The best thing about writing about David Blaine is that the headlines essentially write themselves. With other magicians I have to fancy up the language a bit, really sell the idea behind the trick, but with Blaine, I just write, “David Blaine…” followed by what David Blaine just did.

In this case, what David Blaine just did is stab himself in the hand with an ice pick. He performed the trick during an interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show. While the trick is an obvious attention-getter – though not as immediately butt-cheek-clenchingly gross as sewing his lips shut – what I really appreciate about the video is how wry his patter is. Blaine often gives the impression of someone who takes himself very. very seriously, but in clips like this he shows he’s willing to have some fun with his reputation. Like that stare that’s slightly too long after he suggests Noah’s reaction would be muted unless he did something crazy. It’s funny stuff. 

“Do you want to see the, ‘Think of a 4-digit number that’s important to you [trick]’ or do you want to see the ice pick?” he asks, grinning.

We saw the ice pick.