Criss Angel survives Clearwater implosion; His show - not so lucky

Gothed out magician Criss Angel shares one thing with fellow youngblood prestidigitator David Blaine:

He's not just about the trick. He's about the foreplay.

And Wednesday night's live broadcast of Angels' escape from an imploding Clearwater resort hotel was no exception. The trick itself took seconds and was disturbingly anti-climactic; cameras showed Angel struggling to get a door inside the building open, the explosions dismantling the building went off, and seconds later, the magician was stumbling across the ground in front of the building, miraculously yards away from the newly made pile of rubble.

Of course, we knew Angel would survive the implosion; the big question, was how would his escape surprise TV viewers and the 15,000 faithful who crowded onto Clearwater Beach to watch the trick in person? The giveaway here was the even tone of announcer Tim Vincent, even when the helicopter which was supposed to spirit Angel away had to leave the building with 30 seconds before detonation without the magician on board.

(My guess -- the video images showing him inside the building were delayed or fake, hiding how he actually escaped from the building. But what do i know?)

Most of A&E's bloated broadcast Wednesday featured Angel performing smaller feats of wonder, like a scruffy roadie for Motley Crue who decided to whip out some tricks for the fans. In one, he turned a car into six hot chicks -- a creepy metaphor for the odd blend of Las Vegas-style showmanship and biker bar attitude he brings to many of his illusions.

The program also doubled as a tribute to and commercial for Angel himself. Viewers got to hear from the backers of his Las Vegas show -- why is every big performer in that town now the recipient of a $100-million deal? -- who were understandably appalled at the implosion trick. Nevermind the acres of free publicity it's developing for his Vegas show -- what if Angel twists an ankle during the trick?

Angel also received a tricked-out car during the show, which is a ritual I've seen before on his Mindfreak series. Indeed, the real trick here may be Angel's talent for getting custom car and motorcycle shops to hand him exquisitely detailed vehicles in exchange for brief appearances on his show and the honor of starring in one of his illusions.

In today's post-modern media universe, we expect magicians to pull off their tricks -- you judge them, instead, by the foreplay. And in this case, Criss Angel brought his A game to Clearwater, filling an hour's worth of TV time with a dramatic escape which took seconds to actually implement.

Comments

[CHELSEA]

its chelsea again and i just wanted to say criss angel is a person and fake tricks or not and its not cul trashing him like that

[chelsea]

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT SAID CRISS ANGEL WAS A FAKE YOUR ONE. I THINK CRISS IS THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO TV!!!!!!!!JUST BECAUSE HES GOOD DOESNT MAKE HIM A FRAUD CRISS ANGEL IS LIKE MY HERO AND THATS NO LIE NONBELIVERS!!!!!

[Sarah]

I think all of you talking badly about the illusion clearly don't know what magic or an illusion is.My grandmother was a magician and I grew up wondering how she did her tricks.I eventually learned how they worked and I also learned that its all ment to be fake, its just how good the fake out is that counts.I know that all his stunts are fake. The point is how well you're fooled. We all know he comes out of them all fine. But if you, even for a second, doubt he's alive, then he achieved his goal. No one is perfect and some tricks will be easier to figure out then others. So what? There are still so many more illusions he's done that no can figure out. He has stated that he purposely leaves he fans/audience wondering how he does something, or if he screwed up on purpose. Thats the fun of illusions and magic. For all we know he may have wanted it to be easy to figure out so that people don't go trying it thinking, "if he did it, I can practice and do it too." He my have made it obvious to show that its a dumb thing to try and that its all cameras and prerecording. I enjoy criss angel. I may be able to figure out some of what he does but i still enjoy being awed. He is dedicated to what he does and he is good at it. We all screw up. Hell even big hollywood movie editors mess up. so its normal that his editors made errors. leave him alone and just admit you were nervous for a second or two

[rebecca lucille]

The REAL illusion was pulled off by Clearwater's Mayor, and City Manager. Pretending to CARE about the City Of Clearwater!

Shame on them for allowing what happened to happen. Too many people in too small a space, too much potential for danger... and I'm NOT talking about the implosion! What happened afterword was the scariest part!

