David Blaine Begs Viewers: ‘Do Not Attempt’ This at Home (Exclusive)

Barb Oates March 21, 8:15 am

David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, Nat Geo, Brazil — Nat Geo

Daring escapes and death defying feats have long fascinated our attention, from Harry Houdini’s Chinese water torture cell to David Blaine holding his breath for over 17 minutes. Our hearts race, our stomachs turn but we just can’t turn away from the magic that is happening before our eyes — a sensation Blaine brings to our TV screens with his new Nat Geo docu-series, David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, which premieres on March 23.

Undisputedly one of the greatest magicians and endurance artists who’s ever lived, Blaine has been defying logic and leaving us jaw-dropped since his Street Magic special when he was just 23 years old. He’s made a career out of overcoming discomfort with his feats — standing in an ice block in Times Square for 63 hours (he won’t do that again), holding his breath underwater for an astonishing 17 minutes, not eating for 44 days — and is a master of endurance and illusion.

Now, on his show, he’s on to a life-changing road of discovery, as he travels the globe searching for people with amazing abilities, who will teach him things he didn’t even believe were possible —magicians and performers who have worked their craft for decades.

Nat Geo

“Even though the things are intense, they’re magical, they’re real, they’re beautiful,” Blaine tells ReMIND, and then shows us a clip where he’s kissing one of Africa’s most venomous snakes, the black mamba; he’s later covered in bees, and then you see someone’s head on fire.

Blaine, however, wants to make darn sure you DO NOT ATTEMPT anything you see — ever — when it comes to his astonishing new series.

“It’s pretty intense,” he tells us. “All of them defy logic. But nobody should try to reproduce any of the things that they see in this show. That’s why it’s called Do Not Attempt.”

David Blaine: Is It Real Or Is It Magic?

It’s a bit of both, when it comes to the people he’s meeting and learning from.

“There’s no rule book to follow, there’s no formula, there’s no structure,” he shares of his tutors. “Many of it has been passed down for generations, or they’ve worked, refined, practiced, learned, shredded everything and started from scratch.” Indeed, a ritual he’s all too familiar with.

“It’s just inspiring to see somebody that’s become a master at their own craft and has defied all of the rules and has done things that nobody else has even attempted,” Blaine enthuses. “Many of the things on this series I didn’t even know existed. Many of the things I’ve never even seen before.”

Nat Geo

What Won’t David Blaine Do?

It takes confidence, smarts and plenty of experience to also know when to say no and walk away from a feat. “There was one that I knew I shouldn’t do,” he shares and shows a photo of a man in India inserting an instrument into his eye socket. “It’s a religious rite, but I called my doctor and asked him if I did this type of thing, would there be any repercussions.”

Now after three years working on this show, viewers get to see Blaine react to other people’s magic.

“This show is me watching people do things that I consider magic that are all real. And I’m the one running away and screaming. It’s something I never do. I never share that side.”

It’s a welcome side to see and an inspiring journey, but don’t kid yourself — your heart will be racing madly.