Blaine (aka the tool in the glass box) out of action

[aussiechica]

From ninemsn news: (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/Entertain...tory_52516.asp)

Blaine hospitalised after 44-day fast


AFP - US magician David Blaine was whisked to hospital after ending a 44-day fast during which he was suspended above London's River Thames in a glass box.

During his fast he was subjected to intense public scrutiny, intermittent ridicule and -- experts warn -- possibly permanent damage to his health.

The small transparent container next to Tower Bridge was lowered to the ground shortly before 10pm local time (0700 AEST) and a thin, weak and bearded Blaine -- who had access to water but no food during his high-profile ordeal -- walked out with tears in his eyes to thunderous applause from a crowd of several thousand.

"I thank you so much. I'll love all of you forever," he told the crowd.

The 30-year-old illusionist was greeted by his fiance, and was then given a quick examination by doctors before being placed on a stretcher and rushed to a private hospital, where a medical team will assess whether 44 days of drinking only water has permanently affected his heart or other organs.




Blaine, who has suffered severe palpitations and breathing difficulties in recent days, is expected to stay in hospital for some days where he will be subjected to a battery of tests and will not be restored to full health for around six months, doctors say.

"I learnt how strong we all are as human beings," Blaine said after leaving the box which had been his home since September 5. "Most importantly I learnt to appreciate all the simple things in life such as the smile from a stranger, and the sunshine and the sunset."

A nutritional expert tasked with preparing a briefing on restoring Blaine to health warned that the US entertainer could even die through "re-feeding syndrome" if he ate too fast.

Caution was needed "because inappropriate feeding can precipitate serious problems including sudden death," Professor Marinos Elia said.

Elia also dismissed suggestions that Blaine had kept himself alive by having dissolved nutrients such as glucose added to his water supply, saying that the water was pure.

Since Blaine began the stunt last month, the area around his glass cell has become one of London's most unusual tourist sights, attracting both admiration and contempt.

Critics have condemned the fast -- officially titled "Above the Below" -- as both pointless and offensive given that many millions of people go hungry around the world each day without being paid handsomely for it, unlike Blaine.

According to media estimates, the American illusionist could gain millions of pounds from his stunt through appearances, advertising and book deals.

Some of the 250,000 who have visited the site during his fast have come up with increasingly inventive ways to taunt or unsettle Blaine such as using a remote-control model helicopter to dangle a cheeseburger in front of the starving magician.

Others drove golf balls off Tower Bridge, threw eggs, used a home-made catapult to shoot paint bombs at the box, banged drums to keep him awake at night or merely shouted abuse at him in his two metre high, two-metre long and one metre deep glass cage.

Among the celebrity rubber-neckers was former Beatle Paul McCartney and super model Naomi Campbell.

Blaine's long-suffering girlfriend, German model Manon von Gerkan, has kept up a near-constant vigil beneath the box, where she regularly unleashed her scorn at those who mocked the illusionist.

The events prompted a debate in British newspapers as to why Blaine had not received the same reverent appreciation seen during earlier stunts in the United States, such as encasing himself in ice for 61 hours and standing on top of a tall pole for a day-and-a-half.

In general, the verdict was that while some of the anti-Blaine antics were excessive, the public response was a fine example of British people's antipathy to pretension and pomposity.

However as the event went on and Blaine has visibly weakened, attitudes softened.

Blaine had "injected a little unexpected and free fun into London," the Sunday Express newspaper said in an editorial.

"Mr Blaine, we have no idea how you have done it, but we are glad you did," it said.


Do you know what, I know what this guy did was stupid and dumb and wanky and all that, but good on him- Go you big (yet malnurished) fire engine!

[Vagrant]

David Blaine is a clever man. David Blaine will make a lot of money from the book deals that will no doubt follow his stunts. David Blaine will make lots of money from promotions, and advertising campaigns.

David Blaine knew this. This is why David Blaine did it :p

[Kirkee]

As Adam Hills said (in a cockney accent):

"It's a bloke in a box! Throw an egg at 'im!!!"

[dermo]

Urg I'm glad he's buggered off out of the box. The only good thing about him is that I never thought it would be possible somebody would come on the scene who made David Copperfield look like less of a tool bag.