Levitation Act on America’s Got Talent
On Tuesday’s episode of NBC’s show America’s Got Talent, a performer named Special Head wowed the audience by levitating in mid air. During his preparation for the stunt, a bored Howard Stern gave him his sign of disapproval by buzzing him and giving him an ‘X’. The other three judges held back and let him finish his routine. After witnessing the full stunt, Stern decided to change his mind and take his ‘X’ back. Another judge, Howie Mandel referred to it as a “premature x-ification”. See the performance for yourself below.
At the end of the stunt, as Special Head leaves the stage in an awkward manner, Mandel says, “He can float in the air, but he can barely walk.” Perhaps his awkward walk has something to do with what is under his robe. This levitation trick has been used for centuries in India.
Edit: Be sure to also watch Special Head’s second backward levitation trick on Americas’s Got Talent. The judges seemed to like this one better than his second trick, do you agree?
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This still doesn’t explain the trick on Americas got talent. It may be a slight similarity but the rod on the show was not anchored in the ground.
I would assume that he is able to somehow lock / unlock the rod to the carpet with a button or something similar. Under the carpet must be some sort of metal plate to help distribute and hold his weight. He was getting all this setup when he was making his “warm up noises” (at the point where Howard prematurely buzzed him). The fact that he then walked away with the rod and it was not permanently attached to the carpet/ground really enhances the trick in my opinion. If he would have done it right on the floor of the stage rather than the carpet that he had laid out prior to the trick, I would have been even more impressed (and slightly confused as to how he pulled it off).
Also if you look as he is walking off you can see the seat or board that he sat on
note the arm never bends, it is very unnatural
If you watch when he lays down the cane, you’ll notice what looks like a hole at it’s base. Notice how he carefully places it down, aligning the base to it’s connection point. Instead of picking up the cane, he tilts it with his right hand keeping the base in place, being extra careful to not reveal what’s up his left sleeve. When Howard buzzes him, watch his left hand working to attach a brace going up his sleeve connected to a back plate. With everything in place, tension rising, he does a leg raise. Which only requires one arm, and a back plate. Go to your local gym, and try it. At 2:14 you can see a structure under the mat directly aligned with his cane. I don’t know how it’s attached, but the second he raises his legs you can see the tension it puts on the cane. Proving, the cane is attached to a structure under the rug. Just a guess, tho.
I wonder if there is collusion with the show’s producers since it would be necessary to drill a hole in the stage to support his weight.
IF he was permitted to install hidden mechanisms in the stage, then all AGT “magic” should have the same advantage.
If he was NOT permitted to install hidden mechanisms, then his illusion is top-notch!
An electro-magnet at the base of the pole, connecting with a magnetic plate underneath the rug maybe? I’m spit-balling here…
If you search on youtube you can ser him do it naked. No bars anywhere.
It would certainly be difficult to use bars or other tools if you were nude.