To hell with Criss Angel
July 28th, 2008 by Eric Snider in Urban ExplorationsCriss Angel, ugh.
Until the magician announced a major stunt in Clearwater — an escape from an about-to-implode building to be shown live on A&E Wednesday at 10 p.m. — he was little more than a vague name to me.
But I caught a bit of Criss Angel: Mindfreak last week — the one where he walked on water out West — and I found the guy repugnant.
He kept yammering on about “my art,” and talking about how much risk was posed to his reputation. He came off as a pretentious “tortured artist.” Hell, I grew up in suburban New York, and I even found his Long Island accent annoying. The bushy beard. The military hat pulled down low and a little sidways. Ugh.
Further, I didn’t find many of his smaller tricks all that impressive. I couldn’t figure them out, but it seemed beyond question that he was using planted performers.
And for the walking-on-water bit, the women who scampered in frantically to run their hands under his feet, well, they looked just a little too hysterical. “Oh my god! Oh my gaaawwwd!” Pu-leeeeeze. Criss, get your sidekicks some acting lessons.
In Clearwater on Wednesday, a bound and shackled Angel has four minutes to escape the Spyglass Resort before he gets crushed by tons of falling debris. It’s an amazing, death-defying, intrepid, foolhardy stunt. Does the city of Clearwater really want the stain of Criss Angel’s death on its hands?
Hmm, now there’s an idea.






July 28th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Why are you so hateful when its
suppose to be just fun and inspiration..of course you have to have your say and pop the bubble of everyone elses inspiration. How nice is that..and wishing on someones death…not nice play is it?
July 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
well, i see the criss angel mindfreak of the Italy, and i know that criss not like other illusionisti and people, simply because many of them fail to do what he can do .. and that’s what.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
you can’t just enjoy the show, can you? Not many people can do what he does. To top it off, he gives so many insperation to do things in their own lives. Why all the hate from you?
July 28th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
This is just plain nasty. “To Hell with Criss Angel?” Well then TO HELL WITH YOU.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
look just cause u don’t know how he does things don’t give u the right to diss him like that.i happen to know him in person and he is cool.just back the hell of of criss
July 28th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
do you have green crossed eyes, have you just seen the green eyed monster? well it sounds like you caught this ugly virus, something better known as jealousy, damn you to hell for the death wish! poo! i fart on you too!i flip you the bird now rotate on it!!and write something with substance no!now hop to! and find a lowlife job for a loser like you its fitting!
July 28th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
*red eyes glare* wtf did u say about criss angel? *corks shotgun*
seriously tho, jst enjoy it. of course the walking on water isnt real, its an ILLUSION, he openly admits that
July 29th, 2008 at 7:41 am
All the real magician know that Criss uses stooges (actors) for 99% of his tricks, so for all you people who find his walking on water impressive (which he stole the idea from another magician who didn’t give him permission to use the trick) I pity you.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I’m sure Criss will smile at you even after knowing how much you hate him for what he has achieved after 35 years of practice and work…you make it sound easy …Do you have the strength and love to work 20 hours a day and still smile at your enemies? I don’t think so !
July 29th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Criss has this to tell youand likes of you :
“And you know what? I love the people who hate me just as much as I love the people who love me because without those people I wouldn’t be here. People who write things negatively about me in the press? I love those people. Thank you all for talking about me because it has given me the platform to create art and make people talk about it.
When you’re at the top, and I worked my a– to get there, they tell you how great you are. But when you’re there, everybody wants to tear you down. And you know what? None of that stuff bothers me.
I actually think it’s funny because people who supposedly hate me so much will waste their life talking about me probably because no one will talk about them. And to me, I’m flattered that they would waste all that talking about someone they would hate so bad. But they don’t really hate me. We all have our own insecurities, including myself, and sometimes some of us can’t confront what they are.
So instead of looking in the mirror, we look toward being negative in life and I say screw that. Life is too short, life is too precious. Let’s try to be positive and try to be a positive force in this world”.
(from his interview on monday 28th july)
July 30th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
i just saw the building imploshion… its fake.. you can tell… and to the peeps that say this is mean… he is way to full of himself, he acts like god gave him powers (on and off camra from what iv read) i live near clearwater and say it… the dude could not of survived that building colaps he was stuck inside the bulding on top story… theres o way, just no frickin way.
July 30th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
NOTE: i dont got anything agenst him.. its entertaining to watch. just so fake
July 31st, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Ignoring all the camera nonsense which did indeed look “fake”, the facts are as follows: He was handcuffed to a building that imploded 4 minutes later and he survived.
I don’t know, but I think that’s pretty impressive in itself. It’s definitely something I wouldn’t attempt.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
well the hell with u. u cant just do sometin like that and expect people to not get mad . and how dare u disrespect some one u dont really know.wut about i started talkin about ur dum ass would u like that no. so shut the hell up and get a dam life.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I don’t “hate” Criss Angel, but the whole fun of illusionists for some people is trying to figure out how the trick was done. With Criss, it’s all camera editing, camera angles, pre-taped sequences and audience plants. There’s no trick to his “magic” to figure out. It’s no different than watching a movie or tv show full of edits and actors. That’s just no fun. He might as well just start using CGI to magically produce mythical creatures on screen.