[John]

Well I love the guys magic and along with my kids are faithful watchers of his show, but IMO, that was one of the weakest stunts I've ever seen him do. It was just to ovious the once you stop seeing him live that the cameras were prerecorded. Not to mention the terrible acting at the end of him struggling to walk LOL. IMO if he would of levitated down to the ground from the cloud of ash after the implosion, that would have been a true Criss Angel MINDFREAK!!! Don't get me wrong it was very entertaining since I was actually present at the implosion, which was outstanding to see live!

[Gabby]

What gets me is that most of the haters here don't seem to understand that this was supposed to be an illusion. It wasn't the fact that he made it through all these locked doors; that wasn't the real show. He intended to raise the suspense of the audience then bring them back down once they saw he was safe. The actual stunt wasn't the show. It was the anticipation.

I think Criss is great at what he does. He messes with your mind and makes you believe in things you never would have thought possible.

You people here need to just stop complaining about how you were "duped" because you weren't. What you saw was supposed to happen. Criss did what he needed to do: he made you believe, even for just a second, that there was real danger involved. All illusionists do it. You guys were just to daft to realize it.

[Jamie]

I think we all just got punk'd!

[Jill]

Criss does do good illusions and I do love watching his show but I would have loved to see him fying away in the chopper. That would have meant that he actually did pick all locks and gone from the 6th to 9th floor. Clark you are right that the 'button' would not have been pushed even if he was delay a few seconds if he 'was' going to the top floor.

[Eric Deggans]

i agree. the illusions beforehand were more entertaining.

In my opinion the little illusions beforehand wowed me more than that BS stunt. That was absolutely terrible. That emcee should be fired right now. Don't u think he mite be a little upset that the star of his show was about 2 die and that hed b out of a job. that whole thing was a waste of my life

[Clark]

What's unbelievable (and hilarious) is how upset people are because they feel duped AFTER seeing it, as though there was ever any real danger. Didn't it ever occur to anyone in advance that the guy pushing the button isn't going to do it if there's a possibility he might kill someone? Or that the city of Clearwater and the company that handled the definition would probably not approve some stunt where someone could actually die in the first place? How sad that some people can't just enjoy a show.

[Eric Deggans]

I think the St. Pete Times has much better uses to put its reporting power than explaining a Criss Angel illusion. That said, I've been out of town until just last night -- I pulled into my driveway a couple of hours before the big show. Had I been around, i would have tried to pull together a story on how he would do what he did.

And all that said, looks like Rod came up with a pretty good explanation for what happened...

[dreaming]

instead of hyping this like a paid advertorial, the sp times should put what's left of its journalism power into finding out the real story of how the audience was duped.

people have proposed any number of obvious ways this was staged. are we that desperate for diversions?

[Michele]

Come on people! THIS WAS ENTERTAINMENT!!! Get it? Aren't you the one's that were so brilliant to figure out the trick first! Here's your brownie button, now get back to your lives! Criss Angel has accomplished what he set out to do...love it or hate it, you WILL remember it! Also...keep in mind that Criss Angel is the one that raised critism for his "Secrets Revealed" show. He is a performer...pure and simple. In all honesty, it sounds like a few of you are a bit jealous of Angel! Get over it! The man has done something positive with his life, he's close to his family, and he brings joy and laughter to people. Tell me...when was the last time YOU did something like that!? Random acts of kindness, can change the world. Right here would be a good place for you "blasters" to start!

[tim g]

he's an o.k upclose disillusionist slight of hand and good at misconception. there is only one true form of magic and the trick is to get people to watch and ponder how the trick was preformed. we've seen great illusionist live in branson that really left you asking how did you pull that off no magic just a good illusion criss is only doing what he enjoys and getting paid
? now how can you knock a guy for that shame on all you who judge without knowing i'd rather see that then phoney ass president wanna be's any night. nothing but love to any one who earns there money rather than burning other. guy in kansas

[resident]

I was not worth sitting in traffic for 2 1/2 hrs trying to get off the beach.
You think clearwater would have been
prepared. I only live 20 miles from beach got home at 2:30am. Let as soon as show ended.

