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Blaine seeks shock-value in new stunt

Illusionist spending three days standing in the middle of a million volts

By AP and ToI Staff 7 October 2012, 3:07 pm Edit

Magician David Blaine stands inside an apparatus surrounded by a million volts of electric currents streamed by tesla coils during his 72-hour 'Electrified: 1 Million Volts Always On' stunt on Pier 54, Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in New York (photo credit: AP/John Minchillo)

NEW YORK — Daredevil stuntman David Blaine is lighting up New York’s Pier 54 for his latest high voltage feat.

Starting Friday, the illusionist is spending three days and nights standing in the middle of a million volts of electric currents streamed by tesla coils.

The stunt is called “Electrified: One Million Volts Always On.”

“Electrified” also is being streamed on YouTube, thanks to computing company Intel. Viewing stations are located in London, Beijing, Tokyo and Sydney. Viewers at the stations are able to control the coils.

The 39-year-old Blaine, who was raised by his Jewish mother in Brooklyn, is wearing a chainmail bodysuit as a barrier between himself and the electric currents.

Blaine’s past stunts include hanging upside down over Central Park, being buried alive and encased in a block of ice.