David Blaine to attempt first stunt in decade: Flying over NYC holding balloons

At a time when Americans could use their spirits lifted, David Blaine is set to take to the skies in a new stunt.

The magician has announced his first live event in nearly a decade: Flying above New York City by holding a bunch of helium-filled balloons.

The illusionist and endurance artist is partnering with YouTube for the event titled "Ascension" where he "will bring wonder, hope and untethered possibility as he launches from New Jersey and journeys across his native New York City skyline to tackle his most ambitious and revolutionary feat yet."

Here is a promo photo. It floats:

YouTube Originals

“This stunt has been 10 years in the making,” Blaine wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “Let’s turn worry into wonder and take magic to new heights.”

Blaine is set to go up, up, and away on Monday, August 31.

The magician has a long list of notable stunts: In 1999, Blaine was buried in a box under a water tank in New York. In 2003, he did an endurance stunt where he was sealed inside a Plexiglas case in London. In 2006, the star spent seven days submerged in a water-filled sphere in New York.

But in recent years, Blaine has been reportedly accused of sexual assault by several women. In 2016, Blaine was accused of rape by a woman he met at a London party in 2004. The illusionist denied the claim and said the two had consensual sex. In May, detectives told The Sun newspaper they decided not to take any further action in the case. In 2019, the NYPD reportedly also opened an investigation against Blaine stemming from two complaints, which the magician likewise denied. It is not clear whether the New York-based investigations are ongoing; no charges have been brought.

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