[Lloyd Dobler]

What a fake. What a phony. What a ripoff. Anyone over the age of 12 that actually believed this crap would have to be totally clueless. This was rigged from the get go. The window he smashed was candy glass. He pre-taped all the interior crap and was never in any danger. He left the building seconds after he smashed through the candy glass and just waited it out. Clearwater deserves better.

[Wings]

OK people quit complaining. We were there live, it was a good show, the crowd was very excited. We were packed in like sardines with thousands behind us. Everyone cheered when the helicopter arrived. Then when the helicopter lifted away everyone was shocked and yelling "where's it going?!" And then the building fell. Since we had no tv screen there and no announcer, no one knew what happened. People were shocked. The girl next to us who was on her cell phone as the stunt occurred yelled "He's on the beach!" a few minutes later and we were all relieved. But further behind us the people in the crowd thought he died. As we walked away to leave, their faces showed shock and dismay. I started telling everyone, "He's on the beach, he made it out" and there was this visible relief on their faces and then the word spread from there as they quickly told their neighbors "He got out!". I'm talking dozens of people here. No matter how he pulled off the trick, it worked because the people there believed it in the moment. And that's the trick, staging a belief. That's what we went for, the illusion, the magic. No one said magic is real. Lastly, no matter how he got out it was still dangerous to exit that building in three minutes.
The only part that truly sucked was the three hours we had to wait in traffic to get off the beach. That was the nightmare.

[J.]

Bummer. You know...had he fooled us through timing and delayed explosion...(some guy has to push that button) by actually making it out of the building and onto the helicopter ladder..that would have been more fun. Instead..he thought we'd believe he was thrown on to the grassy knoll unharmed from under the roof hatch of an exploding building.

[sue]

It WAS the emcee who gave it away - he never once sounded anxious. I had never seen a Criss Angel stunt and was really excited about it, but it became clear pretty quick that the whole thing was fake. I was disappointed.

[r2cents]

Right on, Eric ... and the rest of you. I watched only because it was live and in Clearwater. Live TV is always nice; Clearwater's cool. The Mindfreak's big escape fell flat, no pun intended ... although I like the term "Mindfreak." He's done a good job building a fan base. Have at it, but it's not for me.

[Julie]

Truly a disappointing "illusion". I had never seen Angel prior to this show. My son told me about him and how good he was so I sat for an hour to watch his show. The entire show sucked, his performance was pathetic. I'll never watch Angel again.

[Tony]

If there's any justice this whole charade should implode his "career"

[Sou]

Went there, waited, saw it, boring...

The only interesting part was the collapse looked so much like the WTC that it makes the nuts sound not so nutty...

[Paul]

Criss Angel is amazing. His illusions leave audiences shaking their heads. My comment after watching last night was this was really, really sub-par for him.

Instead of expanding his audience, current fans will now need to defend him. (Or not), which might be the beginning of the end of his run....too bad.

[Bob H.]

Younger, MTV-style magicians like Angel and Blaine are all style and very little substance. Kudos to them for working the media though. But as far as bringing anything new to the world of magic, they fall very short of the mark.

[Trunk]

This was either a "sham" or a "scam"...probably both. I'd rather watch David Blaine any day.

Ace:

Is that on Youtube if so please post the link that would be hilarious lol.

What a joke !!!

[Ace]

not worth the discussion it was so bad. amateur video had the crowd chanting "bull$#!t" when he magically emerged from the rubble

[krypto]

Maybe someone knows the answer to this.. Can a window on a beachfront hotel be shattered so easy? It seems not unless the glass was grandfathered in from the hotel being so old. I'm thinking he needed the door closed to block the view of him getting out of the room (trapdoor or door to next room) The fake video started as soon as he was in the room.

[rod]

this was REALLY stupid. he was indeed cuffed to the balcony and props for being a great lock picker. after he karate kicked in the window (which i'm sure was defenietly NOT the original window from the hotel, certainly not hurricane proof!) thats when the real illusion began, everyone watched a "live feed" of a PRE-recorded route of his escape to the rooftop.

