Blaine Aiming To Stay Awake
05 December 2007
Blaine Aiming To Stay Awake
Illusionist David Blaine is planning to give up sleep as his next feat of endurance.
The 34-year-old has already performed several death-defying stunts, including going without food for over a month while suspended in a box over London, staying frozen in a case of ice for nearly three days in New York's Times Square, and spending 35 hours standing on a 100 foot (30.5 meter)-high pillar.
And Blaine's next trick will be to stay awake for as long as possible, in what will be his most challenging stunt yet - but it won't be without its risks.
He tells the New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "It's been tried before. In 1959, Peter Tripp stayed awake eight days, but it resulted in permanent brain damage. In 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner did it for a high school science project. He lasted 11 and a half days but recovered fully. No damage. If I do this thing, I'll do it on my feet. Standing up.
"The problem is there's no way to know how to offset brain damage or to train for this because there isn't sufficient research. I believe the first guy's mistake was not being in great physical condition. Also he used stimulants to keep awake, which I assume did him in."
The 34-year-old has already performed several death-defying stunts, including going without food for over a month while suspended in a box over London, staying frozen in a case of ice for nearly three days in New York's Times Square, and spending 35 hours standing on a 100 foot (30.5 meter)-high pillar.
And Blaine's next trick will be to stay awake for as long as possible, in what will be his most challenging stunt yet - but it won't be without its risks.
He tells the New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "It's been tried before. In 1959, Peter Tripp stayed awake eight days, but it resulted in permanent brain damage. In 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner did it for a high school science project. He lasted 11 and a half days but recovered fully. No damage. If I do this thing, I'll do it on my feet. Standing up.
"The problem is there's no way to know how to offset brain damage or to train for this because there isn't sufficient research. I believe the first guy's mistake was not being in great physical condition. Also he used stimulants to keep awake, which I assume did him in."
Contactmusic
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