When it comes to stunts, sometimes the hype surrounding them can be so inflated, they're tough to ignore. That certainly seems to be the case for magician and social trickster David Blaine, who's planning to take a balloon trip above New York City Aug. 31. But he's not talking about the hot-air type with a convenient gondola hanging underneath. Nope, Blaine's got something much more ambitious in mind. Here's his plan.

A Helium Ascension

In short, Blaine will take to the air by holding several large helium-filled balloons in his hand in what's being billed as Ascension, an event designed to take people's minds off the pandemic, a shrinking economy, global conflict and the upcoming national election.

It's also chock full of hyperbole that will bring "untethered possibilities" to an audience eager enough to watch the live stream on YouTube. Just think of Blaine as a balloon vendor at a carnival, except he'll be hanging several feet above the ground instead of showing them off to youngsters on the ground.

The Devil's In The Details

David Blaine performs his balloon stunt outside Fresno California
Instagram

The flight plan involves Blaine taking off from New Jersey, where he hopes to catch a draft that will take him over the New York City skyline. Beyond that, it hasn't been made public where he'll make his departure from the Garden State or how long his trip will take.

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Additional planning will take into account such factors as weather, amount of balloons needed, desired height and naturally, the physical conditioning and bodily strength he'll need to pull off this venture. That said, adding a car or motorcycle to the stunt would make it more interesting. However, that's not likely to happen.

...And Then There's Lawn Chair Larry

Lawn Chair Larry before his legendary balloon ride in 1982
Air and Space Magazine

Hopefully, he'll fare better than pioneering balloonist Larry Walters, best known as Lawn Chair Larry, who in 1982 floated above Los Angeles in a lawn chair held aloft by 45 helium-filled weather balloons. According to the website All That Is Interesting, Walters achieved a higher-than-anticipated altitude of 16,000 feet and wound up drifting into commercial airline flight paths, increasing the likelihood of becoming U.S. Air Force cannon fodder. He managed to make it safely back on the ground by shooting the balloons with a shotgun he brought with him.

But at least Blaine has a track record for ensuring most of his stunts are a success, such as his lengthy stay inside a sealed Plexiglas prison in London back in 2003. And like Tom Cruise and Mark Wahlberg, who do all their own stunts in front of the camera, Blaine isn't likely to use a stand-in.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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