016-12-09T04:11:34Z")
[Moderating] This thread is apparently just zombie bait now. I’m closing it. If you feel you have something meaningful to contribute on this topic, feel free to start from scratch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-dude-who-can-explain-david-blaines-magic/550356.md?page=5)