# How'd he do that?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 29, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366 "2002-04-29T22:10:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/1 "2002-04-29T22:10:28Z")

</div>

I never saw the trick, but I hear David Blaine: Street Magician (in technicolor!) did a thing where he appeared to levitate. I have a friend that claims he can do it, but I haven’t seen him in a while so I haven’t been able to make him prove it (he’s very adept at stealings watches while shaking hands though.)  
So who knows how he did it? A google search for “levitate”, “David Blaine”, and “Street Magic” only yielded a bunch of sites that wanted to sell me stuff. Anyone have a link with an explanation of the trick? Maybe even a clip of it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![stankow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@stankow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stankow)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/2 "2002-04-29T22:15:52Z")

</div>

It’s really a bummer when you learn how simple it is. You’re sure you want to know?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/3 "2002-04-29T22:20:33Z")

</div>

I figure it’s simple misdirection and a jump but yeah, I want to know. Never saw it so I won’t be that disappointed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/4 "2002-04-29T22:22:32Z")

</div>

Oh, man. When I saw the thread title, I thought to myself, “What, has David Blaine been whoring his cheap-ass illusions on cable again?”

This has been asked several times on the SDMB. Do a search on his name and you’ll find it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/5 "2002-04-29T22:27:10Z")

</div>

You’re right, Knead. I wish I’d have thought of that before I asked. I really need to learn to use the search tool here. Thanks, both of y’all.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howd-he-do-that/106366/6 "2002-04-30T00:07:33Z")

</div>

**Max** , thanks for not reading rudeness into the brevity of my reply. 🙂