For the first time in his magic career, 'Mindfreak' star Criss Angel was forced to halt a dangerous Houdini-styled escape. Medical and safety officials stopped him from being lowered, while manacled with handcuffs, metal chains and foot restraints, into the shark and stingray filled seawater aquarium tank at the Silverton late Saturday night.
Just 24 hours earlier, while rehearsing the stunt without being lowered all the way to the bottom, he almost failed to break free. Safety divers rushed to assist and Criss wound up severely cutting his back on the rocks in the tank. It was a rush to the surface for air while simultaneously avoiding the sharks and stingrays!
It all happened within hours of LUXE LIFE learning that Cirque du Soleil will announce his new $100-million magical spectacular this coming Thursday for a February 2008 opening. Click here for our earlier LUXE LIFE coverage today.
I sat in with resort-hotel officials as they ordered Criss to stop the stunt. They refused to let him enter the water because of potential ear-drum damage from deep water while trying to free himself from a locked metal box. They demanded he produce medical clearances from doctors to guarantee his underwater safety. Criss was unable at the last moment to track down his medical associates before midnight last night so he reluctantly had to abandon the escape.
"I promise to get all the paperwork in order. We'll release the Silverton from all responsibility and liability and we'll return to perform the escape. I have to do it," he told me. 
Earlier, I had interviewed Criss for the segment on his A&E series 'Mindfreak' to explain the dangers of the escape- and now he was making it even more dangerous than the previous rehearsal night. He wanted lead weights added to keep the steel box on the aquarium floor so spectators could watch his fight for freedom-and safety!
"It's not just getting free from the restraints," he said. "Then I have to be able to get my hand outside the exposed bar and pick one lock and then unravel an un- known combination of a second lock. – and then get to the surface without blowing out my eardrums from the pressure.
"This has never been done before underwater. I have to hold my breath and the steel box, which is no larger than an animal luggage box used on airlines gives me absolutely no room for movement.
"I've trained myself to hold my breath for up to four minutes underwater, but with all the exertion of getting out of the metal cuffs on my hands and feet the air gets used up much faster. If I could get out in 30 seconds, believe me I would but it takes almost the length of the hold of my breath. There's not much room for safety." 
The box was designed with one end open with bars so spectators could watch his life and death struggle and hundreds gathered at the Silverton to watch the stunt. "I can't disappoint them," pleaded Criss. But his attempts to get around the liability and medical issues failed. He spent a lot of time late last night with each and every fan signing autographs, posing for photos and promising he would be back when the problems were resolved.
The Silverton's beautiful salt-water aquarium is a 117,000-gallon artificial reef, which is home to over 4,000 tropical fish from all over the world, three species of stingrays and six species of sharks. The aquarium is designed as an octagonal to permit viewing on all sides. The front viewing window is an impressive convex window that extends 25 feet by 12 feet and is one of the largest single pieces of curved acrylic in the US. 
Criss explained why he wanted to accomplish the impossible in front of the audience: "Houdini did this escape once in a wooden box with no openings. He had it lowered into a murky river so nobody could see anything. I've been called the 21st Century Houdini and I wanted my fans to see me inside the box and getting free," he told me.
"I know this is dangerous. I know I am risking my life. But I have to push the envelope. I have to give the best performances. The fans expect it. Now I also realize I am not at the top of my game at the moment. I am tired. I am beat because we have been so busy. But we've just had 'Mindfreak' renewed for a fourth season which we'll continue to shoot here in Vegas so we have to perform wonderful illusions to end the season on. We've only got a couple of weeks now left for filming this current series and I want every trick, every escape and every illusion to be totally mind-blowing. "
Tomorrow, he will start to get the necessary medical approvals in order to attempt the Houdini escape again. Meantime, he admits he's still worried from the previous near-drowning incident reported exclusively here at LUXE LIFE when Bounty Hunter Dog Chapman roped him to a chair and threw him into the deep-end of the Luxor pool.
LUXE LIFE will watch this developing story and report when he makes the new attempt.
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1. I wish that Criss would realize that he doesn't have to do all these insane stunts just to blow his fans away. He should know that he doesn't need to do these things to impress a true Loyal. I feel paranoid man. It's like, he came so close to drowning and then he decides to try it again.
God-forbid he were to get hurt, I would be so deeply depressed. It might sound dramatic to those of you who don't know me too well (and if you don't know me too well, don't even read this because you won't understand it, and you'll probably just tease me about it anyway).
He says all the time that the fans deserve an amazing and mind-blowing illusions/stunts. However, all that his true Loyals want is for him to be safe. THATS IT!
To be honest, I can care less how many records he breaks or how many awards he's won. I care that he is who he is. He has changed my life in so many ways that I don't even look at him as Criss Angel anymore. I look at him as Christopher. After having my own personal experiences with him, I've realized that he's only one person. He isn't superhuman!!! He can't do everything. I wish he would stop pushing himself too hard. Especially considering that he doesn't even get a solid nights rest. He barely sleeps at all and then he pushes himself.
Everyone who reads this (if you're a Loyal or not) please pray to God for Criss. Pray that he doesn't hurt himself, and that he can get some rest and relaxation and realizes to always put himself first.
Felicia at 5:43PM on Mar 12th 2007