Putting your morning espresso to shame, David Blaine is right now being subject to one million volts of electricity emitted by seven Tesla coils, which will surge through his body for the next seventy-two hours. Like the world’s worst hangover, it’s an experience he likens to getting hit as hard as possible in the back of the head. Sounds fun, no?
In anticipation of the three day buzz fest at Pier 54 in New York, we took five minutes to talk to Blaine – possibly for the last time – ahead of one of the most electrifying endurance feats he has ever subject himself to. He’ll be standing atop a 6m high platform wearing a 12.25kg chainmail Faraday bodysuit and helmet that conducts electricity and prevents him from getting fried. You never know though, right? He’ll also be hooked up to noise-cancelling headphones, a drinking tube and a catheter. Phew. The public are also able to control the sound and light intensity of the Tesla coils via Intel Ultrabook laptops in the performance space and a control station will also be set up in Sydney today at Customs House from 6-7pm tonight so you too can both tweet at Blaine and get a kick out of guilt-free electrocution! Added bonus: Andrew WK will also be using a keyboard to send an electrical musical surge to Blaine’s brain! You can livestream the whole shebang here. Party hard, Blaine.
PEDESTRIAN:Are you afraid about the task ahead and what could potentially go wrong? What DOES scare you?
DAVID BLAINE: Anyone who says they are not afraid is either lying or – to put it gently – stupid. The key is to prepare carefully, try to anticipate every possibility and then rely on a great team to bail you out when the unanticipated thing happens.
You have to have some exhibitionistic tendencies to partake in the stunts you come up with. ‘Electrified‘ will be broadcast around the world. It’s cool that people will be able to see you do it, but do you ever worry about something going pear shaped and exposing an audience to that?
Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Some of my challenges have not worked out as I’d hoped, but we gain knowledge about the limits of human endurance. Part of the reason I wanted to work with Intel is so people around the world could watch and participate in this performance.
In Soviet East Germany, the Stasi’s main source of torture was sleep deprivation. How the hell do you prepare yourself for what is a recognised form of torture?
Sleep deprivation might be the most difficult part of this challenge. When I was frozen in a block of ice in 2000, with no sleep for 63 hours, I started to hallucinate. That was my most difficult challenge so far, and I expect ELECTRIFIED to be more so. I have been conditioning my mind and my body and I will rely on people all over the world to connect with me on Intel’s Ultrabook to keep me alert.
Legendary geek Nikola Tesla conducted similar experiments on himself to what you’re attempting with ‘Electrified’. Was he an inspiration for this challenge?
Tesla has always been an inspiration. I hope that Electrified will help generate some recognition for this giant who did so much to better humankind.
Do you call yourself a ‘Magician’? Is there a magician stigma, do you think?
I’m proud to call myself a magician. I see magic in the world around me, in the science and technology that is part of Electrified and so much of our lives today. When I visit children in hospitals, bravely dealing with terrible illness, I find magic. When I meet wounded warriors, determined to get on with their lives, I find magic.
Once you make it through this challenge, what are you doing next?
Sleep.
Photo by Emanuel Dunand via Getty Images
