[BLAINE TRICKS][WHO AM I][PICTURES][LINKS][MESSAGEBOARD][CHATBOX][FROZEN IN TIME][PAUL ZENON][DAVIDS BIO]DAVID BLAINE
David Blaine was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 4 Th 1973 as David White - Blaine is really his middle name, from his mother's last name, he has gone by several last names in his life. Only so people wont know who he really is - David started doing magic since the tender age of 4, he lived with his Russian - Jewish mother, Maureen White. They were very close and she was very supportive to him and his magic, even though she worked when David was a little child.
David spent most of his time at his local library reading books on magic, and his gypsy grandmother "My grandmother was a Gypsy, and she was into tarot cards", says Blaine. David says he never knew his father "I know that he was in Vietnam and was very charming". David's first tricks was from a Disney shop, which was the `pencil through card` gizmo "Magic is my first memory. I remember feeling surrounded by it, amazed to see it worked in my hands. I used to guess who was calling when the phone rang - and id get it right", "It was like an addiction", he says, "An obsessive disorder."
When David was at the age of 10 his mother got remarried to a banker: John Bulkalo "magic was David's obsession and passion", says Bulkalo, due to this they moved to Jersey vile, New Jersey. Where his half brother, Michael was born, who David calls "my pride, the coolest brother you could ever want". David traveled everyday to Manhattan to attend New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse (an acting school) but started doing magic for rich peoples private parties, earning, he says as much as $300 an hour - at that time he wanted to go into acting - David featured in a few commercials and appearances on soap operas.
"At 16 David Blaine levitated for his doctor, who immediately wanted to take him for tests". When David was 17 he moved back to New York by himself and lived in hells kitchen - a place which tests your mettle - where he waited tables, went to clubs after hours and was "doing magic for all the fancy, dressed up people", "Id go up to a table and do magic and they'd hit me with 20s and 50s. That was enough to pay rent at age 18". It was in these clubs that David made friends with Harmony Korine (Director/ Writer of "Gummo" and writer of "Kids") Lucas Haas (star of "Boys" and "Mars Attacks") Toby Maguire (of "Pleasantville fame") and Leonardo DiCaprio (famous Hollywood actor), he also became a good friend with Robert Di Nero. David preformed for people such as: Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarznegger, David Geffen, Mike Tyson and Madonna.
David was getting noticed not only by his magic but was also appearing in all the major New York gossip columns and hitting all the major parties, including a post Grammy party: it was at this party where David met Singer/ Songwriter Fiona Apple, who he dated for a while, he also dated Madonna. David's memories from places such as Sherry Netherlands and Gramercy Park are still never forgotten.
Unfortunately when David was 21 his 48-year-old mother died of ovarian cancer in 1994. David wanted more than just to be performing at clubs and parties, so now his next step was to get an agent. So he made a crude home video with a friend and sent it to ABC. They were astonished and requested an interview. David did some magic for them, after becoming dumbfounded, they gave him a million-dollar contract, creating his first special: "David Blaine: Street Magic". Many people were never into watching magic shows until Street Magic began airing. They found other shows to be too glitzy, but David's show was different, his magic is so down to earth.
David's idea to use his magic with ordinary people off the street is so refreshing and easier to believe! Once people saw the special the offers and appearances came rolling in. David has been TV specials such as Oprah Summer Magic and Conan O`Brien. After the immense popularity of Street Magic David decided to make a second special. He traveled all over the country and to others including Haiti and Venezuela. However, "David Blaine: Magic Man" was delayed several times because David was to promote his new special by being Buried Alive.
This was an attempt that no other magician has tried; David's hero Houdini had planned it but unfortunately died before he could attempt it. On April 5th 1999at 10am David Blaine was buried alive for a week under six feet with a Plexiglas tank filled with 4000 pounds of water on top of him. Many people wonder why? "It was a test of human endurance," David says. Entertainment Tonight made it a main feature, David was on Conan O`Brien again and Rosie O`Donnel, here David said he lost 24 pounds of weigh. Even Regis mentioned David on his show. Houdini`s alive granddaughter approved it. Four days after he was unearthed the highly anticipated Magic Man was aired. While Leonardo Di Caprio hosted the first special, David was well on his way to proving that he doesn't need anyone's name.
It is said that there is going to be a third special David Blaine 3, which is slated to air Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 10 p.m. ET. And to promote this new special, he is to be Frozen Alive like Han Solo in Star Wars where he will remain frozen for 72 hours in the middle of New York City until he is defrosted live on camera. David also plans on a movie Trick Monkey about a magicians life. David is now at work with his pen and paper writing his new book "Mysterious Stranger" which has been auctioned with Villard Books. The book will be about how some legendary magicians in the days of yore even stopped wars - and part tell-all, revealing how magic tricks and illusions work. "Mysterious Stranger" will be published in the fall of 2001.
