Tuesday, 26 March 2013

#ElectrifyingEnd


It’s electrifying, it’s Grease...no sorry guys it’s not Grease Lightning, its daredevil David Blaine again. David took to the stage for one last time (we hope), to perform a stunt set to literally ‘shock’ himself as well as his fans. The magician trended over social networking sites, for example Twitter and Facebook, but for all the wrong reasons! Critics took to Twitter to share their views on the attention fanatic so called superstar, claiming his time was up and it was time to pack away the magic wand. Could this be a shock too far for the magician? Blaine perched himself on New York’s Pier, so that spectators could watch him being bombarded with over one million volts over three days! On an empty stomach and wearing a chainmail suit David patiently waited for spectators around the world to control the coil settings! But was it worth it? The video become viral in seconds, with YouTube hosting the live event! Live streams were being passed around the Internet, so that everyone was able to comment, watch and share the illusionist perform his trick! 


An example of one the websites streaming the event.

Could the rise of social media be the reason as to why Blaine’s career is slowly fading? With people throwing their opinions over the World Wide Web, the job of Blaine’s public relations officer is going to be a hard one! Repairing the damage of a company or celebrity, caused by social media is becoming a reoccurring issue within the PR profession.


I can’t help but feel a sense of pity for David after weeks of preparation and the endless amount of money and time spent on this trick surely he deserves some credit. Apparently not, Twitter users were in full swing whilst the magician began his stunt in NYC. With comments flooding in from across the Atlantic, complaining about how boring his acts have become, and mimicking the magician, David has not gained the attention he so longingly craved. Freedom of speech mainly on social networking sites, has allowed the profile of celebrities to crumble uncontrollably. 




Comments left by online users highlight the extent to which a celebrity’s image can be destroyed.


Example of comments left by spectators after watching the stunt.
Could this turn of events see the end of David Blaine and his crazy tricks, maybe now that he has a daughter to provide and care for it may be time for David to take one last bow? But with David out of the picture, will this so called hate stop? I think not. Social media has become the platform for individuals to vent their emotions on anything and everyone. I understand that everyone has a right to speak, but surely there should be some control over the content that is available on the Internet. I’m sure that people will disagree, and believe any publicity is good publicity, however I disagree. Surely David’s aim was to be entertaining, not to create a foundation for people to destroy and mimic his reputation. I suppose that these are the perks of being a so called celebrity. Rather you than me David. Rather you than me.

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