Unless people go to a show to see an incredible performer, there isn't a ton of real-life magic. Sure, people call expensive celebrity weddings magical and can take Hogwarts classes via the Internet, but regular people can't make objects appear out of thin air.
People go to Las Vegas on a regular basis to see Criss Angel and figure out whether what he's doing is real or fake. How real is his show Mindfreak? Let's take a look.
Practical Magic
Criss Angel has a ton of cars and his TV show Mindfreak has likely earned him some big bucks, as it was on the air from 2005 to 2010. He continued the same kind of magical experience for fans in Las Vegas, and that Vegas show also has the same title.
Criss Angel does a great job as a magician and this means that, essentially, what he's doing is fake since he does magic tricks. According to Secrets Explained, when he does a trick called "Cut In Half" where two people will grab onto a woman's legs and arms while she will lie on a bench. The website explains that the woman will yell and it seems like she has literally been cut in two. Angel has also performed the trick where a man and woman switch half of their bodies.
According to Secrets Explained, this is how he does the trick: "the most popular theory seems to be that the ‘woman’ is actually two people – a handicapped woman with the lower part of her body missing (probably suffering from a disorder called sacral agenesis), and a contortionist who ‘provided’ the legs." The website also says that when a man and woman switch parts, it's probably the TV show doing some editing because there was "a lot of camera meddling." Props and camera editing are the answer here.
Secrets Explained talks about another trick that Angel did where he supposedly guessed the number that Oprah came up with. The website believes that his assistant let him know what the number was.
According to Reuters.com, Angel explained, “A lot of what I do is 110 percent real. But I try to blur the lines between reality and illusion. Then I leave it up to my audience to decide.”
Angel also said that while some his stunts do actually cause him pain, he is able to get through it. He said, "But I focus my mind on the pain so I get numb to it."
The Danger
However, even though Criss Angel is performing magic for an audience, he can still get hurt and this proves that the danger is real.
Angel went to the hospital after a trick back in 2017. According to ABC News Go, he put on a straightjacket and was upside down in front of the Las Vegas audience. He couldn't get out and then he went unconscious.
Angel said of the experience, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and for me it's always about pushing my envelope." He continued, "I felt like it was really attributed to not eating properly. I've only been sleeping about two hours a night the past few days and I don't think I was hydrated so I attributed my unconsciousness to those elements that can cause this."
He was upset that he couldn't finish the show and said, "I actually left the hospital early because I was so angry because I wanted to get back to doing my show and thrill the audience with a show and a spectacle that the world of magic has never seen before
Angel shared in an interview with GQ that he needs to make sure that he has "core strength" and that he's in good health so he can do the stunts and tricks that he does. He did a lot of martial arts as a child, which definitely helps, and he has a gym that is 4,000 square feet in his home where he works out.
Angel told GQ that he actually swallows razor blades and doesn't buy false ones like other magicians do. He says that he can stay chill and not worry about what's going on. He explained that i's' all about "not freaking out about it, not allowing your adrenaline or excitement being in front of an audience to get the best of you. You have to remain focused and calm with what you’re dealing with, but not overly cautious, because that can screw you up as well."
It's amazing to think about the kind of life that Criss Angel leads, as he is performing magic tricks for people on a regular basis and he could definitely get hurt (which he has). When he was interviewed by Inc.com, the article explained that his young son has cancer and that he is determined to do well in his career and help his child. It's very moving and adds a human element to his story.