David Blaine (born David Blaine White on April 4, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.) is an American illusionist and stunt performer. He made his name as a performer of street and close-up magic. David Blaine began his career by bringing street magic to the public, performing card tricks and illusions such as levitation or bringing dead flies back to life. His first television appearance was on Conan O’Brien, where he also performed card tricks, and promoted his Street Magic special. He used a small camera crew to record his act live in front of everyday people providing the basis for his television specials, David Blaine: Street Magic and David Blaine: Magic Man. His first television special, David Blaine: Street Magic influenced the way magic is performed and portrayed on television.

With its strong focus on spectators’ reactions and showmanship, Blaine entertained unsuspecting pedestrians without the use of the typical magic props used by other magicians. Blaine’s magical performances and illusions have been criticized for using camera tricks to make his “magic” seem more real, doing one version of an illusion (such as the Balducci levitation) live in front of spectators, and then another, more ’spectacular’ version in the same location, but without the audience. The two versions are then edited together to make it appear that (in the case of the Balducci levitation) he was able to levitate in front of an audience, without any rigging, gaffs, gimmicks, or other assistance, to a height greater than could ‘legitimately’ be achieved in front of a live audience.