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Criss Angel admitted his “heart was in his mouth” the moment he realized there was something wrong with Ginuwine during their magic stunt rehearsal.
“I didn’t know what the hell was going on until we got him,” the illusionist told the Daily Mail in an interview published Monday.
“You just never know. My concern was whether he had a stroke or heart attack. Thankfully, it all worked out.”
The “Pony” singer had been rehearsing for The CW’s “Magic With the Stars” earlier this month when his underwater stunt caused him to lose consciousness.
Video footage showed Ginuwine holding his breath underwater in a glass box before slamming the sides to signal his distress.
Angel and the show’s staffers immediately worked to remove Ginuwine from the box. As soon as he was set free, the R&B star, whose real name is Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, passed out and was carried off by paramedics to recover.
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“When the video was leaked, I was shocked how viral it went,” the magician said in the new interview. “Honestly, it showed the world that there is a real danger in doing the stunt. Ginuwine was fine thanks to the safety protocols we had in place.”
Ginuwine, 52, appeared on the show to overcome his fear of holding his breath underwater. Angel said he advised the musician to focus on their practiced techniques, but during this rehearsal he “struggled” and ultimately “blacked out.”
“He told me that the last thing he remembered was being in the water and the next talking to me outside of the box,” Angel said. “He was not aware of what happened.”
Angel, 54, admitted he became emotional when Ginuwine requested to do the stunt again for the show once he had fully recovered.
“In his training he’d achieved so much, but this was a major step back, but this man had a unique drive and determination to accomplish something,” Angel said, adding that Ginuwine “accomplished it.”
“It’s difficult to put into words the feeling of joy of that moment,” he said. “The relief and release of that emotion streamed down our eyes in the form of tears. He was crying, too.”
