Angel Courts Death Live on A&E
July 7, 2008 10:18 AM
An upcoming stunt by magician Criss Angel should drum up more than the usual buzz for his returning A&E series, “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” because he’s performing a death-defying deed live.
In this season’s second episode this summer, Mr. Angel will be fastened inside a Miami hotel that’s due for demolition. Under the unblinking eye of a robotic camera, he will attempt to escape before the building implodes.
Since it will take too long to run from the exploding structure, he’ll exit through the roof, one hopes, and escape the conflagration in a waiting helicopter.
If the stunt doesn’t go well, watching the rest of the season’s episodes could be anticlimactic, to say the least.
“You’ll have to watch to find out if he makes it out on time,” said Guy Slattery, marketing head for A&E. “We’re hoping he does.”
—Jon Lafayette
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Fark 
StumbleUpon 
Comments (4)
GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Yes, if something goes drastically wrong, he might get hurt or killed. But who are you trying to kid? This event is nothing but another publicity ploy. If there were any significant chance of him being caught in an imploding building, do you think they would have a helicopter on the roof? They've got it timed down to the millisecond, so the suspense will build, garnering ratings (can you spell ad dollars), and just at the last fraction of a second, Chris will miraculously escape (maybe with a (((GASP!!!))) shudder and wobble from the helicpoter), and then land to thunderous applause from an audience (many handpicked and coached) who will worship him as the death defying demi-god he has now become. If people weren't so gullible (and Madison Avenue knows this), they would never sit still for these mavens of manipulation and the crap they pass off as "Quality, exciting, realistic programming".
Posted by David Adcock | July 7, 2008 2:41 PM
I take it nobody remembers when David Copperfield did this years ago?
Posted by Dave V | July 7, 2008 3:59 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfamvx-snHg
Copperfield Imploding Buiding Illusion
Criss Angel is a second rate copy cat.
Angel has no original material. David Copperfield already did this years ago... and I am certain with much more class, talent, and creativity than Angel could ever even hope for.
David has more talent and creativity than Angel ever will. And without the crap attidude.
Posted by Mike | July 8, 2008 3:02 AM
It was fake-o when Copperfield did it, especially the way they dressed Copperfield up like a worker and he ran out of the building with the others. They had to do it in 2 takes because the manlift operator pulled away too soon and Copperfield couldn't get off the 2nd floor. All the other stuff was filmed the day before.
Posted by Stacey | July 12, 2008 12:28 PM