Meanwhile Criss didn't go upstairs at all, he headed straight downstairs to a back exit where he must have found shelter during the implosion and thrown dust on himself then walked around the rubble to greet the cameras.

dissappointing, I would have rather seen him actually escape out the top with the chopper.

[Dondi]

I thought I was watching Keena Reeves and Sandra Bullock, remember the scene in the bus where the tape is played over and over again......... Chris is no ANGEL because ANGELS have real wings

[SWLiP]

It was a great idea, but the execution was terrible.

[Stephen]

If there's absolutely no danger -- and there obviously wasn't -- what exactly is the point? The whole thing was a joke. There was nothing intriguing about it to begin with. I didn't even understand what the "trick" was. Pick a bunch of locks? Any old locksmith would have strolled out of there smoking a cigarette with 2 minutes to spare.

[jeff]

ANOTHER CON MAN..
ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS A FAKE!!!!!!!!
I WILL GLADLY SEE LANCE BURTON, NOW THAT IS A GREAT SHOW.
GO LANCE.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
CHRIS DEVIL OR ANGEL OR WHAT EVER YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL..

[Reilly]

Come on folks! He is a performer. I was so skeptical at first, but doesn't anyone have a sense of humor about this guy? He is a "not so bright" kid who practiced and worked on something other than selling drugs to earn a living. He knew he wasn't cut out for college and he still committed himself to something positive. Kudos to his cheesy New Jersey self!

[Laurie]

The BIG difference between Criss Angel and Houdini is Houdini's stunts were REAL not an illusion. How easily the public is entertained nowadays and the money this joker is making to fool the public is pathetic. People will believe anything.

[drinklime]

what i find most shocking was that anyone watched this in the first place

[carrie]

What a waste of an hour of my life! Anti-climatic was exactly the phrase I used when my husband and I talked about it last night. Isn't magic suppose to leave you wondering how in the world they did that???? I certainly didn't feel that at all. If it were life threatening why did he waste time taking the 2nd handcuff off when he was free to go at that point?? Why did he waste time putting the handcuffs in his pocket?? So lame.

[Jess]

Almost as stupid as my mistake above.

[Jess]

This guys is a douche. So stupid.

[TechRider]

That was bad. Really bad. On the other hand, my wife was freaking out.

[Stephanie]

OMG, that was the the most LAME thing I have ever watched. I should kick myself in the BUTT for even staying up. The "static" on the cameras before the implosion, yeah that was real! LMAO. He should go back to Las Vegas and crawl in a hole. Anyone who pays money to see him after that needs their head examined. I can't believe some of the people that were there and their comments believeing it was real?

[Carol]

Silly stuff. As "real" as Pro Wrestling. The scary part of this is that many people actually BELIEVE that he did this "live" and they are voters. Little wonder we are in the mess we are in...

[Tim in Palm Harbor]

It was so obvious that the "live" video from inside the building was pre-recorded. And what's with the lame emcee? C'mon! If Chriss really was in danger after the implosion, do ya think the emcee would have at least tried to sound a bit alarmed? LAME!

[Magic Ruiner]

HOW FAKE! The "TIMER" on his belt loop magically appeared on BOTH the RIGHT and LEFT side...that's the only magic...how it spirited itself to either side without us seeing. If I was Criss I would fire the editor and director for not seeing the discrepancy in the video that was OBVIOUSLY done earlier...C'mon, "SAW" did it first!

[Capt.Big]

He dares to compare himself with Harry Houdini! His only worthy trick is to get us to watch him. Even P.T. Barnum would be ashamed. There's a sucker born every minute, but P.T. at least gave the sucker a good show.

[disappointed]

Anticlimactic is an understatement! At the beginning of the show (which we never watch, but tuned into last night and I guess that was the point of the hype) I told my family exactly what was going to happen, and I was right. It was obvious only one feed inside the hotel was marked as "live" and for me the whole thing seemed amateurish compared to stunts that Blaine or Copperfield have accomplished.

[Sheldon]

I think it's amazing what he did! I know I could never do something like that. I'm glad and amazed that he is alive to do more great magic! He's pretty cool!