David Blaine: What Is The Point?
David Blaine, that master of pointless stunts, has done it again...he just finished a stint of hanging upside down in Central Park, where he claimed his latest stunt would see him hanging upside down for sixty hours, a not-to-be-imitated move which could cause blindness, among other nasty side effects:
Blaine stopped eating "about a week ago," he told Ripa, so that he won't have to go to the bathroom, other than using his catheter."I’ll need lots of liquids so I won’t have to go into organ failure again, which has happened twice," he said.
Other medical difficulties: Swelling of the eyes and "there’s the possibility of blood hemorrhaging in the brain," he told Ripa, along with going into an altered state due to sleep deprivation.
Doctors, who will be monitoring him throughout the feat, say the increase in blood pressure raises the risk of stroke or blindness, and gravity could restrict the blood flow to his lower extremities.
Now, when this stunt was first advertised, they made it pretty clear that there would be hanging upside down action for sixty hours, and no mention of anything other than hanging upside down for sixty hours:
For three days and two nights, illusionist David Blaine will enjoy an unusual view of New York City's Central Park — one that can only be enjoyed from six stories in the air, while hanging upside down. [...]Considering the various health hazards Blaine may face as he hangs in the position for about 60 hours, [Doctor Ronald] Ruden's concern is warranted. He said the stunt will be all endurance — no smoke and mirrors. [...]
Blaine said he has prepared for the challenges of the 2½-day hang by losing some weight, performing special exercises and practicing dangling upside down.
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