September 17, 2003
Blaine in London
'Spot On' reader Kweli first alerted me to the British harassment of magician David Blaine. Having heard about Blaine only once, I didn't really care. Still, it's pretty shocking how violent things are getting over there. New York is supposed to be a mean city but I can't see people getting into fights, or trying to hurt Blaine, if he was suspended over one of our bridges. I can't see anyone even caring. Maybe Londoners need to get out more?
Posted by Karol at September 17, 2003 01:39 PM | TrackBackTechnorati Tags: David+Blaine
This has less to do with London than it does with the way supremely immature people seek out somebody else's spotlight and try to make it their own. It can happen anywhere.
Posted by: M. Murcek at September 17, 2003 02:27 PMActually, Blaine's done a number of tricks here in Manhattan, including encasing himself in a block of ice in Times Square and standing on a platform in Bryant Park for a few days.
Posted by: ken at September 17, 2003 02:41 PMI think it's more to do with the fact that everyone in the UK, whether they're rich or poor, Northern or Southern, black, white or Asian thinks Blaine is a tit of the highest order.
Posted by: Kweli at September 18, 2003 05:40 AMIt is no more than the attention seeking septic deserves ! Well, not the part where the guy tried to cut his water off.
What is supremely mature about sitting in a perspex box in full public view ?
I don't understand why he does it...and is somebody funding this? How does he make a living from this?
Posted by: Laurw at September 18, 2003 10:31 AMThat's exactly it, Kweli, we probably would think the same of him but nobody would try to hurt him or harrass him.
Posted by: Kashei at September 18, 2003 12:10 PMI guess if that's all it takes...
From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A29965-2003Sep18?language=printer
"You've picked the wrong town to be hung in, Mr Blaine," a commentator in the Sunday Times wrote. "What is clear from the start is that Londoners are not taking Blaine quite as seriously as he takes himself. ... Really, it makes you proud to be British."
Posted by: Kashei at September 18, 2003 04:38 PMHe's also one of Michael Jackson's close friends. Reason enough to throw things at him. My boss just returned from UK and said women are flashing him as well.
Posted by: ken at September 18, 2003 05:42 PMIt just occurred to me that before I learned of Blaine's harassment, I didn't really know who he was. Now he is all over the news. This might be the greatest publicity stunt ever.
Posted by: Kashei at September 19, 2003 01:39 PMOh come on people why are you so shocked. the British have a proud and longstanding tradition of public wankerism. I think the next fan supporter riot should happen right near him. lets see if he's really magic.
Posted by: William V. Negherbon at September 20, 2003 09:09 PMThe reaction of the London citizenry to Blaine's legitimate, if silly, stunt, makes one wonder if Mad Cow Disease is raging through that metropolis. London enjoys a reputation as a worldly, sophisticated city; yet her people act like ruffian school kids...taunting, teasing, and tormenting. If they don't approve of Blaine's stunt, simply ignore it. England, famous for it's philistine contempt of personal introspection, should nonetheless examine this base reaction of aggression, brought on by one man simply sitting alone and food-less in a plastic box.
Posted by: chardelle blasberg at September 21, 2003 09:34 AM"the next fan supporter riot", and "wankerism"may make perfect sense to you, but itsounds hilarious here. You are on to something though. There is a much greater culture of drunkeness in public here, which is probably at the root of much of Blaines harassment.
Chardelle, it is hard to ignore Blaine given the amount of publicity he generated. It is not because they disapprove that they harass him. They are having a laugh. A bit of humour. Also, if someone did cause Blaine to fail, they in turn would have their own 15 minutes of fame.
