Blaine kicks back before wattage work
David Blaine is spending the days leading up to his next stunt lying low. “I’ll mostly be relaxing, meditating and playing with my daughter … and trying not to deprive myself of sleep,” the illusionist said at a Tuesday press conference after demonstrating the stunt at low voltage.
He will need the rest. Beginning Friday, Blaine will spend three days and three nights standing in the middle of a million volts of electric currents streamed by tesla coils.
The feat is called “Electrified: One Million Volts Always On” and will take place at Pier 54 on New York’s West Side. It will be open to the public, and spectators can type messages to Blaine, control the electricity around him and basically help keep him alert.
For the stunt, the 39-year-old will wear a chainmail bodysuit as a barrier between himself and the electric currents. He will have a wire helmet on, a visor to shield his eyes, and hearing protection for his ears. The air he is breathing will be monitored. Blaine won’t be able to eat but will have a tube for drinking water.
Legend to fans: No U.S. tour for now
John Legend is postponing his fall U.S. tour, the soul crooner announced Tuesday in a letter to fans. The nine-time Grammy winner had planned on previewing “Love in the Future,” his fourth solo album in nearly four years, with a trek that was to hit more than 20 cities.
Legend said he needed to postpone the tour to next year to give himself more time to complete the record.
Legend apologized to his fans and wrote that ticket holders could get refunds.
Swift responds to prank with tickets
Taylor Swift is giving $10,000 and concert tickets to a Boston school for the deaf after a prank during an online contest promising an on-campus performance by the Grammy-winning singer. Horace Mann School for the Deaf was disqualified from the contest because many of the votes were from pranksters who thought it would be funny for a school for the deaf to win a concert.
Swift said every student at the K-12 school will receive a ticket to her next local concert. She and the contest sponsors also donated $50,000 to the school, and VH1’s Save the Music program donated $10,000 in musical instruments.
The birthday bunch
Composer Steve Reich is 76. Rock ‘n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 71. Actor Alan Rachins is 70. Magician Roy Horn is 68. Musician Lindsey Buckingham is 63. Blues singer Keb’ Mo’ is 61. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is 58. Actor Jack Wagner is 53. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 50. Actor Clive Owen is 48. Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 43. Actress Neve Campbell is 39. Actor Seann William Scott is 36. Rock musician Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 31. Actress-singer Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is 28.