The endurance artist will push himself to the limit yet again.
DAVID BLAINE will try to break the word record for staying awake as his next feat of endurance, The New York Post reports.
"It's been tried before. In 1959," he tells gossip queen CINDY ADAMS. "Peter Tripp stayed awake eight days, but it resulted in permanent brain damage. In 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner did it for a high school science project. He lasted 11 days but recovered fully. No damage. A guy in London tried but fell short. Another did 19 days but slept two hours each night, so that doesn't count. Also he was seated in a rocking chair. If I do this thing, which you claim I'm doing, I'll do it on my feet. Standing up.
"After 36 hours of sleep deprivation it's like being drunk, 72 hours and paranoia sets in, Day Four the mind goes into hallucinations and you're dreaming while awake. The problem is there's no way to know how to offset brain damage or to train for this because there isn't sufficient research. I believe the first guy's mistake was not being in great physical condition. Also he used stimulants to keep awake, which I assume did him in."
