Comments on: Did David Blaine hold his breath for 17 minutes?

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:31:44 +0000

Why do you use many words to say so little? Blaine tried to beat the world record for normal air breathing… He couldn’t. So, he decided to try and beat the pure oxygen breath hold record (a much smaller pool of people trying for that) and he beat it!… until more people starting trying for that one after his stunt gained so much publicity. End of story, that’s it.

By: ray

ray — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:19:44 +0000

“Why not do something a little more dazzling than just sitting in a bowl of water?” Because people are tired of those things. So he did something which people want see and which some stupid people want to believe.

By: K

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:44:00 +0000

U-hum no it is FAKE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWT6GgHIaRg&feature=related

By: P24

P24 — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:59:53 +0000

The current world record is over 20 minutes with prior pure oxygen.

By: Olsson

Olsson — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:14:28 +0000

17 minutes is impossible even with oxygen. I used to play underwater sports such as underwater rugby 3 times per week for 10 years, and I’m in no way saying that I’m exceptional, but I was able to hold my breath for 5 and a half minutes at my best.

The best people in the world in terms of holding their breath is obviously those who are doing extreme underwater sports. I believe the world record in holding ones breath with normal air is around 10 minutes. Are you saying that Blaine doubled that record, though with pure oxygen? Not very likely. It would be like running 100 meters in 4 seconds instead of 10. It’s not going to happen.

By: JOHNNY5

JOHNNY5 — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:26:19 +0000

Anybody who thinks that this was a trick is half way to being retarded. The Guiness Book of World Records is not a book full of fake records and is a highly respected and undisputed book of records, so to think that they were in on a magic trick is just idiotic. The record he set was for OXYGEN ASSISTED breath holding for which he trained and worked hard to accomplish. Please people, give credit when credit is due, if he wanted to do a magic trick, why not do something a little more dazzling than just sitting in a bowl of water.

By: Amy Roman

Amy Roman — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:25:38 +0000

Gee, if you watch his street magic show, he’s says, “this is just fun, I’m an entertainer.” If you read his book, he explains that his cards tricks etc., are all carefully planned set ups, and he explains how he learned it from books. And his endurance stunts, well, I saw the guy standing on top of a pole for one of the 30-odd hours. Hey, I was there—where the evidence that it was fake? All this “skeptism” is just cynicism. I’ve read his book. I’ve seen his shows. Please, please show me evidence that that he says, “I truly can read minds.” Or “I really can levitate.” His book is fascinating because he explains how psychics can cold read by saying very general things, seeing reactions, and taking it from there.

Blaine is into all the organic food crap, but to criticize his breath holding, lol, come up with EVIDENCE not garbage, “well, he’s tricks people, so we can’t believe anything. Great critical thinking.

During his buried Alive, the Amazing Randi was there, couldn’t explain it, said it might be a hologram, but if he’s really doing it, “you gotta give the kid credit.” Please folks, give me the evidence. And if you can’t explain how he’s doing it, well, doesn’t that make him a good entertainer? Where are all the negative comments about Houdini? Everything he did was a trick.

And For Brian to just say, “Well its widely known that his Street Magic shows. . . .” sounds like he is just accepting that on face value, no critical thinking regarding that claim.

By: George Radford

George Radford — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:19:09 +0000

What is David Blaine’s REAL name? Anuhar Gupta? Something like that?
It’s rather like Nick Griffin calling himself ‘Mee Yip’ and moving to China.
Just another invader into previously white America, ruining it and turning it into a third world hellhole.

By: Edward

Edward — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:54:04 +0000

In my background as a medical student and freediver, I am not surprised that David Blaine was able to beat the oxygen assisted record and failed on the unasisted previous record.

The 11 minute Static Apnea record (unassisted with oxygen) has been battled for years by trained freedivers. Only a few, highly trained, athlete’s have been able to improve it in a slow pace.

His preparations for this record, including his stay in the fishbowl where deleterious for his attempt. His explanation of his training for the oxygen assisted record showed similar problems, and I am sure he could have done even better if he didn’t trained with common freediving misconceptions.

The heavy competition for unassistend static apnea is a big contrast with the oxygen assisted record attempt. There are only a few freedivers persuing this record. Anyone in good health, with a bit of talent and a good team of trainers en physicans should be able to attain similar, or even better results. It won’t be good for your health, but that won’t be different compared with the risk olymic athete’s have.

Therefore, any trickery for this stunt should not be required. The only trick he is playing is he makes people wonder how he made the illusion while there isn’t one.

By: John Orr

John Orr — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:19:43 +0000

He’s an illusionist! Get it? He’s a professional illusionist. Of course it’s an illusion, why else would he do it?