Blaine to perform Manhattan high-wire act

For his next stunt, American magician David Blaine says he’ll perform an “easy and fun” high-wire act in Manhattan.

“Basically, it’s something that’s been done in the circuses, based on the old high-wire acts,” Blaine said. “It’s like family entertainment, this one.”

For his last stunt, in autumn 2003, Blaine dangled in a plastic cubicle near the River Thames in London for 44 days with only small amounts of water for nourishment. He emerged 50 pounds lighter.

The New York magician expects this next stunt will be less demanding.

“It’s my easiest one,” he said, adding the logistics had not been completed. “I want it to be simplistic and reachable for everybody. I was even going to call this one ‘Easy and Fun’.”

Blaine, 32, said he recently reached a deal with ABC for four more shows, beginning with the Halloween stunt.

While some have said his tricks no longer constitute magic in the traditional sense, Blaine said that was too narrow a view.

“I think magic is whatever the individual defines it to be. I say it’s all magic.”