Criss Angel Loses Consciousness During Show at Luxor

Magician Criss Angel has made national headlines for passing out during a straight jacket escape during his show at Luxor.

The medical emergency happened about 15 minutes into a performance of “Mindfreak Live” on March 10, 2017.

The illusion in question is fairly badass. Angel is suspended over the stage, upside down, in a straight jacket. Rather than just merely contorting to escape, Angel spins feverishly until he gets free.

About two minutes into the escape, the show’s crew realized Criss Angel had lost consciousness, lowered him to the stage and Angel was rushed to Spring Valley Hospital.

Criss Angel
We feel compelled to mention this photo of Criss Angel has not been Photoshopped in any way.

By the following morning, Angel had been cleared by physicians, and was released.

To Criss Angel’s credit, the magician returned to the stage the following night. He performed the straight jacket stunt without incident.

Criss Angel has performed his straight jacket escape so many times, and makes it appear so effortless, it’s easy to forget how physically strenuous, and potentially dangerous, it is.

Hanging upside down can cause a rush of blood to the head (hence the term “head rush”) which can cause dizziness and vertigo and a sudden change of blood pressure. The medical term is “postural hypotension,” which we’re thinking would make a great band name.

The effects of being inverted can be exacerbated by dehydration and certain kinds of medication.

We’re glad to hear Criss Angel appears to be fine, and trust he’ll get a bump in ticket sales resulting from this unfortunate incident. Hey, Vegas doesn’t stop being Vegas just because somebody blacks out.

While his show has been disparaged by some, and Angel is a relatively easy target for satire, his show is one of the most successful magic shows in the history of Las Vegas (and possibly the world), and success is always the best revenge.

Criss Angel casino chip
Criss Angel’s show opened at Luxor in 2008. That’s an estimated metric ass-ton of inverted straight jacket escapes.

Criss Angel performs “Mindfreak Live” Wednesday through Sunday at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The show is dark Monday and Tuesday, although that’s probably a poor choice of words given the recent mishap.

Find out more about “Mindfreak Live” at the official Web site.